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Though Paul Reiser enjoyed mainstream success with sitcoms My Two Dads and Mad About You and films Diner, Aliens and Beverly Hills Cop I and II, the native New Yorker never forgot his stand-up roots.
This fall Reiser appears in Sundance's Audience Award-winning drama Whiplash with J.K. Simmons and Miles Teller, and zombie romantic-comedy (or "Rom-Com-Zom-Dram," as he puts it) Life After Beth, also starring Aubrey Plaza, Cheryl Hines, Molly Shannon and John C. Reilly. He performs May 10 at the Center of the Arts in Staten Island and May 22 at Harrah's in Atlantic City.
A month ago I was reading Carol Leifer's fantastic second book, in which you pop up all over the place, and I'm now reading an advance of Todd Glass's book, which you're in, too.
Is that right? Todd Glass wrote a book? I'll have to look at that. Well God bless 'im! I'm glad he's doing all right.
It's so funny, because Carol sent me a copy of her book, and I just started reading it yesterday. It was such a ride down memory lane. I see pictures of me that are startling in their youthfulness. And remembering stories -- I don't know how she remembers all these things I have not remembered. It was a very fun read, but what was interesting is she talked about something that I am being reminded of all the time: the camaraderie of comics. She talks about how there's a bond with comics, but also specifically with comics that came up together in the same class. It's hard for people to understand that bond, but you went through the same dives and the same clubs and the same insecurities and the same nightmares, and it all becomes sort of funny in the end. But it's not easy. It's not easy in the beginning.
You're in those same comedy trenches together.
Yeah, absolutely. And you all sort of flock to the same places. In each class or each school there's a couple of funny people, and they'll all end up...it's like all the smart, techy guys will all end up at MIT. So when you look at MIT, you go, "Oh, the top two kids in every class from all over the world." Well, it's the same at comedy clubs. The ones who are going to flock there are the ones drawn to it already. And it's funny, I have been having a surprisingly great time doing stand-up again. I hadn't done it; I hadn't performed in 20 years, from the time Mad About You started until really about two years ago. Once in a while I would do a couple of minutes at a charity event if I was emceeing or something, but nothing like really performing. It wasn't by design; I just kept thinking, "Oh, I'll get back to it when I get back to it."
And eventually I did, but it was surprising to me to see how much more I missed it than I knew. It's been a very nostalgic journey, because it's exactly the same as it was when I was 18. The world has changed, but the stand-up hasn't changed, and the act of doing it, and the excitement of a joke that doesn't work well then you get it to work, and the excitement of a new crowd, the excitement of walking on stage or getting ready for a show, I hadn't felt those things. They are youthful things: "Oh, that's what excited me when I was 18 and still excites me now at 58." That's a long time, but there are certain throughlines, and comedy is the throughline for a lot of us.
What got you back on stage?
I wasn't really fighting it; I was just saying, "Yeah, I will, I will, I will..." I'd see Jerry [Seinfeld] and [Jay] Leno: [imitating Leno] "Why don't you do it? Just get back!" I wasn't actively resisting it, but what I think happened was sometimes you just way, "Well I'm not getting any younger. So if you want to do it, do it." Like most things, you can't wait for any clear sign. But what happened was I think I did one charity event that was a particularly fun night. I was the emcee; I think we were Roasting the honoree, who was a friend of mine. It was just a great night with a lot of friends in the audience, and it was really fun. And big laughs. I suddenly remembered that feeling and went, "Oh, man. Why don't I do this more often? I love this!" And not long after that, I called up the Comedy & Magic Club and asked if I could come down, and I just started.
Kids, younger comics, would see me and go, "Wow, what are you doing here? Are you getting ready for a tour or a HBO special, or...?" I said, "No, I'm just doing this." And they said, "Why?" "Just to get better." At that time, I wasn't even planning on getting to where I am now. I wasn't even thinking, "Gee, I'm going to get out and tour." I was like, "Eh, I'm just doing this because it's Tuesday...and it's like whittling or, you know, making model trains or something. I'm going to put my time in and get better at this particular thing."
But it's been a really fun journey, I've got to say. First of all, I had barely traveled, so it's just been fun to be in new places and the different locales, but going into a town and going to a venue where people are coming to a venue and paying money just to see you make them laugh--and then hopefully doing that--and then leaving, it's very pure. There's something very simple about it, you know? I showed up, I talked, they laughed--everybody wins. As opposed to everything else in show business, which is never that direct or simple compared to movies or TV, where you have to come up with an idea and pitch the idea and get studios and take people and raise money and you get other partners along the way.
I have an idea for a TV show that I sort of sold to a studio, but it's been eight months before we can even begin to go write it, because there's so many moving parts. And it's really frustrating, and in the interim you start losing your enthusiasm and go, "You know what? I don't even remember why I loved this idea eight months ago." Where stand-up, something strikes you as funny at 2 o'clock, you write it down, you shape it, and then you tell it at 8 o'clock. I like that. That's a nice job.
The feedback is immediate.
Yeah, it's immediate and it's ever-changing. It's never the same. The little, tiny improvements and the little, tiny growths are an exciting part of it.
When you started putting new material together, did you find the process easier or more challenging? Are you writing from a whole new perspective nowadays?
Oh yeah. You're more informed in your fifties than you are in your twenties, for sure. There's a quicker trigger, and the instinct is sharper: "Well that may be funny, but that's not you. You don't want to go there." Or "That's not funny enough," or "That's funny, but it's a little harsh," or "It's not the message that I want to leave." So yeah, there's more editing. And what happens is I write more easily and more prolifically, but I edit more, so the net result is about the same. It's still a thrill to come up with one new minute or two minutes. If you come up with a five-minute chunk, it's like the goldmine: "Wow!" That's really great.
And those are the little minutia of stand-up I had forgotten that I'm so enjoying, the excitement of a new chunk that you play with. It's like a hobby. You get a mound of clay and you're sculpting it into something, like, "Okay, I'm going to work on it a little more today, and by next week it's going to be better than it was this week." And you see it grow, and you see it change. I think I work very much the same style that I always did, but certainly the perspective is different. Also just being in your fifties and being married a long time and having children and seeing life, from that perspective. So in your twenties, you're talking about your parents; now in your fifties, you're talking about your kids because you are the parent. It's like, "Wow, that's really a 180." As it should be. One should grow and change as your life changes.
Now that you're touring with the new material, are you looking to commit it to a special?
I don't know. I've toyed with the idea. There's a school of thought some comics have that as soon as you've got it, put it out there. And there's another school of thought that's "Well why would you do that? Not everybody's seen your hour." There's something more exciting in a way about going town to town and working as opposed to memorializing it. So I have no plans to do that at the moment. It still feels so new; it's really only been a year and a half that I'm out touring. And "touring" is a very loose usage of the word. I think I'm going at a very gentlemanly pace. It's only weekends, and it's every other weekend. I'll do two shows, three shows and go home. So it's not Willy Loman. I'm not living out of a suitcase in fleabag hotels. There are some fleabag hotels, but it feels like it's a quick in and out.
Have the demands and pathways to success changed for people coming up now?
I don't know. I think that certainly the world has changed and there are so many more outlets that you can be "famous" without being famous. Somebody can have six, ten million hits on a YouTube piece and you've never heard of them. But they're obviously doing well. Or coming back to stand-up, I would hear of people that are quite established that I had never heard of. Like, "Wow! So that guy's selling out theaters? That guy's selling out arenas? I did not know that." And they might not be mainstream, but they're out there doing really well.
But the actual craft of stand-up hasn't changed. There are ways to break in there didn't used to be--there's Internet, there's more channels, there's all that. But the actual craft of standing on a stage and telling jokes hasn't changed. There's no shortcut to it other than slogging away at it and doing it as many times as you can. So it's very rare--as much technology as there is, and how things are made easier and can happen faster--it's rare that something remains unchanged by technology. And stand-up, you can't do it better or faster with any new gizmo. There's no app that will make you funnier.
I like how on Twitter you only follow twelve people including Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama, but not Barack.
I think he's busy. I'm not sure how much he's Tweeting. Yeah, I don't read that much. Even those, I just wanted to see what their Tweets looked like. I'm very late to the game on that, and I was originally only encouraged to do it because it lets people know you're coming to their town, and that's a slow build. Like, "Okay, if that's part of the game, let's do that." But it's become fun, actually. It's another little art form.
But I don't know how people have time for their life: "Yeah, I Follow 5,000 people." Well how do you have time to eat? How do you have time to live? How can you breathe if you have 5,000 people whose every whim you're listening to?
It's interesting how you can get people like Steve Martin who really embrace it and start expanding what they're doing with it, and then on the opposite side of the spectrum you have people like Lewis Black who detest it.
Yes, I get it. That makes sense. I think I'm probably closer to him. But, you know, it's opening up a filter. You let the world in, and some days there's a lot of nice things, like, "Oh, look at all these people who are excited that I'm coming to their town!" That's nice to hear. And then you get somebody that's saying something nasty, and you go, "Wow, I didn't need to hear that!" So it's like opening this door to your house: "Well, you might meet a lot of people, but you might not want to meet 'em all."
It's a different form of immediate reaction.
Yeah, yeah, it's totally immediate. But I still have to remind myself, "Hey, I haven't Tweeted in four days. Get out there and write something." And every thought that comes into your head, it's, "Oh, why bother people with this? This is absurd." So it doesn't come naturally to me, and I admire people like Steve Martin. It's not surprising that he is mastering and molding something new out of it, because he's always done that. He's surprised people and written plays and novels, and there's his bluegrass. He's an artist in the truest sense, so it's no surprise that he would find an artful way to succeed at this.
You mentioned the TV series that you've been working on. Is that FX's Married?
No, I just finished that. That was really simple and fun. I was just a hired actor that they asked me to come play this one role. I did five episodes and went, "Well this is really easy and fun." And for me, it was a great relief to actually be in somebody else's sandbox and let them worry about it. I don't remember having that experience on a TV show. After all these years, looking at a script and going, "Oh, I only have to worry about these six pages. All these other pages are not my problem." I'm not used to that. I'm used to going, "Oh boy, this scene affects that page, and blah blah blah."
The other thing I was mentioning is the pilot that I haven't sold yet. Well, I've sold it to a studio, but now we're hopefully about to go and sell it to one of the cable networks. But I haven't written it yet. It's funny, because like I say, my thought was, "Well, I have this idea. Let's go write it!" They go, "Well don't write it yet until we know who's going to buy it." I guess I could have quietly sat and written it by myself, but the game is stacked against you. The game is about dragging it out. So we'll see. I'll write it, and if it comes out, great. And again, there's still a "maybe," if I write it and someone goes, "We love it, but we're not going to make it!" In stand-up, you don't have that. There are no gatekeepers.


