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If you're a sexually frustrated young man, then Zack Snyder has just the film for you: The long-awaited and already much-maligned Sucker Punch, which fails to impress Joseph "Jay Dub" Wade. If you're a socially frustrated even-younger young man, Martin R. "Vargo" Schneider recommends you try Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.
EXPECTATIONS: Ever since the trailer was revealed last year, the Internet has been tearing itself apart over Zack Snyder's Sucker Punch. In this debate, two camps have emerged. In one corner, people are gnashing their teeth over the fact that it looks like nerd-baitingly sexist tripe and how dare Hollywood try to co-opt all the things we love and sell them back to us in an ironic hodge-podge that looks so offensively titillating! (Think I'm exaggerating? Check out the discussion going on in our own forums.) The second camp agrees with the first, but is dying to see this thing anyway, because seriously, this shit looks awesome. I just hope Snyder's 3-ring circus of crazy works and that it'll get stuck in my brain for all the wrong reasons.
REALITY: Sucker Punch successfully fulfilled my "Jena Malone getting punched in the face by a robot" fetish. I feel that sufficiently sums up my feelings on the movie. Parts of it are viscerally satisfying in ways that both excite and disturb me, and the mere fact that these parts work for me also excites and disturbs me. Basically, I enjoyed Sucker Punch as a piece of pop-art, but I have severely mixed feelings about it as a work of cinema. Allow me to explain.
The film's plot can best be described as Alice in Wonderland filtered through Terry Gilliam's Brazil. After 20-year-old Babydoll (Emily Browning) accidentally kills her younger sister, her evil stepfather commits her to Lennox House, a mental institution for disturbed young women. While awaiting her lobotomy, she re-imagines the asylum as a brothel run by a pimp named Blue (Oscar Isaac). For stealing the tools she'll need to escape, Babydoll enlists the help of four other girls: Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens), Amber (Jamie Chung) and sisters Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish) and Rocket (Jena Malone).
Stop wanking!
Babydoll dances for the men in the brothel while the girls acquire the next item (a map, a lighter, a knife and a key), which we see as extended action sequences in yet another plane of reality. Here, the girls are decked out in schoolgirl-commando gear doing battle with a series of pop-culture boogeymen, all the while aided by a recurring Wise Man (Scott Glenn) who explains to them their next mission. Babydoll's first adversaries are a trio of giant, gun-toting samurai. After that, the girls must conquer steampunk zombie Nazis, orcs and dragons, and finally a train full of robots.
The brothel setting takes up the lion's share of the film, which is probably the film's single biggest misstep. 100 percent of the fun of Sucker Punch is in the dreamland action sequences, even if the pastiche doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but when these scenes end and we're brought back to the "reality" of the brothel, the film slows to a crawl. One might argue that this was Snyder's intent, that he's trying to troll us plebs who just want a dumb action movie about hot chicks blowing things up. I really don't think this is the case. If it were, why would he spend so much time constructing elaborately staged action sequences in the first place?
That includes symbolic wanking, Scott. Knock it off!What it really boils down to is every one of Zack Snyder's worst tendencies given free reign to be as insane as possible. While his use of slow motion during fight scenes has improved considerably over the years, his use of music has not. Every time we enter the Fantasy Plane of Action Movies, we're met with increasingly obnoxious covers of classic rock and pop tunes (in fact the whole movie feels like it was written with Bjork's "Army of Me" playing on an endless loop). Most of the music isn't even integrated into the film at all. As soon as Action Scene #3 starts up, a terrible cover of "Search and Destroy" starts up with all the subtlety of Zack Snyder slapping you in the face with his iPod. Gaudy music selections, gaudier costume design, and flat-out bad dialogue are really what keep Sucker Punch from being the entertaining hot mess it so clearly wants to be.
This is one of those movies where using the phrase "dream logic" will allow you to explain away just about anything in the movie, and applying the word "subtext" will turn any interpretation into a black hole of meaning. Sucker Punch is less a pastiche of everything geeks love and more a singularity of popular culture that nothing or no one can escape. Once it crosses that event horizon, even the vaguest of interpretations cannot escape the gaping maw of Zack Snyder's creation.
Oh, so you think Sucker Punch is a movie about female empowerment? Wrong. It's actually about the illusion of female empowerment in a world gone mad! Sucker Punch is a cynical dirge about the power of spectacle and its ability to swindle suckers out of their hard-earned cash? Wrong. It's actually just a dumb action movie about girls fantasizing about freedom. Stop overthinking things. You think it's simply Zack Snyder throwing everything he thinks is cool into one movie? Wrong. It's about the progression of iconic cinematic imagery across the 20th century.
Sucker Punch manages to be all of these things, and then none of these things. If you're just looking for 100 minutes of explodey action scenes and girls in skimpy clothes, you'll get some of that. If you're looking for an essay on the male gaze and how it manages to fetishize everything it sees, or any other kind of idiotic reading, you'll get some of that too. If, however, you're looking for 100 minutes of fun, well then I suggest you look elsewhere, because Zack Snyder is far too busy unpacking his various sexual and cultural hangups to bother having any.
Action | 7/10 |
Dancing | 1/10 (I'm not convinced Emily Browning can dance) |
Aesthetic | 5/10 |
CGI Boogeymen | 6/10 |
Original Song Choices | 2/10 |
Overall | 21/50 |
MINORITY REPORT: When I asked Jay Dub how the movie was, he told me "I'm still wrestling with it." Having no idea what that means, I can only assume that by "wrestling" he means "masturbating," and by "with" he means "to", and by "it" he means "Jon Hamm." - Martin R. "Vargo" Schneider
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Landmarks and statues around the world: old, boring and could use an update.
Join the SA Forum photoshop goons in their quest to make horror wholesome!
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Copyright ©2024 Jeffrey "of" YOSPOS & Something Awful