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Infection- and procedure-dependent effects on pulmonary gene expression in the early phase of influenza A virus infection in mice
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Investigating the host response in the early stage of influenza A virus (IAV) infection is of considerable interest. However, it is conceivable that effects due to the anesthesia and/or intranasal infection procedure might introduce artifacts. We therefore aimed to evaluate the effects of anesthesia and/or intranasal infection on transcription of selected pulmonary mRNAs in two inbred mouse strains with differential susceptibility to IAV infection.
DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice were evaluated in a time course experiment in which lung tissue was sampled after 6, 12, 18, 24, 48 and 120 h. After anesthesia with ketamine and xylazine, a suspension of mouse-adapted IAV strain PR8_Mun in 20 μl sterile buffer, or 20 μl sterile buffer only, was instilled intranasally. The mice receiving anesthesia and PBS only were designated the "mock treatment" group. Pulmonary expression of 10 host mRNAs (Fos, Retnla, Irg1, Il6, Il1b, Cxcl10, Stat1, Ifng, Ifnl2, and Mx1) and viral hemagglutinin (HA) mRNA were determined at the designated time points. As expected, weight loss and viral replication were greater in the DBA/2J strain (which is more susceptible to IAV infection). Four mRNAs (Retnla, Irg1, Il6, and Cxcl10) were procedure-dependently regulated in DBA/2J mice between 6 and 24 h, and two (Retnla and Il6) in C57BL/6J mice, although to a lesser extent. All 10 mRNAs rose after infection, but one (Fos) only in DBA/2J mice. These infection-dependent effects could be separated from procedure-dependent effects beginning around 12 h in DBA/2J and 18 h in C57BL/6J mice. The interferon-related mRNAs Stat1, Ifng, Infl2, and Mx1 were unaffected by mock treatment in either mouse strain. Mx1 and Infl2 correlated best with HA mRNA expression (r = 0.97 and 0.93, respectively, in DBA/2J).
These results demonstrate effects of the anesthesia and/or intranasal infection procedure on pulmonary gene expression, which are detectable between approximately 6 and 24 h post procedure and vary in intensity and temporal evolution depending on the mouse strain used. Mock infection controls should be included in all studies on pulmonary gene expression in the early phase of infection with IAV and, likely, other respiratory pathogens.
KeywordsAnesthesia Gene expression Influenza virus Interferon Interferon lambda Intranasal infection Mouse model
False discovery rate
- ffu
Focus forming units
- h
Influenza A virus
Mouse Genome Informatics
Phosphate-buffered saline
- qRT-PCR
Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Gene name abbreviations are spelled out in the Methods section.
Due to ease of infection, animal rearing, and the availability of genetically modified strains, using mouse models and viral strains adapted to the murine host has become an attractive approach to studying the mammalian response to influenza A virus (IAV) infection. Recently, a substantial amount of information has been obtained regarding gene expression changes at various stages of infection in this model [1, 2, 3]. These authors showed that the genetic background of different mouse strains strongly influences the susceptibility to IAV. For instance, DBA/2J mice were highly susceptibility to the PR8_Mun IAV (H1N1) strain, whereas C57BL/6J mice were more resistant, as evidenced by less weight loss and an approx. 1000-fold higher viral LD50. Conversely, viral load was significantly higher in the DBA/2J strain, which also mounted a hyper-inflammatory response with much stronger up-regulation of many immune response-dependent genes. As exemplified by the aforementioned studies, most work in murine models of IAV infection has focused on time points during or after established infection (1 day up to 60 days), and very little attention has been paid to the first 24 hours (h). Nevertheless, critical aspects of the host response to early steps in viral attachment and entry could conceivably be studied during this early time window. However, due to the temporal proximity to the technical and pharmacological manipulations surrounding the infection process, it is conceivable that both the administration of the anesthetic and the physical and physiological stress from intranasal installation of the inoculate would lead to artifactual signals that are unrelated to the virus-host interaction. We have therefore analyzed changes in pulmonary gene expression in a 5-day time course featuring frequent measurements in the first 24 h, comparing results obtained from mice infected with IAV or exposed to vehicle only ("mock infection"). We find effects on pulmonary gene expression that can be clearly ascribed to the anesthesia/infection procedure, which are detectable as early as 6 h post treatment and differ between the two mouse strains in terms of magnitude and temporal evolution.
Sample preparation
Female 12-13-week-old C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice (n = 5–8 per time point and treatment) and mouse-adapted IAV strain variant PR8_Mun (Institute of Molecular Virology, University of Muenster, Germany), which is closely related to A/Puerto Rico/8/34, were used. Mice were weighed on day 0 just before induction of anesthesia and on each subsequent day. Infections were essentially carried out as described previously [1]. Briefly, mice were anesthetized by intra-peritoneal injection of 10 μl per g body weight of a stock solution of 0.5 ml ketamine (50 mg/ml, Invesa Arzneimittel GmbH, Freiburg, Germany), 0.5 ml 2% xylazine hydrochloride (Bayer Health-Care, Leverkusen, Germany) and 9 ml sterile NaCl 0.9% (Delta-Select GmbH, Dreieich, Germany). For intranasal infection, a viral dose of 2 × 103 focus forming units (ffu) of PR8_Mun (propagated in embryonated chicken eggs) was administered in a total volume of 20 μl sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). During the infection procedure, mice were held in the upright position and additional anesthetic was reinjected as needed. Mock treatment was identical to real anesthesia/infections except that vehicle only (sterile PBS), not containing virus, was used for intranasal instillation. Mice were killed by CO2 asphyxiation at 6, 12, 18, 24, 48, and 120 h with respect to infection or mock treatment. Untreated mice were used as t = 0 h control. Lungs were removed from the cadavers by cutting the main bronchus and were washed in RNAlater RNA Stabilization Reagent (Qiagen Inc, Valencia, CA, USA) immediately after removal. After transfer into a new tube containing 2 ml RNAlater, lungs were stored overnight at 4°C and then at -20°C until further use. All animal work was approved by an external committee according to the regulations on animal welfare of the Federal Republic of Germany.
RNA isolation and qRT-PCR
Lungs were homogenized in 4 ml RLT buffer (Qiagen) containing 40 μl β-mercaptoethanol and stored at -80°C in 450 μl aliquots. After thawing, 450 μl of this suspension was mixed with 700 μl Qiazol (Qiagen), and all further steps of total RNA isolation were performed with the miRNeasy kit (Qiagen) according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed with a LightCycler 480 (La Roche AG, Basel, Switzerland) in 96 well plates in 20 μl reaction volumes, using 15 ng cDNA (miScript Reverse Transcription Kit, QuantiTect SYBR Green PCR Kit) and primers specific for the following targets: the immediate early gene FBJ osteoscarcoma oncogene (Fos), resistin like α (Retnla), immune-responsive gene 1 (Irg1), interleukin 6 (Il6), interleukin 1β (Il1b), the chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (Cxcl10), four genes related to interferon pathways (the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1), interferon γ (Ifng), interferon λ2 (Ifnl2, aka Il28a), and myxovirus (influenza virus) resistance 1 (Mx1)), and IAV hemagglutinin (HA). Quantitect Primer Assays (Qiagen) were used for all targets except Ifnl2 and HA. Primers for amplification of Ifnl2 were designed using exon-spanning regions of the NCBI [4] sequence (Tanta_Mus_Ifnl2-F: 5'ctgcttgagaaggacctgagg'3, Tanta_Mus_Ifnl2-R: 5'ctcagtgtatgaagaggctggc'3). Primer sequences for HA mRNA amplification were published previously [3]. Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) gene symbols and names were used for all genes [5]. The arithmetic mean of the Ct values of β actin (Actb) and ribosomal protein L4 (Rpl4) was used as internal reference for normalization.
Data analysis
Data were analyzed using the R environment and programming code [6]. qRT-PCR data points with Ct ≥40, corresponding to lack of detection of a target due to technical failure or lack of expression, were assigned a Ct of 40. We removed technical outliers in ΔCt values using the maximum normed residual test (Grubbs' test) to detect outliers for each condition with a threshold of p ≤0.05. A median of 5 (range, 3–8) biological replicates were available for each data point after outlier removal. ANOVA was used for testing of trends throughout time series, adjusting p values for false discovery rate (FDR). For pairwise comparisons, we used Tukey's Honest Significant Differences Test for homogeneous variances and Dunnett's Modified Tukey-Kramer Pairwise Multiple Comparison Test for heterogeneous variances (Levene's test for variance equality). We used a significance threshold of p ≤0.05.
Changes in body weight
Viral replication
qRT-PCR revealed a brisk rise of mRNA encoding IAV HA in lungs of both mouse strains after infection (Figure 1B). HA mRNA was detected at low levels as early as 6 h in both strains, followed by a rapid rise that peaked at 48 h and 120 h in DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice, respectively. HA mRNA levels were significantly higher in DBA/2J than in C57BL/6J starting around 12 h. As expected, HA mRNA was not detected in the mock treated mice.
Principle component analysis of pulmonary expression of host-encoded mRNAs
Pulmonary expression of individual host-encoded mRNAs
Fos mRNA was expressed at low level and increased significantly after 48 h in the infected DBA/2J mice only (panel A). There was no evidence for mock treatment-dependent regulation of this mRNA in either mouse strain (panels A and B). The apparent tendency of an increase in infected C57BL/6J mice toward the later time points was not significant. Retnla mRNA increased significantly at all time points in infected DBA/2J mice. ANOVA revealed a significant effect of the mock treatment, with an effect size resembling that of infection between 6 and 24 h, suggesting procedure-dependent regulation through 24 h and infection-dependent regulation thereafter (panel C). In infected C57BL/6J mice, Retnla increased between 18 h and 120 h (panel D). In mock treated mice of this strain, expression increased steadily at the early time points, with significant regulation at 18 h and 24 h. This suggested a procedure-dependent regulation of Retnla resembling that observed in the DBA/2J mice. Irg1 mRNA expression increased in mock-treated DBA/2J mice between 6 and 18 h (panel E). This gene was up-regulated in DBA/2J infected mice at all time points, reaching a maximal 630-fold induction on day 2. In the C57BL/6J strain there was no increase in Irg1 due to mock treatment, and the infection-dependent increase was less pronounced, reaching a max. 150-fold induction at 120 h. Il6 mRNA increased in both strains beginning 6 h after infection or mock treatment, with stronger regulation being observed in the DBA/2J mice (panel G). In DBA/2J mice the mock treatment effect declined towards 18 h, and clear differences between infected and mock treated mice became apparent at 24 h. In the C57BL/6J mice, an infection-dependent rise in Il6 mRNA was observed somewhat later (t = 48 h) (panel H). Il1b mRNA increased in infected mice of both strains at 48 h and 120 h, and there was a tendency (p at 6 h = 0.09) toward a mock treatment effect between 6 and 18 h in the DBA/2J strain (panel I). Cxcl10 mRNA was up-regulated in DBA/2J mock-treated mice at 6 h (panel K), whereas it was not affected by mock treatment in the C57BL/6J mice (panel L). In both mouse strains Cxcl10 mRNA was significantly elevated in the infected mice, beginning at 6 h in the DBA/2J and at 18 h in C57BL/6J. Stat1 expression was not affected by mock treatment in DBA/2J mice, but there was a slight trend (statistically not significant) for up-regulation in C57BL/6J mice. An infection-dependent up-regulation became apparent at 24 h and 48 h in DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice, respectively. Similar to Stat1, Ifng was up-regulated in both mouse strains beginning around 48 h, and there was no evidence for regulation due to the infection procedure. Ifnl2 was not detected (Ct ≥ 40) in about 40% of untreated and mock treated DBA/2J mice; fold change values therefore represent an underestimation (panel Q). A significant rise after infection became apparent at 48 h, reaching a mean Ct of 26.3. In C57BL/6J mice, it was not detected in about 80% of the untreated and mock treated samples, suggesting a lower baseline expression than in DBA/2J (panel R). A first significant infection-dependent regulation was observed at 18 h, where Ifnl2 was detected in all DBA/2J and four of five C57BL/6J samples. Ifnl2 was detected in all 24 h samples (Ct = approx. 33) and continued to rise through 120 h. There was no evidence for a mock treatment effect on Ifnl2 in either mouse strain. Mx1 mRNA expression (panels S and T) was not regulated in response to mock treatment in either strain. In contrast, it strongly increased during infection, showing a significant rise beginning at 12 h in DBA/2J and 24 h in C57BL/6J mice.
Taken together, these results allow classifying the analyzed genes into three groups: (1) genes that were regulated in response to mock treatment and infection in both strains (Retnla, Il6), (2) genes that were regulated in response to both mock treatment and infection in the DBA/2J strain only (Irg1, Cxcl10), and (3) those whose expression changed in response to infection only (Fos, Il1b, Stat1, Ifng, Ifnl2, and Mx1). Of note, the latter group contained all four interferon pathway-related mRNAs.
Correlation with IAV HA mRNA
Correlations of pulmonary expression of 10 target mRNAs with HA mRNA 1
Regulation across all 10 target mRNAs
This analysis of sequential changes in pulmonary expression of several mRNAs after real or simulated IAV infection revealed effects that can be ascribed to anesthesia and/or the intranasal inoculation procedure. The results clearly demonstrate that the appropriate control group treated with a simulated anesthesia/infection should always be included in studies of IAV infection in mice that cover approximately the first 24 h post infection.
What might be the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms? Anesthesia is known to influence cytokine expression in humans, but actually appears to have an anti-inflammatory effect as, for instance, suggested by reduction of circulating Il6 levels [7, 8, 9]. The intranasal infection procedure appears to be a more likely candidate. Despite the relatively small volume of 20 μl that is used and the near physiological properties of PBS, we consider it likely that entry of PBS into the airway creates a stress response similar to that observed after fluid aspiration, including at least focal pulmonary hypoxia due to bronchospasm. Responsible mechanisms may both relate to stimulation of nerve endings in the airway epithelium and direct noxious stimulation of airway epithelial cells. Indeed, except for Irg1, three of the four mRNAs whose expression was regulated in response to mock treatment are known to be induced during a stress response or hypoxia at the cellular or tissue level (Retnla: [10]; Il6: e.g., [11]; Cxcl10: [12]). The fourth one, Irg1, is preferentially expressed in macrophages, is strongly induced during macrophage activation, and localizes to mitochondria [13, 14]. Its expression in stress or hypoxia has not been examined, and it would therefore be interesting to test whether it plays a role in these processes. The four interferon related genes (Stat1, Ifng, Ifnl2 and Mx1) were clearly induced in infected mice only. They have all been shown to play important roles in the host defense against IAV and other viruses [15, 16, 17]. The Mx1 gene is nonfunctional (truncated) in certain mouse strains including DBA/2J and C57BL/6J, but even the nonfunctional murine form is fully interferon inducible [18], suggesting that it does reflect the anti-influenza interferon response of the DBA/2J and C57BL/6J mice. Among these four genes, only Stat1 has been shown to be regulated by stress or hypoxia [19, 20]. Interestingly, it was not affected by the mock treatment in the presented study, perhaps because its sensitivity to regulation in this murine model is not high enough to respond to any stress/hypoxia due to the mock treatment. Indeed, its upregulation in the infection was much smaller compared to the other three interferon-related genes. Thus, the observation that expression of these four interferon-related mRNAs was not affected by the mock treatment supports the aforementioned notion that the procedure-associated effects in this model relate to a stress response that can be functionally separated from the antiviral response.
Differences between the two mouse strains
Differences were observed in the magnitude of the response to both mock treatment and viral infection. The fact that both procedure and infection-related responses were more vigorous in the DBA/2J mice agrees with the previously described overall stronger inflammation in this strain during IAV infection [1]. This may reflect a greater intrinsic propensity to inflammation, but also the higher rate of viral replication in this strain. We favor a combination of both models, as the procedure-dependent effects, too, were brisker in the DBA/2J mice.
The relatively small sample size represents a limitation of this study. Nonetheless, statistical significance was reached for several variables. A larger sample size would likely reveal additional significant changes, such as procedure-dependent regulation of Il1b, at least in the DBA/2J strain, in which there currently is a tendency toward significance (mean fold increase at 6 h in mock-treated mice = 2.8; p = 0.09). In addition, the small number of target mRNAs does not represent overall gene expression in the lung. Other methods such as RNA deep sequencing would likely reveal genes showing an earlier response to IAV infection or a longer persistence of procedure-dependent effects.
Despite the aforementioned limitations, the presented results clearly show that the manipulations surrounding the infection procedure can affect pulmonary gene expression in a host strain-dependent manner for approx. 24 h. Thus, "mock treatment" controls should be included in all murine studies on IAV infection where measurements are to be taken within approx. the first 24 h. Likewise, such controls are likely needed in similar studies with other viral and non-viral respiratory pathogens. The degree to which a mock effect might interfere with infection-dependent data would depend on the kinetics of replication and spread of the respective infection in the host animal.
We thank E. Wilk and L. Dengler (Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research) for helpful discussion and support and for a critical reading of the manuscript. The study was supported by intramural funds from the Helmholtz Association (Program Infection and Immunity), by the Helmholtz Association's Cross Program Initiative in Individualized Medicine (iMed), by a German-Egyptian Research Long-term Scholarship (GERLSS, award no. A/10/92653) award to M. T., and by funds from the Helmholtz International Graduate School for Infection Research to M. P.
Supplementary material
- 1.Alberts R, Srivastava B, Wu H, Viegas N, Geffers R, Klawonn F, Novoselova N, Do Valle TZ, Panthier JJ, Schughart K: Gene expression changes in the host response between resistant and susceptible inbred mouse strains after influenza A infection. Microbes Infect. 2010, 12 (4): 309-318. 10.1016/j.micinf.2010.01.008.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 2.Pommerenke C, Wilk E, Srivastava B, Schulze A, Novoselova N, Geffers R, Schughart K: Global transcriptome analysis in influenza-infected mouse lungs reveals the kinetics of innate and adaptive host immune responses. PLoS One. 2012, 7 (7): e41169-10.1371/journal.pone.0041169.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRefGoogle Scholar
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Copyright information
This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