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Title: Sex, Guns, & F*cking Rock-N-Roll
Author: Dawn White & Paige Matthews
Expected Release Date: May 16th, 2016
Hosted by: Lady Amber's PR
Blurb: Two Brothers, Two lives, One Fucking Mess
Dominic- The Rock God
I left Texas and her behind in my rear view mirror choosing the band over the brotherhood. After she broke my heart there was no reason to stay. Now I do who I want, when I want with no regard to anyone's feelings but mine. I've had minimal contact with Declan and Brooke since. Five years later, fate brings us back together. As I rush to save her life, will I be able to protect my heart?
Declan - The Outlaw Biker President.
The day Dom left was the beginning of the end. I chose to stay as he chose to leave. I couldn't help that Brooke choose me over him. We haven't talked more than a few words in five years, but now that her life is in jeopardy I must ask the one person I can't face for help. Dom is the only one that can help bring her back safely, but what do I risk asking for his help?
Will Brooke stay or will feelings come rushing back and threaten more than just the MC?
Dawn White
Dawn White resides in Southern WV with her husband and three daughters. She has always been an avid reader and seems to live a busy life as a wife and mother. One thing that keeps Dawn sane is her writing. She will always strive to give you the best of her busy mind.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authordawnwhite?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Blog: http://dawnwhitenaughtynice.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DawnWhite9
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1kNZtzI
Paige Matthews
Paige Matthews grew up in a small town in Western Connecticut. After receiving a BA and MA in Literature and writing, Paige began to focus on writing her own style of fiction. Paige focuses on the emotional aspects of the D/s relationship and writes primarily BDSM fiction. In 2015, Paige signed with Raven's Seduction Press.When Paige is not writing, or working her full time job, she can be found watching hockey, reading and enjoying time with her family. Paige currently lives in Western CT with her husband, two children and dog.
Webpage: http://paigematthews.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorPaigeMatthews/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/paigematthews_3
Instagram: https://instagram.com/authorpaigematthews/
Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1kNZAev

subset: commoncrawl


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With humans on the brink to discover the secret of eternal life, angels and demons form a pact to proclaim the apocalypse to be able to materialize into the real world, fight the humans and keep the circle of life intact. SoulCraft is a free2play Action RPG being developed by the indie game studio MobileBits. We are continuously improving the game and hope you will take this chance to shape the game with us together. We will constantly add lots of stuff and we will use your feedback to decide what to do next. Play the game right now on Android, iOS, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 or Amazon Kindle and please like us on Facebook! |
© 2010-2015 MobileBits GmbH. All rights reserved. |


text: The latest tech news about hardware, apps, electronics, and more. With huge companies like Google, Apple, and Amazon drawing your attention in different directions, Digital Trends offers in-depth and straightforward coverage about the technology industry. Get your daily dose of news and a finger on the pulse of what's happening right now.


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Dirk Willems is probably the most famous of all Anabaptist martyrs, since he was caught only because he stopped to save his captor from drowning. This noble act of love cost him his life.
The following is from the Martyrs Mirror, a book that commemorates nonresistant or "defenseless" Anabaptists who lost their lives for Christ, but who blessed their enemies and would not do violence against anyone, in spite of severe persecution. Note the crimes for which Dirk was condemned to death.
A Faithful Christian
In the year 1569 a pious, faithful brother and follower of Jesus Christ, named Dirk Willems, was apprehended at Asperen, in Holland, and had to endure severe tyranny from the papists. But as he had founded his faith not upon the drifting sand of human commandments, but upon the firm foundation stone, Christ Jesus, he, notwithstanding all evil winds of human doctrine, and heavy showers of tyrannical and severe persecution, remained immovable and steadfast unto the end; wherefore, when the chief Shepherd shall appear in the clouds of heaven and gather together His elect from all the ends of the earth, he shall also through grace hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." I Pet. 5:4; Matt. 24:31; 25:23.
Saving His Enemy's Life
Concerning his apprehension, it is stated by trustworthy persons, that when he fled he was hotly pursued by a thief-catcher, and as there had been some frost, said Dirk Willems ran before over the ice, getting across with considerable peril. The thief-catcher following him broke through, when Dirk Willems, perceiving that the former was in danger of his life, quickly returned and aided him in getting out, and thus saved his life. The thief-catcher wanted to let him go, but the burgomaster, very sternly called to him to consider his oath, and thus he was again seized by the thief-catcher, and, at said place, after severe imprisonment and great trials proceeding from the deceitful papists, put to death at a lingering fire by these bloodthirsty, ravening wolves, enduring it with great steadfastness, and confirming the genuine faith of the truth with his death and blood, as an instructive example to all pious Christians of this time, and to the everlasting disgrace of the tyrannous papists.
His Excruciating Death
In this connection, it is related as true from the trustworthy memoirs of those who were present at the death of this pious witness of Jesus Christ, that the place where this offering occurred was without Asperen, on the side of Leerdam, and that, a strong east wind blowing that day, the kindled fire was much driven away from the upper part of his body, as he stood at the stake; in consequence of which this good man suffered a lingering death, insomuch that in the town of Leerdam, towards which the wind was blowing, he was heard to exclaim over seventy times, "O my Lord; my God," etc., for which cause the judge or bailiff, who was present on horseback, filled with sorrow and regret at the man's sufferings, wheeled about his horse, turning his back toward the place of execution, and said to the executioner, "Dispatch the man with a quick death." But how or in what manner the executioner then dealt with this pious witness of Jesus, I have not been able to learn, except only, that his life was consumed by the fire, and that he passed through the conflict with great steadfastness, having commended his soul into the hands of God.
His Sentence
As we have come into possession of the sentence which these rulers of darkness passed upon this friend of God, we have deemed it well, to add it here for the benefit of the readers, in order that reading the same, they may be able to perceive the truth of this matter.
Whereas, Dirk Willems, born at Asperen, at present a prisoner, has, without torture and iron bonds (or otherwise) before the bailiff and us judges, confessed that at the age of fifteen, eighteen or twenty years, he was rebaptized in Rotterdam, at the house of one Pieter Willems, and that he, further, in Asperen, at his house, at divers hours, harbored and admitted secret conventicles and prohibited doctrines, and that he also has permitted several persons to be rebaptized in his aforesaid house; all of which is contrary to our holy Christian faith, and to the decrees of his royal majesty, and ought not to be tolerated, but severely punished, for an example to others; therefore, we the aforesaid judges, having, with mature deliberation of council, examined and considered all that was to be considered in this matter, have condemned and do condemn by these presents in the name; and in the behalf, of his royal majesty, as Count of Holland, the aforesaid Dirk Willems, prisoner, persisting obstinately in his opinion, that he shall be executed with fire, until death ensues; and declare all his property confiscated, for the benefit of his royal majesty. So done this 16th of May, in presence of the judges,
– Cornelis Goverts, Jan van Stege Jans, Adriaen Gerritts, Adriaen Jans, Lucas Rutgers, Jan Jans, and Jan Roefelofs, A. D., 1569.