subset: commoncrawl


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Uncover Your Light Within!
As a spiritually focused counselor, life coach, clairvoyant, and crystal communicator, I utilize over 30 years of experience to assist you in discovering your own inner wisdom. I'll guide you in connecting with your higher self, and will facilitate clear communication with your guides and angels.


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When the first book, Nan's Journey, was published, pain had begun to take over my life. I found out that it was from Fibromyalgia. In order to occupy my mind while I was not able to do too much physical things, I wrote. I wrote and wrote and wrote. Sixteen books were the result of an attempt to escape pain and to try to be productive with my life. The Lord gave me the words and stories.
I have discovered the joy of living through pain and trusting the Lord completely. This year I have also been given a gift of a chance to escape much of the pain with a simple life change. Our sweet Cari and Mikey gave me "the blue box" for Christmas. Now, I feel so good, I can hardly sit still long enough to write.
I will get back to writing. It is just so joyful to be able to do things I haven't been able to do for eleven years. Send me an email at email@example.com if you want more information about 'the blue box'. I feel it is an answer to my prayers.


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26 - E.S. Rever, Far from Heaven, Wigglin' Jo: Jo Wiggles Again
Play;Write is a podcast about creating and sharing new ways to play. We workshop seedlings of ideas for video games in hopes of coming up with something timeless. It's not just about us, though! Join in the conversation! Pitch your own game ideas to be read and explored on air on our website at www.playwritecast.com, tweet us @playwritecast, or email us at email@example.com.
In this episode of the podcast, Ryan Hamann (@InsrtCoins) and Ryan Quintal (@ryanquintal) explore a time-reversing shooter, a train-based adventure through the wasteland, and a jigglin' rhythm game. The community pitch was submitted by Spencer Saunders.
Our theme song is "Hello World." by PROTODOME from the album BLUENOISE.
Below is the image submitted by Spencer that we spend all that time trying to describe.


text: What do kids know about the Texas Rangers? Well these kids apparently know it ALL! Take a look at our latest spot featuring the Texas Rangers Summer Academy Kids. The spot was created for the FOX Sports Southwest campaign, The Heart of Texas Baseball. This spot is currently airing on FOX Sports Southwest.


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WWE Rumor Mill: Backstage news on how long Kevin Owens will be out of action
What's the story?
Kevin Owens was written off of television this week in an angle where Bobby Lashley seemingly turned heel, smashing KO's knee into the ring post after their scheduled match.
It later emerged that Owens would be taking some time away due to injury, and it has now emerged that the injury requires surgery - which will sideline Kevin Owens for 4-8 months, depending on the surgery needed.
In case you didn't know...
Kevin Owens' tag team partner and best friend Sami Zayn is currently sidelined due to an injury, too. Since Zayn was written off of television, Owens has gone up against Braun Strowman, been teamed up with Elias, and even quit Raw, before making his return to attack Bobby Lashley in a segment with Jinder Mahal.
Owens teamed up with Elias to face John Cena and Bobby Lashley in a losing effort. While this will be the first time Kevin Owens has missed substantial television time due to injury, Sami Zayn's had much worse luck in that department.
Right now, Zayn is recovering from two torn rotator cuffs after wrestling 163 times in 2017 and 65 times in 2018 - reportedly while hurt. Zayn is expected to return to WWE in early 2019.
The heart of the matter
Kevin Owens had been working with a knee injury for a while before being written off of television. Much like his back injury last year, it was hoped that the ailment may not be serious enough to require time away.
However, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Dave Meltzer is reporting that the former Universal Champion could miss anywhere between four and eight months - depending on the severity of the surgery.
Meltzer noted that the full damage won't be known until his knee is opened up and, while it's hoped that Owens will just need minor surgery, it is possible that the diagnosis may be much worse.
What's next?
If Owens needs major surgery, he is expected to be out for eight months. If the procedure is minor, it's much more likely to be four months.
We wish Kevin Owens all the best in his recovery.


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Surprise your favorite friends with a beautiful gift. No matter what it's for a special surprise can go a long way. Our friends mean everything to us, and they deserve just as much as us.
Grab the perfect gift and surprise them with something special. Plants are a great gift to bring more energy to a home. Our florists at Conroy's Flowers Covina are ready to get you a beautiful plant for your next surprise. Worried about getting it on time? No need, we offer convenient same-day delivery in Covina, CA.
$59.99 - $69.99
$59.99 - $79.99


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Colleen LaFontaine - on a mission to redefine women's philanthropy.
What Colleen & her team has to say:
We've seen fantastic projects fail that could have survived with just a little money and a little support. We know that we can find and fund powerful grassroots projects directly, saving money, building relationships and maximizing impact. We know that every girl given a chance to thrive can not only change her world, but our world as well. We want to grow as philanthropists and partners; women in the developing world want to transform their lives through education, information and skill building. That's why we began Present Purpose Network, so we can all realize our purpose.


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The Snore Centre Blog
News and information about sleep apnoea and snoring
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1. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt and pepper in large bowl. Make well in center; add yolk, corn kernels, melted butter, nutmeg if using, and buttermilk. Stir wet ingredients into dry to moisten.
2. Heat about 1/4 cup vegetable oil in large heavy skillet. Spoon dollops of dough into skillet; press with spatula to flatten. Fry until golden brown on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes each side, using remaining oil as needed. Remove to paper toweling to drain. Serve warm.


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Are black cats really unlucky? It depends on who you ask.
Katie Smith, outreach manager at Frankie's Friends Cat Rescue in New Kensington says their black cats seem to find homes just as quickly as other cats.
"It seems that black cats are becoming more popular with time," she says. "Black cats have just as much love and affection to give as any other cat."
There are even added benefits to owning them. "Black hair is harder to see, so your clothing and furniture may not look as 'hairy' as they would if you owned a different colored cat," she says.
Their five-year-old black cat Remus also just had some luck: He got adopted this week from The Black Cat Market in Lawrenceville (see story here).
Over at Humane Animal Rescue, 13-year-old Baby Sue has been living at their East End shelter since late August.
But Matt Pietropaoli, Humane's manager of communications, says black cats are generally abundant, which could add to the myth that black cats have a longer length-of-stay at shelters than other breeds.
Their shelters are also prepared for anyone who might just want to adopt a cat for a Halloween prop.
"There is a lot of disturbing stuff out there regarding black cats, and we take every step at Humane Animal Rescue to ensure that every animal is adopted into a loving home," says Pietropaoli.
On October 28, the shelter is teaming up with Steel City Squares for The Black Cat Boogie, a night of square dancing and "spooky fun" from 5-8 p.m. at Spring Hill Brewery.
If Baby Sue isn't adopted by then, Pietropaoli says she'll be a big focus of the event.
For more information, visit frankies-friends.org and humaneanimalrescue.org.


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That sounded great!
Type: Posts; User: 68Goldfish; Keyword(s):
That sounded great!
Hello! Been a while since I've been here but I'm never without a MM bass!
What can you tell me about E26262 and E22786?
I love my ceramic SR5"s!
Hey guys. I have a question regarding a new to me 2014 SR5 HH.
I noticed that there seemed to be considerable buzz or hum in the second and fourth (from the back) positions of the selector...
In total I've owned ten MM basses including 4 sterlings, 4 sr4's and 2 sr5's. At this moment I'm down to two sr5's and one sr4. So that makes 1375 by my count.
Sure looks like Alder.
That was killer until the rest of the band kicked in!
I hear what your saying. I've spent over three K on MM basses in the last couple months......
Wow! When an where do we fill out an order sheet!
Yeah, but I foolishly traded it away. I've since been on a sr5 kick so maybe I'll replace it with an sr5 in the same color scheme. that would be cool!
Outdoors with a SR4 and an SVT. Don't get much better than that.
I had that exact same bass only without the SLO neck. Killer looking combo! The black cherry burst is so much better in person than in pictures.
I wonder if that body is alder?
Sweet! I didn't even know such an animal even existed. I had a black/maple classic sr4 and it was awesome. So fine. I don't think anybody makes a better neck or finish than EB.
Thanks for the tip. I ended up going with a natural/ full rosewood SR5 HH. I'll post the obligatory
pics as soon as I get it!
Hey guys. Like the title says, I'm seriously gassing for an all rosewood necked SR5. I'm really looking for one in a sunburst color. I haven't had any luck scouring the web. I know their not...
I have a 90 ray just like this one. I say go for it. Figured gloss neck, two band, bridge with mutes all with a contoured body. Best of all worlds. I say it's a no brainer especially considering you...
Here's my two keepers.....
2014 SR5 in Lucky Gold
1990 SR4 Natural with sweet birdseye...
Hi AJ. What can you tell me about my new bass.
This is the most beautiful bass I've ever seen or played!
Thank you Sir!
Hi! I'm curious about my Sr4's DOB and original body color. SN 29097
Thank You!
Hey guys. Just thought I'd join your group since I'm a recent convert to EBMM basses. I just happened to plug in a sterling at a local GC when I was out of town on a bussines trip and totally fell in...