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Ruhrpott Rodeo 2017 – Day 3
Ruhrpott Rodeo Festival – Day 3. With Snuff, Terrorgruppe, Teenage Bottlerocket, Pears, Samian, Distemper, Rasta Knast, Knochenfabrik, Methanboys @Hünxe Continue reading
Ruhrpott Rodeo Festival – Day 3. With Snuff, Terrorgruppe, Teenage Bottlerocket, Pears, Samian, Distemper, Rasta Knast, Knochenfabrik, Methanboys @Hünxe Continue reading
Fest 14 Day 2 – Saturday, Gainesville
Bad Cop Bad Cop, Comedy, Iron Reagan, Kepi Ghoulie, Lagwagon, Masked Intruder, Mikey Erg, Murderburgers, Night Birds, Raging Nathans, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Creeps Continue reading
Pirate Satellite Festival with Samiam, Make do and mend, Teenage Bottlerocket, Masked Intruder, Joyce Manor, Smith Street Band and The Hotelier. Markthalle Hamburg, May 6th 2015. Continue reading
Saturday October 25th Continue reading
Thursday October 23rd. Düsseldorf to Chicago.
I've counted: This is my 12th trip to America, so this was is my 23rd flight across the Atlantic. It had all the usual problems, the hassle with security, the long hours, airline food. But overall I have to admit it was one of the better trips. Mainly because the plane was not full, so I was able to snatch up an entire row of seats for myself. Big win! Also immigration was fast and flawless. They now have automated kiosks even if you enter with ESTA. And there was practically no waiting time. Just for the record I like to point out that Berlin-Tegel is a shit piece of an airport though. Continue reading
Day 2 of Fest. What really is there to say? Continue reading
Wednesday, October 24th
The alarm goes off at 5:15a.m. and makes me jump put of bed so fast that my neck hurts. What a way to start this adventure. The early hour and the fact that I didn't get sleep the days before does not help neither. So I'm starting my Fest trip already with a sleep deficit, knowing its not going to get any better any time soon. I spent a few minutes too much packing so I miss the subway and have to walk to the station. Getting to the airport is easy though. I check in and then do the smart thing: Get food in the supermarket downstairs for a fraction of the prices they charge in the terminal. There is a lot of waiting time ahead of me.
Transatlantic travel is annoying. Spending so much time on a plane in an uncomfortable seat is almost torture, at least I never even tried the food. I could go on a long and bitchy rant about all of this, guess I save it for another time. At the airport there is a guy wearing a Rvivr t-shirt. I bet he's going to Fest as well. But I'm not in the right mood yet, so I avoid talking to him. Plus, Rvivr are smelly, aren't they? He also was on my connecting flight to Orlando, I still didn't say a word. However I decided to talk to him if he should go to the concert that night. Asking "Am I following you, or a you following me?" – but he did not show up.
Meet Robert. First time we met was at Insubordination Fest 2008 and every year since. He has been helping with the filming and other things. Then last year when I debuted the photo booth he pretty much volunteered to help and it went great. Guess part of this is the fact that he does this thing (portrait photography) for a living. Besides being a completely overqualified assistant he also turned out to be a great host, driver and friend. He picked me up at the airport and since we've got a some time to kill we went to a comic shop to hang around. One of the owners also likes pop punk so we sit there, talk about the Dopamines, listen to Screeching Weasel, this is all pretty nice. Robert says these guys love the music but never go to shows, not even local ones. Well, what can I say? There are these idiots that travel around the globe to see some bands play (*cough cough*) and others who don't even dare to travel to the end of the block to do the same.
There is a pre-pre-show in Orlando that night at Will's Pup. We went to the same one last year. This time its a little smaller band wise, although I think seven of them are playing. I don't even know who played at all. For me this night isn't about the bands, its getting to see some people, saying hello, getting into the Fest mindset. The evening was perfect for that. I don't even make it to the door without seing some international friends. There are the Arteries (Wales), the guys from Leagues Apart (England), there is Rory (Toronto), Glen and Goli (Hannover, Germany) etc… Yeah this feels like Fest now. There is quite a mix of bands, from the guy doing an accoustic set to the post-emo-whatever-rock with the punk bands in between. The only band I really watch are the Arteries. We leave around midnight, finally going to get some sleep. I didn't even bother trying to take photos.
Thursday, October 25th
In the morning I get to meet Roberts parents and we have a lovely chat. Then we pick up Morgue, get some photo supplies at Best Buy and start driving to Gainesville. Nothing happens along the road. We cannot check into the hotel room yet, its booked in another name, so we just go directly to the Holiday Inn and start preparing our stuff. So we're doing the Fest Photo Booth. During registration and the after show party we'll have a backdrop and props set up and take images of the fest visitors. Its stupid and goofy and usually fun. Its our second time doing this at Fest, plus we've done it twice at Insubfest in Baltimore.
Meet Kendra: Besides Robert and me she is the third person in our team. Tony got me in touch with her when we first talked about doing the photo booth at Fest. She is a Gainesville local which helps a lot with setting everything up. And she is not only a young, good looking woman, she is also super exited to do this. I couldn't be happier with my assistants! (just a little side note: I guess technically I am in charge of this, and it was my idea etc.., but any one of us three would be able to do this on his/her own and we split the work pretty even I'd say).
Setting everything up works pretty flawless, the only thing we have to deal with is that the backdrop is missing. We had a huge Fest backdrop this year, but they were never delivered to the Fest this year. So we get a smaller one and use Kendras black muslin backdrop instead. We also got some other things to decorate and in the end it looks really good. We split and decide to do the final preparations in the morning.
Meet Hamish: Hamish is from Australia and I met him this year in Ottawa, when we shared a hotel room to visit the Ottawa Explosion festival. We got along really well, then we spent more time at Insubfest and after that. So when we were looking for room mates to share a hotel at Fest, I agreed immediately. He also came to the Holiday Inn and then we all headed out the preshow.
High Dive Pre-Show
Last year this pre-show was the highlight of the Fest. Everybody was there, you didn't have to worry about what other band is playing the same time and we just had a really great time. Part of this was the fact that it was sold out and we managed to get two guestlist spots and found a third ticket for our friend Christian. This year it was again sold out, but we were smart enough to buy tickets in advance. And yeah, there are a lot of friends and people I know around. I'm also good friends with half the bands that are playing. I skip the first two (Shock Ones and Cobra Skulls) and then start the Fest with the Dopamines. Who are always fun to see live and one of my favorite bands. And the crowd is energetic from the start. Crowdsurfers, mad Germans and Australians drinking beer out of shoes on stage. Next are Dear Landlord. I have to admit I was not that exited to to see them. I have seen them quite often and they have not a lot of material so their sets tend to be the same over and over again. But at some point during the set I look up and into the venue and see that people are singing along from the front to the back of the venue. There are raised fists and people singing along everywhere. That reminded me how awesome these guys are. Definitely the crowd favorites of the night. Then there are Off With Their Heads, the band I've seen live the most often. Good set, at the end Ryan jumps into the crowd and keeps singing. The last band I get to see are Teenage Bottlerocket who seem to have added a few new gimmicks to their set (like a guy with a mask coming on stage at the beginning), which is entertaining. But after half their set I leave as the travelling, the jetlag and sleep deficit finally get to me. Robert and Hamish agree and so we pick up Craig (room mate #3) and go to the hotel and to sleep.
Solid start, even though the pre-show felt more special last year.
See the photo of the night here: Link to the gallery.
Teenage Bottlerocket, Dear Landlord, Steinways, Cakeshop, New York, July 10th 2007 Continue reading
Teenage Bottlerocket, The Apers, Johnie 3, Blondeshells, Silver Spring, July 8th 2007 Continue reading
The Mr. T Experience, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Copyrights, The Apers, The Methadones, The Ergs, Beatnik Termites, The Steinways, Ben Weasel, The Guts, Parasites, Leftovers, AV Club, Dead Mechanical, For Science, Backseat Virgins, Head, The High-Life, Banner Pilot, Varsity Weirdoes, Ottobar, Baltimore, July 7th 2007 Continue reading


text:
Jemimah Rodrigues left the crease early at the non-striker's end when Vaishnave Mahesh was bowling
The world's population has tripled since the United Nations was created in 1945. And our numbers keep growing, with corresponding pressures on land, energy, food, and water. The global economy is generating pressures as well: rising joblessness, widening social inequalities, and the emergence of new economic powers.
These trends link the fate and future of today's seven billion people as never before. No nation alone can solve the great global challenges of the twenty-first century. International cooperation is a universal need.
The 66th session of the UN General Assembly is a renewed opportunity for the countries of the world to set aside narrow, short-term interests and commit to cooperative efforts to address humanity's long-term imperatives. At a time when all nations are experiencing individual challenges, we need to forge a worldwide common agenda that can help to ensure that the seven billionth baby and future generations grow up in a world characterised by sustainable peace, prosperity, freedom, and justice.
To help create this future, I am focusing my second term as Secretary-General on five global imperatives – five generational opportunities to shape the world of tomorrow by the decisions we make today.
The first and greatest of these imperatives is sustainable development. We all must understand that saving our planet, lifting people out of poverty, and advancing economic growth are one and the same fight. We must connect the dots between climate change, water scarcity, energy shortages, global health, food security, and women's empowerment. Solutions to one problem must be solutions for all.
In the next five years, we need to create a new economic vision for sustainable development and forge global consensus on a binding climate change agreement. Fostering economic growth, realising the Millennium Development Goals, and combating climate change will all depend on creating a new energy system for the twenty-first century and extending it to every person on the planet.
Prevention as a framework for international cooperation is a second opportunity. This year, the UN peacekeeping budget will total $8 billion. Think of what we could save by avoiding conflicts – by deploying political mediation missions, for example, rather than troops. We know how to do this. Our record proves it – in Guinea, Kenya, and Kyrgyzstan.
A third imperative is building a safer and more secure world. In this effort, we must be courageous in standing up for democracy, human rights, and peace. This year was one of signature achievements in restoring and securing peace – in Côte d'Ivoire, Darfur, Egypt, and elsewhere. But hatred and bloodshed still stand in the way of our vision for peace.
In the Middle East, we must break the stalemate. Palestinians deserve a state. Israel needs security. Both want peace. A negotiated settlement can produce these outcomes, and the UN is a platform for forging such a peace. So, too, will we continue our efforts to foster democratic governance in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Sierra Leone. And, in the name of all of humanity, we will continue to push forward on nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, in service of realising a world free of nuclear weapons.
The fourth big opportunity is supporting countries in transition. This year's dramatic events in North Africa and the Middle East inspired people around the globe. Let us help make the Arab Spring a true season of hope for all.
In Libya, we are deploying a new UN support mission to assist the country's transitional authorities in establishing a new government and legal order, consistent with the aspirations of the Libyan people. Syria is a special concern. For six months we have seen escalating violence and repression. The government has repeatedly pledged to undertake reforms and listen to its people. It has not done so. The moment to act is now. The violence must stop.
Last but not least is the imperative of working with and for women and young people.
Women hold up more than half the sky and represent much of the world's unrealised potential. We need their full engagement – in government, business, and civil society. The UN has placed a high priority on promoting women at all levels of the Organisation and this year, for the first time, UN Women is operating to promote the interests and rights of women all over the world.
Seven billion people now look toward the United Nations for solutions to the world's great global challenges. They hold different religions and backgrounds but common dreams and aspirations. Our global future depends on bringing these individual talents and universal rights together in common cause. Let our common agenda begin.
Ban Ki-moon is Secretary-General of the United Nations © Project Syndicate
Jemimah Rodrigues left the crease early at the non-striker's end when Vaishnave Mahesh was bowling
Demand has been normalizing as travellers baulk at higher fares
SAF accounts for just 0.2% of the jet fuel market
This is due to the removal of their buildings and their inability to benefit from them during this period
Thomas Crooks searched 'how far away was Oswald from Kennedy?': FBI Director Chris Wray told lawmakers
Take a look at the prices of the different categories of the pass which allows you to travel multiple times on any line of public transport
Argentina came from two down to draw 2-2 with Morocco in a hostile atmosphere on the opening day of men's Olympic football
The 'Diaspora Summit in Delhi', to be organised by Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre, Abu Dhabi, is likely to see participation of senior Indian politicians


text:
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text:
Most of tonight's GA focused on revisiting (and amending) the disbursement proposal from July 9th.
We decided to liquidate Occupy Boston's remaining credit union funds. Assuming we got the math right, this breaks down as follows:
- $4294 for the street medics
- $908 for strike debt
- $2000 for Mesob's food truck (see minutes)
- $1000 for Bobbi's Urban Pioneer proposal (see minutes)
- $492 for Food Not Bombs
- $492 for E5
GA Minutes: http://wiki.occupyboston.org/wiki/GA_Minutes_Tue_Sep_03_2013.