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Wish I'd said that - September 16, 2017
"I sleep like a baby, too. Every two hours, I wake up screaming."
Then U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, re reports that President George W. Bush had slept like a baby in the runup to the Iraq war, quoted in Globe and Mail Nov. 16, 2004 (I swear I thought of this joke years earlier but Powell beat me into print and may himself have come up with the gag long before)


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Crazy Critters, Waddington International Airshow 2010.
4 comments:
The bird was probably wondering what was going on! :)
- Monday, July 12, 2010 2:45:00 pm
- Dave said...
Or maybe it was saying look at me I can do better aerobatics than that.
- Monday, July 12, 2010 3:39:00 pm
- imac said...
He's a brave little Birdie.
Hi Dave, my pic of the wild flower field was taken with my camera slightly on the slant, to make it look as if it was down hill, I wanted to show the lines of different colours running along.
Sorry if it didnt do anything for you tho as it had done for me.
Thats what I like about blogging, you get to see how other folk see things.
- Monday, July 12, 2010 5:30:00 pm
- Dave said...
That's the joy of photography too, getting other peoples opinions. I love getting feedback on here from you and others because without it how will I improve. It is the keen eye of people like yourself giving critiques of my pictures that helps me to improve. Thanks for helping.
- Monday, July 12, 2010 6:54:00 pm


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Lankan Rupee owes punters plenty after a last-start flop, but a slashing barrier trial has online bookmaker sportsbet.com.au wary of the highest-rates sprinter in the world bouncing back in Friday's Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley.
Lankan Rupee is the short-priced early favourite at $1.80 ahead of proven Group 1 performer Buffering ($8.50), and Rebel Dane ($7.50).
Angelic Light is an $8.50 chance to back up her shock last-start victory over Lankan Rupee.
"A month ago, $1.80 for Lankan Rupee would've been considered a steal, but the superstar's first-up run in the McEwen Stakes was disappointing and he's facing a much stronger field here," said sportsbet.com.au's Christian Jantzen.
Market courtesy of sportsbet.com.au: Join Sportsbet.com.au Here.
Moir Stakes
$1.80 Lankan Rupee
$5.50 Buffering
$7.50 Rebel Dane
$8.50 Angelic Light
$8.50 Sweet Idea
$9.50 Gregers
$17 Tiger Tees (unlikely)
$31 Unpretentious
$101 It Is Written
$201 Fire Thunderbolt


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The longest assignment ever.
Today i went to David's house to photograph him with his grandson. David babysits his grandson everyday while his mother is at work. This was for a story about local township supervisors and what they do on their time off since they their job doesnt require full time status.
My first encounter with David didnt go so well. After he opened the door, i could tell he wasnt to happy with me coming to his house. So, i figured i would just smile and be nice. My smile was interrupted when he actually asked to see my press pass. he said, "Dont you have some id on you or something, they told me you would have id on you." Now, normally i dont have to show my press pass to come inside someones home, but apparently he was paranoid about something. And he wasnt too happy that i left my press pass in my car. So, after proper identification was established was granted entry into his humble farmhouse. This step was important to make certain i wasnt no radical muslim or nothin. ( he actually used this phrase later on in the day).
This assignment took me almost five hours to complete. Maybe because the first 2.5 were spent in a tiny poorly lit basement watching his grandson play computer games, as i was asked questions as to the nature of the story we were writing about him. However, we did eventually venture upstairs to the kitchen, then to the living room, and then to put his grandson down for a nap. I will say it was an extremely interesting day. David eventually warmed up to me and we got along fine. He talked alot about hunting, fishing, computers, buying american products, christianity, and "Liberals." So, i didnt say alot in return, but instead listned to him and asked question ( and hoped he didnt ask my political views). Even though we couldnt be farther on the social spectum, everything worked out fine.
I will say that in the end, he was a nice guy, and a great grandfather. Even though he did give me hell for driving a toyota. I guess some people just take five hours to warm up to you.


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We are making this film because we want to help change policy, by raising the profile of the pressing issue of child-on-child abuse, and the inadequate institutional responses to this escalating problem.
One of the key challenges faced by young children who have experienced abuse is the reluctance of parents, and institutions, to accept the words of children as evidence, despite the wealth of research showing that children almost never make up stories about being sexually abused.
"We know that children do not make up stories asserting they have been sexually molested. It is not in their interests to do so. Young children do not have the sexual knowledge necessary to fabricate an allegation" (Faller, 1999).
As a result, perpetrators are repeatedly left to abuse again, and victims are often re-victimised in multiple ways for truthfully asserting they have been sexually abused, to the extent that some families have found it necessary to leave their neighbourhoods (Briggs, 2017).
Disclosure highlights the fact there is a lack of alignment between child psychologists and psychiatrists and the legal powers of state. A key issue evident in the film is that children under the age of 10 cannot be considered criminally responsible for sexual abuse acts. This has resulted in a lack of agreement and consistency across Australia about appropriate responses in cases of children under the age of 10, compounded by a lack of child abuse-related training for adults whose work involves children. Parents, schools, police and social services are left ill-equipped to make effective and necessary interventions (Briggs, 2017).
Experts like criminologist Dr Wendy O'Brien at Australia's Deakin University, Dr Joe Tucci at the Australian Childhood Foundation and Government Advisor Dr Russell Pratt have all argued that early therapeutic intervention (for child perpetrators) is essential for preventing future abuse.
The late Emeritus Professor Freda Briggs, in her submission for the Inquiry into the harm being done to Australian children through access to pornography on the internet, recommended that:
- more must be done to limit access to pornography on the internet,
- child protection school curriculum be made compulsory in all states,
- and all human service TAFE and university graduates whose work could involve children to undergo comprehensive practical and relevant child abuse-related training
"Clearly we are paying too high a price for adults' rights to view whatever they wish regardless of the consequences for young people and society." (Briggs, 2017)
Briggs, F. B. (2017) Submission for the Inquiry into the harm being done to Australian children through access to pornography on the internet
Cook, H & Jacks, T. (2015) 'Child on child sexual offences rock schools', The Age, 5 July
Faller, K. C. (1999) "Is the child victim of sexual abuse telling the truth?" in Child Abuse & Neglect. Vol. 8, pp. 473 – 481
Wright, P. J. (2015) 'A meta-analysis of pornography Consumption and Actual Acts of Sexual Aggression in General Population Studies'. Journal of Communication 66 (1)
Trounson, A. (2017) Pornography: Exhibit A: Children who have sexually abused other children have spoken about their behaviour, spotlighting the need to tackle pornography and education https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/pornography-exhibit-a (accessed 26/04/2017)


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Everything we need to build your online business
Business Catalyst allows us to deliver powerful business websites and online stores to our clients in an all-in-one hosted business solution.
Business Catalyst is an all-in-one managed hosting Content Management System that comes with a full suite of features that help your business grow online. AJ's Full House uses Business Catalyst because of it's simplicity when it comes to the design and development of a website, but it's all of the other features that make this solution so powerful for our clients. It's powerful SEO, marketing tools, reporting and analytics features, customer database, business workflow processes, and it's out of the box eCommerce features it's no wonder that this managed hosted solution fits over 90% of our clients needs.
We are a Atlanta based digital marketing and solution provider. Our focus is based on delivering high quality solutions and services to build our clients businesses and brands by making them more visible to their target audience.Find Out Why Our Clients Choose Us


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Events, Intercultural Montessori Chicago Campus, Intercultural Montessori Oak Park Campus, Parent Resources
A Presentation on Montessori Education by Jonathan WolffAugust 19, 2016
Dear Parents,
Every year Intercultural seeks to provide more resources to our Intercultural parent community and we have reached out to various Montessori professionals who are able to lend their expertise and guidance. We hope that they will assist your role as parents by giving you knowledge on parenting within a Montessori framework.
On Tuesday, August 23 Jonathan Wolff will be working with Intercultural's faculty and will also be available to make a presentation on Montessori Education to Intercultural's parents. This presentation will take place from 6:00 pm until 7:00 pm in the Chicago Campus.
Jonathan Wolff is an international Montessori consultant, teacher and school leadership educator, he will illustrate how the Montessori Method not only produces capable scholars, but more importantly, empowers young people to think for themselves, think of others, and think out-of-the box.