text:
October 29, 2018
Contact: Hannah Packman, 202-554-1600
WASHINGTON – Throughout his campaign for and tenure as president, Donald Trump has consistently pledged to support American-grown biofuels. However, his administration has too often failed to follow through on those promises in a timely fashion.
In the most recent of such instances, President Trump announced his intentions to allow the use of E15 gasoline in summer months. Though National Farmers Union (NFU), a grassroots policy organization that has long advocated the expanded use of biofuels as a means to promote the economic viability of family farmers and the vibrancy of rural communities, was initially encouraged by the news, little has been done to enact the proposal.
Making matters worse, while promising to authorize E15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been covertly granting so-called "hardship waivers" to oil refineries owned by large corporations with multi-billion dollar revenues. These waivers exempted the refiners from complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), ultimately saved those corporations tens of millions of dollars while reducing the volume of renewable fuels in the transportation sector.
In response to the administration's ongoing inaction, the organization today launched a radio ad buy urging President Donald Trump to keep his promises to family farmers by immediately implementing year-round E-15 and reversing the losses caused by the misappropriation of small refinery exemptions.
"Farmers are still at a net loss from Trump's actions on biofuels," the ad says, due to the EPA's allocation of waivers exempting large oil refiners from complying with the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). This decision has "destroyed 2 billion gallons of ethanol demand," a volume that far exceeds any increased use of E15 expected over the next five years.
To make amends for the profound damage done to the biofuel industry, NFU is calling on President Trump to "do right by his promise to support American farmers" and "move quickly on E15 and support net increases in biofuels use – not cuts."
To download an audio file of the radio ad, visit our website at nfu.org/audio.
About NFU
National Farmers Union advocates on behalf of nearly 200,000 American farm families and their communities. We envision a world in which farm families and their communities are respected, valued, and enjoy economic prosperity and social justice.
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Arizona Green Tea, with Ginseng and Honey
100% natural. Antiox: Vitamin C antioxidant. Enjoy America's best selling ready-to-drink green tea! AriZona Green Tea - where great taste and goodness naturally come together. Green tea for its health benefits, ginseng for energy and nature's natural sweetener, honey. For more info. about AriZona call 1-800-832-3775. Visit us at www.drinkarizona.com. SueBee premium orange honey. No preservatives. No artificial color. No artificial flavor. Arizona: An American company.


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360 degree feedback form enables organizations to understand how well their workforce is dealing with the overall plan of their organization.
It also let mangers to access employee progress through performance review and ratings.
PeopleQlik offers amazing HRMS Software and performance management solution that enables organizations to develop and design their own feedback template, select their evaluators, start the procedure and evaluate the received feedback. Evaluators may be their external and internal audience whose comments are essential to their firms.


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Fentanyl has caused more than 80 per cent of drug overdose deaths in B.C. in the first seven months of 2017.
The illicit drug was detected in 706 of the 876 deaths so far this year, a new report from BC Coroners Service released Thursday says. That's already higher than the the percentage of deaths caused by fentanyl for all of last year – 67 per cent.
In most cases, fentanyl was combined with other drugs including cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.
The increase comes despite efforts by police and government officials to gain a hold of the opioid crisis since the continuing increase of deaths was declared a state of emergency in 2016.
READ MORE: Looking at one year since B.C. declared opioid deaths a public health crisis
In November, the RCMP signed a memorandum of understanding with China's public security ministry to work together to fight the illegal trafficking of fentanyl into Canada.
Police in Vancouver – the city seeing the lion's share of 379 fentanyl-linked deaths – say they now expect to find fentanyl in drug raids.
Health officials have opened more than 100 overdose prevention sites across B.C., targeting cities seeing the highest number of overdoses including Surrey and Victoria.
Chief coroner Lisa Lapointe and provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall have both called on the support from the federal government for prescription heroin as an option for treatment.
READ MORE: Physiotherapy could help combat B.C.'s opioid crisis: report
Meanwhile, carfentanil – an opioid that's 100 times more powerful than fentanyl and used to tranquilize elephants – was detected in 13 drug overdose deaths in June and July, the report says.
July the first month of 2017 with less than 100 overdose deaths
July saw the first substantial decrease in overdose deaths this year, acting as a bit of relief in the ongoing overdose crisis.
Ninety-one people died from drug overdoses in July. That's five deaths every two days, compared to seven in the previous six months of the year.
Despite the decrease, the majority of deaths are still occurring indoors and hitting men aged 30 to 39 the hardest, the report shows.
In a statement, Lapointe reiterated that drug users are at high risk of overdosing when they use alone and aren't able to get help, which has been the case in most of the fatalities.
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I actually had two pink pieces that sold right away. This desk was the other. Here it is before we loaded it up. It was very dirty when hubby brought it home. I gave it a good cleaning, sanding, and switched out the original knobs with crystal ones.
Here it is in my booth. It took one customer about a minute to know it was perfect for her flat screen. A very proud mom purchased the "Beauty Parlor" sign for her daughter who just received her beautician license.


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These are beautiful in-house printed panels and are perfect for sewing up your favorite top or sewing project! They are printed using sublimation printing, not digital printing so the ink actually bonds to the fiber of the fabric and does not sit on top, because of that there is no way to print white. If you choose a design with white in it any white spaces will be the color of the base you choose also since the ink bonds to the fiber in the fabric the color in the design will combine with the color of the base. The lighter design the lighter base it needs to be on and the darker the base the darker the design needs to be.
Panel Sizes-
Adult- 29" x 36" (10x14)
Big Kid- 19" x 24" (8x12)
Little Kid- 14" x 18" (6x10)
Doll- 10"x10" (3x5)
Panel sizes can vary an inch give or take for cutting differences.


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The name of this metal comes from the Latin "Plumbum". Commonly known as Lead, it played an important role in industrial and scientific progress.
Its properties made it one of the most used metals in the industry in the Greek and Roman eras.
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/a9b7bc02-b876-4549-ac6d-babee4b40c1c
What is plumbum?
Commonly known as Lead, Plumbum is a chemical element whose atomic number 82 and symbol is Pb. It belongs to the 14th Group and the 6th period of the table of elements.
It is a soft metal, heavy and malleable. It has a natural bluish-white color or dark gray color when exposed to air.
It was discovered in ancient times (in Anatolia were found lead beads dating to 6500 BC).
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/53cceda8-1610-4aef-89d7-b07bf7713756
Lead mining in ancient times
The main lead production centers in the ancient world were in Attica (mines of Laurion piomboargentifero), Macedonia, Cyprus, Rhodes, Gaul, Britain (where according to reports Pliny he produced in such abundance that a law prohibiting more than a certain amount fabricate), in southern Spain, in Africa, in Etruria, in Sardinia, the island of Elba, Capraia, the Balearics, the Cassiteriti islands. In Roman times, the silver-bearing lead mines of Cartagena occupied forty thousand slaves. After its extraction and processing, lead was put on the market in bars and ingots and marked with the workshop brand or emperor names, prosecutors, or private. Lead and silver are usually obtained from the fusion of galena (Mineral composed of lead sulfide).
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/95284c71-d1cf-42a8-8e31-123d4d92ae03
The roasting transformed the galena, in litharge and lead sulfate. While with the fusion, the lead is obtained when the desulphurization degree is reached. The treatment was performed in primitive ovens built of clay and stones. In Britain, the ovens were built on the hillsides to use the prevailing winds for the draw. The crude lead, called plumbum, contained from 45 to 80 ounces of silver per ton.
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/e77e3494-4cfe-49f5-a418-97ffec8a7532
Plumbing in ancient rome
The lead was used for different purposes. Lead roof coverage goes back to ancient times: a notable example was the palace of Constantinople, built by Emperor Constantine. Other uses of lead are roof gutters and black wells.
Thanks to the resistance to corrosion and its flexibility, it has been widely used for hydraulic works and the construction of buildings and ships. Its low melting point made it a great welding material. Moreover, in many cultures, alone or as an alloy, it was used to mint coins. The lead employment in the artistic field was always limited and circumscribed mostly to minor crafts due to processing difficulties.
One of the most important historical applications of lead was Roman water pipes. Lead pipes were fabricated in 3-meter (10-foot) lengths and as many as 15 standard diameters. Many of these pipes, still in excellent condition, have been uncovered in modern-day Rome and England. The Roman word plumbum, denoting lead water spouts and connectors, originated the English word plumbing and element symbol Pb.
Plumbing in ancient rome
Marcus Vitruvius Pollio, a 1st-century-BCE Roman architect and engineer, warned about the use of lead pipes for conveying water, recommending that clay pipes should be used instead. Vitruvius also referred in his writing to the poor color of the workers in lead factories, noting that the fumes from molten lead destroy the "vigor of the blood."
On the other hand, many believed that lead had favorable medical qualities. Pliny, a Roman scholar of the 1st century, wrote that lead could be used for scar removal, as a liniment, or as an ingredient in plasters for ulcers and the eyes, among other health applications.
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/95f395c8-84e4-4744-8160-a074489607a8
How was lead used throughout history?
Many churches and major buildings constructed in the 15th and 16th centuries provide examples of lead employed as a roofing material and for water conveyance. Indeed, the stained-glass windows of many cathedrals and castles of this period were made possible by using lead to hold glass elements together in a magnificent unity of colors and shapes.
Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead#/media/File:Evolution_production_plomb.svg
In 1859 a French physicist, Gaston Planté, discovered that pairs of lead oxide and lead metal electrodes, when immersed in a sulfuric acid electrolyte, generated electrical energy and could be subsequently recharged. A series of further technical improvements led to the commercial production of lead-acid batteries in 1889. The enormous growth of battery markets in the 20th century (eventually consuming about 75% of the world's lead production) has largely paralleled the rise of the automobile, where batteries have found the application for starting, lighting, and ignition.
Another important lead product was tetraethyl lead: a gasoline additive invented in 1921 in the United States to solve "knocking" problems that had become common with the development of high-compression engines operating at high temperatures. Fifty years later, the use of this lead compound has declined, as the installation of catalytic converters has become mandatory in American passenger cars' exhaust systems.
At the beginning of the 21st century, China was a world leader in primary and secondary refining of lead. Other major refiners include the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and India.
Image source: https://search.creativecommons.org/photos/f7d7d30e-83cc-425d-865a-0fee31d77f51
Info sources:


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Anyway, on with the story...
As the title suggests, five years back Today, on Tuesday 7th of February in 2012, our club (spearheaded by yours truly) officially opened its doors at Koulutuskeskus Salpaus' Culture Centre. From the get-go we had almost 10 participants, and while we've eventually had to move out from the school premises, and occasionally to change our meeting times, we've gladly stayed alive all that time. The faces and places might've changed, but we kept on playing. And quite frankly, we've managed to pull almost spotless record of weekly games.
To top this all, we've even hosted two Summer Go tournaments! Whee!
For this, we are now enjoying festivities and some treats for a job well done next Saturday. We are gathering to the clubhouse of our apartment buiding, bringing our kids along, order pizza and refreshers and spend the day having fun, playing games, discussion and mingle. And my wife Vera promised to bake us a cake. I am positive it'll turn out to be a fun day.
Yep, that's all for today. I had hoped I could had added pics here, but didn't have any accessible today, because I have recently had an UTF-8 breakdown on my harddrive and the OS won't let me access those directories, so this will have to do. Sorry about that... I'll add pictures later then.
P.s. We are on lookout for new players.
If you would like to come play with us, please meet us weekly on Wednesdays starting at 17:00. We play at the Bar Hiidenkivi on Ratakatu 28, Lahti.
P.p.s. I'm now 7 kyu. (Hoping to be
P.p.p.s. Follow us on Twitter @ WimGoban. I'll be possibly be adding some new links to the sidebar soon.


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Home > Birthday Gifts > Sensitive Sloth Plants
Get your kids excited about growing plants with the Sensitive Sloth Grow Kit. The kit contains everything you need to grow plants that are sensitive to the touch.When touched, their fern-like leaves close up and droop as if being tickled. Sensitive plants will also close their leaves at night. Not only are they fascinating, they look great too.This product is only available in Great Britain.
© Copyright 2006-2022 Gift Republic Ltd.