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By Jamie Bernstein
From his earliest conflicts with his father, Leonard Bernstein was already establishing a template for a lifetime of wrestling with his creator, of confronting authority. Over and over again, he turned to his father's beloved Hebrew biblical texts for both inspiration and disputation. These texts appear in so many pieces over my father's lifetime that taken together with the music, they document a lifelong, heated dialogue with God. MASS is a particularly impassioned chapter of the argument.
One of my father's favorite ways to express conflict was to pit tonality against atonality. We tend to forget nowadays what an urgent crisis composers faced in the mid-20th Century. A composer who wished to be taken seriously by the academic musical community back then absolutely positively had to forfeit tonality in favor of the 12-tone vocabulary – that is, no key and no melody. There was no middle ground; either you wrote 12-tone music or you weren't a "serious" composer. My father longed to be included in the academic musical pantheon, but he could not quite bring himself to stop writing a tune. At the time, it cost him his very reputation to stick to tonality – but aren't we glad now?! And in the long run, I daresay that Leonard Bernstein's fondness for melody has not marred his reputation.


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No products
You have to add to cart 14 or at least 21 bottles or any program to make checkout.
You have to add to cart 14 or at least 21 bottles or any program to make checkout.
They aren't just for making delicious guacamole! The national fruit of Mexico, the avocado, isn't just a great fruit for those who love Mexican cuisine. Avocado has many benefits, and one of them is that it can support a healthy and beautiful complexion. Find out why avocados are good for your skin!
You may know avocado as the fruit that is often used in Mexican dishes, particularly for making delicious guacamole. As the national fruit of Mexico and India, it is sometimes also called avocado pear or alligator pear because of its shape and colour. What makes the avocado so special is that it is incredibly nutritious and provides a wealth of healthful benefits.
Avocado is a real superfood that contains lots of valuable nutrients that your body needs to stay fit and healthy. Rich in vitamins, dietary fibre, iron, and potassium, the fruit helps with combatting and preventing many health conditions. It is believed to help with osteoporosis and weight loss, and it boosts the digestive system, just to name a few of its various health benefits. Moreover, avocados can also work wonders for healthy skin.
Avocados are rich in vitamins A, B, C, E, and K, and are loaded with vital minerals such as iron, potassium, copper, and phosphorus. These nourishing compounds provide many benefits for healthy skin, and this is also why you can find avocado as an ingredient in many beauty products—from beauty masks and creams to ointments and body lotions. But the avocado can also provide its benefits for beautiful skin from the inside when you eat it or drink juices made with fresh avocado.
If you want to enjoy a healthy and delicious dose of avocado together with the goodness of other fresh fruits and veggies, our Uzuma Zen slow green juice is for you! Uzuma Zen is one of our most jam-packed slow juices. Just like our other green juices, Uzuma Zen contains the nutritional content of 1kg of vegetables and fruits. We make Uzuma Zen from fresh avocado, apple, cucumber, spinach, kale, fennel, broccoli, and lime.
If you want to know how exactly avocado can be good for your skin, read on. Here are some of the benefits of avocado and how it can support a beautiful and healthy complexion.
1. Avocado is rich in antioxidants
Among the reasons why our skin may become wrinkly and dry as we get older are so-called free radicals. Free radicals are harmful molecules that damage our cells, including the cells of our skin. The antioxidants found in avocados, such as carotenoids, vitamin E, and vitamin C, help protect against the damage of free radicals and can prevent early signs of ageing.
One of these antioxidants, a carotenoid called lutein, helps our skin to retain water, which benefits the elasticity of the skin and prevents the loss of beneficial lipids for a smooth and soft appearance. The vitamin E in avocado nourishes the skin and protects it from damage from ultraviolet light. Vitamin C also plays an important role for healthy skin, promoting the production of collagen, which is important so that our skin can stay firm and elastic even as we age.
2. Avocado moisturises your skin
The beneficial fats found in avocado are some of the best if you want to moisturise your skin. To give you an idea of how effective avocado is for keeping your skin smooth, consider that coconut oil (a popular skin moisturiser) normally contains less than 10% oleic acid. An avocado, however, contains much more. Over 60% of avocado flesh consists of oleic acid. The fruit is so rich in the beneficial fatty acid that it provides its skin-moisturising effect even from the inside. Eat avocado regularly and the glands of your skin will in time secrete these moisturising fluids so your skin always stays well-hydrated.
The moisturising effect of the avocado will also work amazingly well when you simply apply the fruit directly to your skin. You can just scoop out a bit of the avocado flesh and apply it as a simple but effective natural moisturiser. You can also make a little more advanced moisturiser by mashing up an avocado then adding an egg white and a few drops of lemon juice. This avocado paste won't just smoothen your skin, but can also help with clearing up acne, pimples, and blemishes. Or, you can make a super moisturising and cleansing face mask by adding some yogurt, olive oil, and honey. At the bottom of this article, you can find two easy recipes to make avocado face masks!
3. Avocado protects your skin from the sun
Prolonged exposure to harmful UV rays from the sun can lead to wrinkles, spots, inflammation, and an increased risk for skin cancer. Scientific research has found that the fats in avocados can not only reduce the cell damage from UV rays, but can also reduce the risk of skin inflammation. There is even evidence that applying avocado oil after sun exposure may support the repair of damaged DNA, possibly reducing the risk for malignancy.
In addition to the fatty oils in avocado, the vitamins C and E also protect from UV rays. Vitamin E works against particularly harmful UVB rays, which can alter DNA, while vitamin C protects from UVA damage for a double-protective effect.
But know that a topical made from avocados cannot replace a sunscreen. So if you want to protect your skin in the summertime, make sure that you always apply sunscreen. Use the avocado oil or paste after you have finished enjoying the sunshine.
4. Avocado helps prevent wrinkles
Since ancient times, people have sought out ways to prevent the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a more youthful appearance. The avocado is probably the best natural remedy to prevent these unfortunate signs of ageing that all of us will experience at some point.
We already talked about how antioxidants such as vitamins C and E can fight free radicals to minimise skin damage. But avocado also contains other compounds that actively support the production of collagen and elastin, giving our skin structure and elasticity.
Unlike other substances that you can sometimes find in beauty products, the beneficial compounds in avocado don't just smooth the surface of the skin. They reach deep into its layers to keep it nourished and healthy. This way, avocado makes the skin look healthy and youthful, and can greatly help decrease the appearance of wrinkles and other signs of ageing.
5. Avocado helps heal wounds
The multifaceted nature of the avocado extends to more serious skin damage. In scientific studies, it has been found that the fruit also supports the growth of new skin cells, helping wounds heal faster. This makes ointments and other topicals made from avocado effective not just for moisturising your skin, but also for healing. A paste made from avocado can be perfect if you want to soothe small blemishes, chapped lips, and minor wounds.
One of the best ways to get all the goodness of the avocado onto your skin is with an avocado face mask. This easy-to-make home concoction can help you achieve a glowing complexion; it nourishes your skin and can help clear acne and other skin problems.
This is a fantastic face mask for brightening up your skin in the summer, but you can also apply it any other time of year for a radiant complexion.
1. Cut a ripe avocado in half.
2. Remove the seed from the avocado. A spoon works best for this.
3. With the spoon, peel out the pulp from the skin.
4. Put the avocado pulp in a medium-sized bowl and mash it up.
5. Add 2 spoonfuls of honey and mix everything well.
6. With your hands, apply the mask to your face.
7. Leave on your face for 15–20 minutes.
8. Rinse with cool water.
Enjoy your smooth and glowing skin!
This is a great avocado mask that can help with skin irritation and can reduce the appearance of acne scars. This mask combines the beneficial effects of avocado with that of aloe vera and turmeric.
1. Cut a fresh, ripe avocado in half.
2. Use a spoon and remove the seed from the avocado.
3. With the spoon, scrape out the pulp from the skin.
4. Place the avocado pulp in a bowl.
5. Add a spoonful of turmeric to the mix.
6. Take a fresh aloe leaf and peel it to get the fresh aloe gel.
7. Add the aloe gel to your mix.
8. Blend the mixture well to make a paste.
9. Apply the mask to your face.
10. Leave on your face for about 20 minutes.
11. Rinse off with warm water.
Apply this mask regularly and you can enjoy clear and smooth skin!


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Wed., April 15, 4pm EDT: World-renowned philosopher, futurist, evolutionary leader, teacher and author Barbara Marx Hubbard transitioned this past week with blessings given from around the world to her as she embarks upon the next steps of her profound journey. Barbara has been a guest on A Better World Radio & TV a number of times over the years starting in her own living room in Santa Barbara around 10 years ago and her presence will be greatly missed.
This week's radio program will be a Roundtable with two of Barbara's closest and long-time friends, Jean Houston and Hazel Henderson, in honor and homage to Barbara Marx Hubbard.
These three giants of the archetypal Feminine joined together decades ago, brainstormed, heart-stormed, spirit-stormed and shaped a grand work called The Book of Yin.
For Jean Houston, an Internationally renowned speaker, author and philosopher Jean Houston, creativity is one of the most important keys to unlocking hidden human potential and ushering in greater possibilities for one's life. Which is why Houston, who has worked with Jimmy Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, the United Nations and NASA, has been one of the leading voices in educating and inspiring leaders and those of her many, many students over the years to their own unique greatness. http://www.jeanhouston.com
long-time futurist, green economist, Hazel Henderson, D.Sc.Hon., FRSA, is founder of Ethical Markets Media, LLC (USA and Brazil) who has been a guest on A Better World Radio with Mitchell numerous times as well as on A Better World TV..
Hazel is a world-renowned futurist, evolutionary economist, a worldwide syndicated columnist, and author of award-winning Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy (2006) and eight other books. She created the Ethical Markets TV series in global distribution at www.films.com, the EthicMark® Awards, the Green Transition Scoreboard®and co-created Ethical Biomimicry Finance®. www.ethicalmarkets.com
Mitchell Rabin is the Founder, President and CEO of A Better World Foundation & Media, with a background in psychology stress management, acupuncture and social entrepreneurship. He is a counselor, and executive coach all as a means of educating and inspiring clients and students alike to leading others by modeling humane, eco-sensitive values. He has been a consultant to business leaders and CEOs of green and health-oriented start-ups over the past 25 years. He is an impassioned environmentalist and social entrepreneur using media & business as agents for change. www.abetterworld.tv www.mitchellrabin.com