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Weekly Market Commentary -5/6/2022
-Darren Leavitt, CFA
It was an extremely busy and volatile week on Wall Street. The Federal Reserve's May FOMC meeting statement was top of mind for investors and came in as expected. However, post statement Q&A added some unforeseen variables to consider and ignited market volatility over the rest of the week. Q1 earnings continued to roll in with mixed results and tempered guidance for the coming quarter and the rest of the year. China extended lockdown measures and saw its manufacturing contract further. The economic data calendar was stacked and headlined by the April Employment Situation report.
The final tally for the market's weekly performance does not tell the whole story of the wild swings incurred throughout the week. The S&P 500 lost 0.2% for the week but saw a nearly 10% swing from Wednesday to Thursday. The Dow gave back 0.2%, the NASDAQ shed 1.5%, and the Russell 2000 sold off 1.3%. The US Treasury market was also very volatile throughout the week. A steepening of the curve saw the 2-10 spread widen to forty-nine basis points. The 2-year yield fell by three basis points to close at 2.67%. The 10-year yield increased by twenty-four basis points to 3.12%- the highest yield since 2018.
Oil prices gained $4.97 or 4.7% to close at $110 a barrel. The commodity was propelled higher after the EU said it would phase out the use of Russian Oil over the next six months and other refined products over the next year. The Energy sector rallied on the move, gaining 10.2% for the week and taking the YTD gain to 49.2%. Gold prices fell by $28.30 or 1.4% to $1883 an Oz. Copper prices fell 4% to $4.24 an Lb. Bitcoin fell ~ $3k to $35,925 as risk sentiment faded. The US dollar was stronger, gaining ground against the Pound and Yen while losing a bit against the Euro. Vix spiked on the week as investors sought downside protection.
As expected, the Federal Reserve increased its policy rate by 50 basis points and laid out a plan to normalize its balance sheet over the next several months. The Fed will initially start by letting 30 billion in Treasuries and 17.5 billion in Agency MBS roll-off. Those caps will be raised to 60 billion and 35 billion in three months, respectively. Markets rallied during the Q&A session as Chairman J Powell pushed back on the notion of a 75 basis point hike at the June meeting. Additional comments regarding the neutral rate seemed to infer that much of the Fed's work has already been priced into the market and added to the dovish tone. However, the Chairman did suggest that 50 basis point hikes were on the table for the next several meetings and that the Fed was prepared to tighten above the neutral rate if needed to get price stability. Interestingly, Fed Fund futures priced an above 80% probability of a 75 basis point hike in the June meeting after the Chairman's comments.
The Employment Situation report showed robust payroll gains. Non-Farm payrolls increased by 428k, and the street was looking for 395k. Similarly, Private payrolls increased by 406k versus expectations of 390k. The Unemployment rate stayed at 3.6%. Average hourly earnings increased by 0.3%, lower than the 0.4% expected and the 0.5% increase in March. The Average workweek stayed at 34.6 hours. The Labor Participation rate continued to be disappointing, falling to 62.2, a full percentage lower than the reading pre-pandemic. Initial Claims increased 19k to 200k while continuing claims fell by a similar amount to 1.384 million, the lowest level since 1970. ISM Manufacturing and Services data regressed to 55.4 and 57.1, respectively. Pricing pressure, supply chain issues, and a tight labor market were cited as reasons for the pullback. Preliminary Q1 unit labor cost came in much higher than expected at 11.6%, and the street had been looking for an increase of 7.3%.
Investment advisory services offered through Foundations Investment Advisors, LLC ("FIA"), an SEC registered investment adviser. FIA's Darren Leavitt authors this commentary which may include information and statistical data obtained from and/or prepared by third party sources that FIA deems reliable but in no way does FIA guarantee the accuracy or completeness. All such third party information and statistical data contained herein is subject to change without notice. Nothing herein constitutes legal, tax or investment advice or any recommendation that any security, portfolio of securities, or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Personal investment advice can only be rendered after the engagement of FIA for services, execution of required documentation, including receipt of required disclosures. All investments involvement risk and past performance is no guarantee of future results. For registration information on FIA, please go to https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/ and search by our firm name or by our CRD #175083. Advisory services are only offered to clients or prospective clients where FIA and its representatives are properly licensed or exempted.


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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Registered sex offenders who have been banned from social networking websites are fighting back in the nation's courts, successfully challenging many of the restrictions as infringements on free speech and their right to participate in common online discussions.
The legal battles pit public outrage over sex crimes against cherished guarantees of individual freedom and the far-reaching communication changes brought by Facebook, LinkedIn and dozens of other sites.
"It's going to be really, really hard, I think, to write something that will achieve the state's purpose in protecting children online but not be restrictive enough to be unconstitutional," said Carolyn Atwell-Davis, director of legislative affairs at the Virginia-based National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
Courts have long allowed states to place restrictions on convicted sex offenders who have completed their sentences, controlling where many of them live and work and requiring them to register with police. But the increasing use of social networks for everyday communication raises new, untested issues. The bans generally forbid offenders to join social networks or chat rooms or use instant-messaging programs - just a few of the online tools that civil liberties advocates say have become virtually indispensable to free speech.
After hearing challenges, federal judges in two states threw out laws or parts of laws that they deemed too stringent. In Nebraska, the decision allowed sex offenders to join social networks. And in Louisiana, a new law lets offenders use the Internet for shopping, reading news and exchanging email. A case filed against Indiana's law is under review.
Authorities insist the bans address a real problem: the need to protect children from pedophiles who prowl online hangouts visited by kids.
"It's hard to come up with an example of a sexual predator who doesn't use some form of social networking anymore," said Steve DeBrota, an assistant U.S. attorney in Indianapolis who prosecutes child sex crimes.
Ruthann Robson, a professor of constitutional law at the City University of New York, said the bans could eventually be taken up by the Supreme Court if the justices decide there's a constitutional question.
"If we think that the government can curtail sex offenders' rights without any connection to the actual crime, then it could become a blanket prohibition against anyone who is accused of a crime, no matter what the crime is," Robson said.
Supporters of the bans say they target repeat offenders such as a Maryland man charged with extorting a 16-year-old girl Indiana girl to perform sexual acts during video chats. He was free on bond when he was accused of doing the same thing to more underage girls.
Trevor J. Shea, 21, of Mechanicsburg, Md., was sentenced to 33 years in federal prison in January after pleading guilty to seven counts of production of child pornography.
Xavier Von Erck, founder of Perverted Justice Inc., a group devoted to exposing online sexual predators, said it doesn't make sense for judges to let pedophiles troll the Web for more victims but revoke the voting rights of people convicted of lesser crimes. He called that "judicial hypocrisy."
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which is challenging Indiana's 2008 law, argues that it's unconstitutional to bar sex offenders who are no longer in prison or on probation from using basic online services.
"To broadly prohibit such a large group of persons from ever using these modern forms of communication is just something the First Amendment cannot tolerate," said Ken Falk, legal director of Indiana's ACLU chapter.
The case is scheduled for a court hearing Thursday. The main plaintiff, referred to in the suit only as "John Doe," was convicted on two counts of child exploitation in 2000 and released from prison in 2003, according to federal court documents.
The man cannot send questions to televised debates or comment on news stories on local websites because doing so requires a Facebook account, the ACLU contends. Neither can he communicate with his out-of-state family members using the social network or post his business profile on LinkedIn.
The plaintiff is also forbidden to supervise his teenage son's Internet use or investigate questionable friend requests sent to his child, the ACLU claims.
Prosecutors argue that social networking sites aren't the only forms of communication.
"The fact is that telephones still work. People including registered sex offenders may still congregate, discuss, debate and even demonstrate," Indiana Deputy Attorney General David Arthur wrote in a brief.
Television and radio are still widespread and offer numerous call-in shows. Newspapers still accept letters to the editor, he added.
The ACLU says precedent is on its side. The lawsuit cites a February ruling in Louisiana in which U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson found that the state's prohibition was too broad and "unreasonably restricts many ordinary activities that have become important to everyday life."
Louisiana lawmakers passed a new law this month that more narrowly defines what sites are prohibited. News and government sites, email services and online shopping are excluded from the new rules, as are photo-sharing and instant-messaging systems. The measure takes effect Aug. 1.
But courts continue to wrestle with the issue in Indiana and Nebraska, where a federal judge in 2009 blocked part of a law that included a social networking ban. A second legal challenge by an Omaha-area sex offender is set for trial in July.
"I think policymakers are struggling to come up with the right policy that makes sense," Atwell-Davis said. "There's no silver bullet."
Follow Charles Wilson on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CharlesDWilson
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Specialists and Care Centers
Bell Palsy Specialists and Care Centers
More commonly known as ear, nose and throat physicians (ENTs), Northwestern Medicine otolaryngologists specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of diseases and disorders of the head and neck, including Bell palsy.
Otolaryngologists provide care for a wide range of disorders, including those dealing with hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language. We also manage the treatment of head and neck cancers, as well as perform reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery.
At the heart of our success is the complementary approach through multidisciplinary teams of physicians1 who work to bring top quality care to patients from around the world. Your treatment team may include:
- Otolaryngologists
- Surgeons
- Plastic surgeons
- Nurses
- Psychologists
- Social workers
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Speech pathologists