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Hi there! Is this your first time?
Did you know if you register you have access to free search tools including the ability to save listings and property searches? Did you know that you can bypass the search altogether and have listings sent directly to your email address? Check out our how-to page for more info.
- Price$279,800
- Beds3
- Baths3
- SQ. Feet1,298
- Built1995
41 Millrose Pl Sw, Calgary
Price reduced $30K! Great value! This modern and bright 4-level split townhouse is a 5-min walk to the C-train station, shopping, Fish Creek park, all levels of schools & golf course. Spacious and very well kept & shows pride of ownership. Move-in ready! Perfect for the growing family or young professionals. Features 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms with DOUBLE ATTACHED garage. The Main floor has a 12' ceiling w/ ceiling fan, corner gas fireplace with mantle, bay window. Hardwood flooring on the main and second level. Large kitchen with generous dining area and sliding door leading to a huge south-facing deck. Upstairs features a master bedroom with walk-in closet & ensuite, another two spacious bedrooms and a 4pc washroom. Condo fees include cable TV as stated by the condo board. Need more storage space? Loads of room under the crawl space. Well managed and quiet complex! Size shown is RMS paint to paint. Exterior area above grade is 1429 sq.ft. Call to book your showing today!
Essential Information
- Price$279,800
- Bedrooms3
- Bathrooms3.00
- Full Baths2
- Half Baths1
- Square Footage1,298
- Acres0.00
- Year Built1995
- TypeAttached
- Sub-TypeRow House
- Style4 Level Split
- StatusActive
- FeaturesBalcony, Ceiling 10 ft., No Animal Home, No Smoking Home
- Parking Spaces2
- ParkingDouble Garage Attached
- # of Garages2
- ExteriorStucco
- Exterior FeaturesFenced, Landscaped, Low Maintenance Landscape, Playground Nearby, Public Swimming Pool, Schools, Shopping Nearby, Public Transportation
- RoofAsphalt Shingles
- ConstructionWood Frame
- FoundationConcrete
Listing Details
- Listing Office2% REALTY
Community Information
- Address41 Millrose Pl Sw
- AreaCalgary
- SubdivisionMillrise
- CityCalgary
- ProvinceAlberta
- Postal CodeT2Y 3J6
- HeatingNatural Gas, Forced Air-1
- Has BasementYes
- BasementPartly Finished
- FireplaceYes
- FireplacesGas Only
Additional Information
- Days on Market718
- Condo Fee$394
Disclaimer: Information herein deemed reliable but not guaranteed by the CREB.
Listing information last updated on October 14th, 2019 at 8:15pm MDT.


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The Simpsons has been running for 19 years and 409 episodes, so the surprise here is that the show didn't make the transition to the big screen earlier. With all those years of experience it's certainly not going to come as a shock to anybody that Groening et al have created a film that is both funny and clever. The real test was always going to be whether they could successfully make a movie, rather than just an extended, feature length episode.
Well, I'm happy to report that this absolutely is a movie. In fact, it's very self-consciously a movie, and the writers have inserted plenty of film references and an array of self-referential movie gags. There are also a lot of big screen action 'movie moments', my favourite of which is a Matrix-esque slow-time bullet shot. These moments go a long way to making the film feel bigger and more epic than a TV episode. The film starts out in the normal Simpsons aspect ratio but then, with the opening credit sequence, it switches to wide screen. This sudden transition, perhaps more than any other part of the film, sent an 'I'm watching The Simpsons and it's a movie! Wow!' thrill of revelation up my spine.
The score, too, has really stepped up to the cinematic plate here, and Hans Zimmer has done a wonderful job of taking the familiar Simpsons themes and upscaling them to movie dimensions.
The most important thing, though, is that the story itself is big enough to feel at home on the big screen. The central characters are set on suitably important journeys of self discovery, and the themes that are explored go to the heart of what The Simpsons is all about; family, fatherhood, and community. These themes come complete with genuinely emotional high- (and low-) points that provide essential breaks from the gags.
The other notable thing about this film is its restraint. Almost two decades of writing 22 minute television shows has obviously taught the Simpsons writers a lot of storytelling discipline. This film runs at a trim 87 minutes and every single line of every single scene is either a joke, a set-up, plot progression, or character development. There's no waste. It's very tight, and even though the movie is short, it doesn't feel like we're being short changed.
This is unarguably a success, and all the potential pitfalls that this film might have fallen victim to have been deftly sidestepped. Can there be any doubt that The Simpsons Movie II is just around the corner?


text: Financial and Money Services are a highly regulated area where HuddleUp excels by delivering daily compliance reinforcement and training components at the Point of Service. The product version for this sector is out of beta and is now in commercial operation. If you'd like more detailed information, a demo or would just like to exchange contact information for a later date, please contact John Chaisson directly or via the form below. Please note: we will be limiting our customer count this year to insure service level benchmarks.


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This one (at risk of spawning an endless loop)
10 responses Add your response
I agree with Br3098. I have read many "best of" as well as "worst of" threads and this one seems to encapsulate all the emotions from blah to glee filled mind stimulus.
I remember those days of olds when some threads had titles that didn't spark the least amount of interest to expend the effort required to click on to open. But the curiousity meter pegged and I clicked on this one so fast that I am still not sure if I actually clicked on it or if I was an instrument of some force by which I will forever be haunted. Thank You this was grand...no no no better than grand, serendipitous, yes thank you, this truley is the the Best of the "best of" threads I have ever had the opportunity to partake in....except that one about the best of re-mastered vinyl, oh oh and the best of TV ads with audio gear in the scenery. Now that one, well what can I say that one changed my life. I remember that for weeks after I would re-read it and lay in bed thinking, what a great thread, I'd get up and walk around the house unable to sleep, just filled with the urge to defecate. But this one hangs right in there, yep. I like it.....I Like it a lot!! Gee now I am not so sure......I am building a multitude of mixed emotions....let me sleep on it, I'll get back to you in a day or two.
(the preceding was meant as humor only in and no way intended to be insulting and no animals were injured or tramatized in the writing of this reply, except the rabbit and he is just overly sensative ever since the coyote show on the Discover Channel)


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My newest endeavor highlights a slightly eerie yet interesting side of jewelry-making!
My first creation: the beaded wrap bracelet. I used the resin to create a larger focal bead using three spider "helmets"…..
I was given some tarantula molts from my Mad Scientist cousin Eric. They were from his Biology labs at college. He wanted a way to preserve these little guys for good; so, I thought of embedding them in a resin charm. I sorted through all the various fangs, helmets and other whatnots, I selected the most intact specimens and set them aside. I was worried that they would collapse or disintegrate, but alas, they held up fine!! I did encounter one problem working with the natural material, which I mention later on. I don't know why someone would want to collect spider molts in the first place, but they end up making super-cool and unique jewelry!! I asked Eric to give a little insight as to how and why these spiders molt. Below I have some quips straight from him….you didn't think you'd learn about science on this art blog, did you??!
And here, an explanation of the molts used in the bracelet via Eric:
"The two small cephalothorax molts for the bracelet came from a species called Hogna helluo, recently re-named Tigrosa helluo. The molts came from two females. The spider is a large species of American wolf-spider, with females having body lengths as long as 21 mm and males having body lengths as long as 12 mm. Being a wolf spider, these are very dedicated mothers, as she will carry her babies (of which she can have 100's at a time) on her abdomen for several days after they hatch as they feed off the yolk. Finally, the bigger cephalothorax molt in the bracelet came from the tarantula Hysterocrates gigas, commonly named the Giant baboon spider or the Cameroon red baboon spider. Kind of cool, it is a dark brown color right before it molts but then turns a jet black color right after a molt. Its leg span can reach about 8 inches, and though scarily voracious when it feeds (often gathering 3 live crickets in its mouth at once), it is relatively shy, and is a burrowing tarantula, preferring to hide in little underbrush alcoves."
Now, resin is NOT SUPPOSED to have ANY bubbles. If there are bubbles in your resin, you are doing something very wrong. It should be crystal clear, like glass.
As you can see, there are MANY bubbles here. I am thinking there are two reasons for this…..
1. I didn't want to fish out all the bubbles because I was afraid of the fragility of the spider specimens. If there were bubbles underneath the helmets, I figured I should just leave them instead of accidentally ripping the helmet.
2. Since the helmets are natural material, bubbles were forming during the resin curing process. Air was trapped in the tissues and leaking out into the rest of the resin, being trapped there forever.
Even with the bubbles, these resin charms are great for preserving these scientific little specimens.
With this resin charm acting as the focal piece, Cousin brand leather, wire and silver accent beads decorate the wrap.
Now for the necklace!
This charm was made from a larger tarantula helmet. The holes at the top are actually where the tarantula's eyes were!
Can you see the hair??!! It's easiest to see at the bottom of the charm! Yes, the helmet is covered in hair. And there are those eye holes again.
Here is some information from Eric about the particular spider used within this charm:
"The spider molt of the cephalothorax used for the hemp necklace came from a male Mexican Red Knee Tarantula, scientific name Brachypelma smithi. As the name implies it is found in the deciduous tropical forests of the rather hilly southwestern Mexico. This tarantula grows rather slowly and matures pretty late in life. The females can live to be 30 years old, while the males only live to be about 5 (sadly, ours recently passed away in the lab 🙁 ). It molts (sheds its exoskeleton–which consists of various proteins and chitin) in order to grow and replace missing appendages. I don't really know the average number of times, since it varies, but they will molt on multiple occasions during the year depending on its age. This tarantula is extremely docile, which makes it a popular species for the pet trade. "
I made an adjustable hemp necklace out of this charm.
It's surfer-style meets serious science.
Cousin brand hemp was used and I did a square knot sinnet for that macrame look.
I'd say this is a different style of statement necklace!
That's it for my first spidey-style jewelry adventures.
What do you think!!??
All photos copyright Allison Beth Cooling. Do not post/use without linking to me!


text: Springing into Fall The leaves are changing.. The weather is changing.. It's time for an outfit change! My favorite part about Fall is being able to layer! For this look, I really wanted to wear my favorite summer dress but transition it for the season. I love this dress because of its bell sleeves and flowiness! (Is that a word? lol)Anyway, I decided to add a vest and thigh high boots combo that played with the color palette of my dress. I'm not a super matchy-matchy person, so I always like to take risks with my color selections.My final additions were my rose gold Apple watch and favorite Louis Vuitton Damier Azur bag. Always on time, always on point! Lol. Dress: Altar'd StateVest: 2 Chez BoutiqueBoots: 2 Chez BoutiqueWatch: ApplePurse: Louis Vuitton Rikki JacksonMay 1, 2018altardstate, 2chezboutique, apple, louisvuitton, fashionComment Facebook0 Twitter Pinterest0 0 Likes


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Evynn - Handmade Doll (Fall Collection)
Evynn - Handmade Doll (Fall Collection)
My name is Evynn. I come from a land of gardens that lies in a valley between the sea and the mountains.
I love growing vegetables, playing piano, dancing and sunsets.
I'm looking for a new friend!
Dreamed of by a little girl and created by a loving Mama. Handpainted, sewn and stuffed in a home in California with one dog, one fish, a little girl and a little boy.
Machine Washable!!


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Located next to the train station, Hotel C is a large scale hotel right in the heart of Stockholm...Oh and they have a bar totally made of ice!
For years we have been told by countless people that, despite having visited so many places on our travels, Stockholm was a big gap in our list. The Swedish capital, was something really special thanks to its history, architecture and progressive modern culture and we had to visit. We finally decided to make it a priority, and when we did we were not disappointed.
Stockholm is a city built on an archipelago of islands, and even the neighborhoods which make up its centre are spread of across several of these. We wanted to make sure that our hotel was central, close to all the attractions and public transportation. Our accommodation of choice – Hotel C – sits right in the middle of the most important areas, with bridges to the various other areas just a few blocks away in all directions. Making it even more convenient was the fact that the city's main train and subway station were just steps away, as was the Arlanda Express - the high speed train which takes you to and from the airport...told you, convenient!
Hotel C has more going for it than just its location. As we walked in we couldn't help but notice immediately the stunning entrance hall and lobby. Specifically, our eyes were drawn to the beautiful marble spiral staircase and the unique design surrounding it. The ceiling around the staircase is incredibly high and covered with gold panels with artistically arranged holes cut out. Hanging down from the high ceiling to illuminate the ground floor are scores of large light bulbs suspended by long copper cords. It sounds ostentatious, but the effect was cool and modern.
The hotel was busy, and it is clearly popular among all sorts of travelers. There were tour groups and families, but also business people and even a few airline pilots and stewards – no doubt drawn by the convenient access to the airport. Besides its grand centerpiece, the rest of the design was clean, simple, modern and comfortable. It was a nice place to be, and the lobby had so many little areas and nooks that you could relax in while waiting for friends.
We stayed in a standard double room, which was comfortable and well decorated, and turned out to be pretty cozy for the two of us. It was designed for sleeping rather than living in. We spent minimal time in there as we were out exploring so this was not a problem, but had we needed to catch up on work, the bed would most likely have become our workspace, lounge and table all in one. Everyone has different needs and preferences when traveling and like us, most will have no problem with this. If you like to stretch out however, you should opt for one of the larger rooms.
Dominating our room was a large cityscape, wallpapered across one side of the room and artistically showing off some of Stockholm's great architecture. The palette of the place was muted and understated, with white and subtle grays being used effectively. Some of the rooms are dog friendly – including food bowls and sleeping blankets – if you happen to be traveling with your pet. Despite the hotel's city center location, the room was also very quiet – always an important feature in a hotel!
One of Hotel C's unique selling points is that it is home to the world's first permanent bar made entirely of ice! Everything from the walls to the seats, chairs and the bar itself are made of the stuff. Even the glasses were made out of ice! It is a unique space, and the ornate ice throne makes for great photos. As you can probably imagine, such a distinctive experience is pretty popular so it is best to make a reservation. It also goes without saying that it is very very cold (even compared to the outside Swedish winter temperatures. They provide you with a jacket and gloves upon entrance but even so, be prepared to be cold. You probably won't want to stay for more than twenty minutes or so, but during that time will be filled with wonder and appreciation for the artistic effort that must have gone into creating the place.
Being located in such a central location, there are a multitude of restaurants just steps away from Hotel C. We recommend checking a few out during your stay, but don't overlook the hotel's own restaurant. It has an easy going atmosphere and a mix of American and Italian dishes. We chose the pizza for our meal there, and would definitely recommend it. The toppings were excellent and the crust had that perfect crispiness. It's not pizza napoletana, but it will satisfy the craving.
Once you are done eating and enjoying the ice bar, you will want to see what Stockholm has to offer. Luckily most of it is nearby. First stop is usually Gamla Stan – the city's old town. Located on an island just a few subway stops away, it is up there with some of the best European historic centers in terms of quaint, picturesque architecture. The busy streets of the modern city (just outside Hotel C's front door) are also worth investigating as are the nearby neighborhoods of Östermalm and Södermalm. If you like to get out of the city, the Stockholm Archipelago is easy to reach and its thousands of islands are best explored by boat or helicopter.
Another less conventional attraction is the city's subway stations themselves. Various artists have been commissioned to use them as canvases for their work, and as a result each one is an interesting and beautiful. If you like art, I would even go as far as to suggest just catching a train at random and getting off whenever you see a station you like. Photographers will have a great time as the interesting designs make a great backdrop for shots.
In terms of convenience you can't really do better in Stockholm than this place. It has much more than that going for it however, including an interesting design and of course an ice bar. As we saw when walking around the lobby, it is a popular choice for all sorts of travelers, and that obviously tells you something about its quality. Whether you are looking to explore the city thoroughly, or are just there on a stopover, Hotel C is a great option.
For more information about this hotel please follow the link below


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Google is looking to embrace Chinese Ecommerce with $550 million JD investment
Google's search engine and related services might not have been able to make it past the Great Firewall (the Chinese state's hard border of internet services and content that has locked out most international internet companies), but that doesn't mean it has no interest in the country. China's Ecommerce market is the largest in the world: in 2017, it accounted for 17% of all retail sales, and that's expected to rise to 25% in 2020. The sheer size of the country, as well as its tech-savvy, newly wealthy, consumer base, makes it a region that few companies can ignore. Now, Google ahs found another way in – with a $550 million investment into Chinese Ecommerce firm JD.com.
Both companies share prices have traded up over the last 30 days
SOURCE: Yahoo Finance
According to a joint statement issued by Google and JD.com, the companies will "explore joint development of retail solutions in regions, including Southeast Asia, the U.S. and Europe." It's part of a bigger plan from Alphabet-owned Google to conquer the world of online sales, and comes just a week after it signed an agreement with Carrefour SA (one of France's biggest supermarket chains) to sell groceries online in France.
The French agreement will let Google prompt consumers to order staples through their smartphones, tablets and other devices. While the Chinese deal will combine Google's technological pedigree with JD's "expertise in logistics and supply chain."
Google's chief business officer, Philipp Schindler, said in the statement: "We are excited to partner with JD.com and explore new solutions for retail ecosystems around the world to enable helpful, personalized and frictionless shopping experiences that give consumers the power to shop wherever and however they want."
Dominion holds Alphabet (the parent company of Google) in its Global Trends Managed Fund, and JD.com in its Global Trends Ecommerce Fund.
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Exquisite food coming out of this fresh, new kitchen in the Santa Catalina District of Palma. But since we're on a bit of a cocktail kick lately we couldn't resist but trying a few of the very creative options on the menu. The Sencha Meets Elderflower was the perfect balance of healthy and fun as it felt like you were dining with The Mad Hatter himself. Tea Cup not included!Read More
If you are ever stuck on where to grab a quick snack, or a creative cocktail the place to be right now in Palma is, La Rosa Vermutería. Opened less than a year ago this hot spot has the best small bites in town, paired with a well curated wine list but what you really want to come here for is the Vermut! Currently Spain is in the midst of a vermut renaissance and the best time to have one is in the afternoon, socializing with friends.Read More