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Reuptake inhibitor
A reuptake inhibitor, also known as a transporter blocker, is a drug that inhibits the reuptake of a neurotransmitter from the synapse into the presynaptic neuron, leading to an increase in the extracellular concentrations of the neurotransmitter. Various drugs utilize reuptake inhibition to exert their psychological and physiological effects, including many antidepressants and stimulants.
Reuptake is a required aspect of neurological activity which regulates the amount of neurotransmitters present in a synapse after the transmission of a neural signal. Neurotransmission occurs by transporting information across neurons by an electrical impulse called an action potential. When an action potential reaches the synapse between two neurons, the pre-synaptic neuron releases neurotransmitters to transport the chemical signal across the synapse by binding to receptors on the post-synaptic neuron. Reuptake is achieved by transporter proteins which reabsorb the extracellular neurotransmitter back into the pre-synaptic neuron for reuse. Reuptake can determine the extent, duration, and spatial domain of receptor activation.
Most known reuptake inhibitors affect the monoamine neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline. However, there are also a number of pharmaceuticals and research chemicals that act as reuptake inhibitors for other neurotransmitters such as glutamate, GABA, glycine, adenosine, choline (the precursor of acetylcholine), and the endocannabinoids.
Mechanism of action
Standard reuptake inhibitors are believed to function by binding directly to the transporter protein of the neurotransmitter in question.[1] By occupying the transporter, a reuptake inhibitor competitively blocks its respective neurotransmitter from binding to the transporter protein and thus prevents it from being transported from the synapse into the presynaptic neuron. Reuptake inhibitors, like agonists and antagonists, are an example of ligand-receptor binding.[2]
Alternatively, some reuptake inhibitors bind to allosteric sites and inhibit reuptake indirectly and non-competitively. Allosteric binding may cause a conformational change in the transporter protein that prevents it from reuptaking its respective neurotransmitter.[3] Several dissociative drugs have been shown to work this way, including PCP and related drugs ketamine and dizocilpine (MK-801).[4] They appear to exert their reuptake inhibition by binding to allosteric sites on each of the respective monoamine transporters. In addition to their high affinity for the main site of the monoamine transporters, several competitive transporter substrates, such as cocaine, have lower affinity for these allosteric sites as well.[5]
Types of reuptake inhibitors
- A selective reuptake inhibitor will inhibit the reuptake of a specific neurotransmitter with negligible or no effects on the reuptake of other neurotransmitters. An example of this is the class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs. SSRIs solely target serotonin transporters (SERTs), blocking the reuptake of serotonin and increasing extracellular concentrations of the neurotransmitter.[6]
- A non-selective reuptake inhibitor will inhibit the reuptake of more than one type of neurotransmitter. An example of this is cocaine, which acts as a serotonin-noradrenaline-dopamine reuptake inhibitor, or SNDRI. Ketamine is an example of a weak SNDRI; it is non-selective because it affects the reuptake of multiple neurotransmitters.[7]
See also
External links
- ↑ Ravna, A. W., Sylte, I., Dahl, S. G. (October 2003). "Molecular mechanism of citalopram and cocaine interactions with neurotransmitter transporters". The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 307 (1): 34–41. doi:10.1124/jpet.103.054593. ISSN 0022-3565.
- ↑ Dunn, M. F. (19 April 2010). "eLS". In John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Protein–Ligand Interactions: General Description (1st ed.). Wiley. doi:10.1002/9780470015902.a0001340.pub2. ISBN 9780470016176.
- ↑ Skjaerven, L., Reuter, N., Martinez, A. (December 2011). "Dynamics, flexibility and ligand-induced conformational changes in biological macromolecules: a computational approach". Future Medicinal Chemistry. 3 (16): 2079–2100. doi:10.4155/fmc.11.159. ISSN 1756-8927.
- ↑ Akunne, H. C., Reid, A. A., Thurkauf, A., Jacobson, A. E., Costa, B. R. de, Rice, K. C., Heyes, M. P., Rothman, R. B. (August 1991). "[3H]1-[2-(2-thienyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine labels two high-affinity binding sites in human cortex: further evidence for phencyclidine binding sites associated with the biogenic amine reuptake complex". Synapse (New York, N.Y.). 8 (4): 289–300. doi:10.1002/syn.890080407. ISSN 0887-4476.
- ↑ Rothman, R. B., Silverthorn, M. L., Baumann, M. H., Goodman, C. B., Cadet, J. L., Matecka, D., Rice, K. C., Carroll, F. I., Wang, J. B., Uhl, G. R. (July 1995). "Studies of the biogenic amine transporters. VI. Characterization of a novel cocaine binding site, identified with [125I]RTI-55, in membranes prepared from whole rat brain minus caudate". The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 274 (1): 385–395. ISSN 0022-3565.
- ↑ Sangkuhl, K., Klein, T., Altman, R. (November 2009). "Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) Pathway". Pharmacogenetics and genomics. 19 (11): 907–909. doi:10.1097/FPC.0b013e32833132cb. ISSN 1744-6872.
- ↑ Kohrs, R., Durieux, M. E. (November 1998). "Ketamine: teaching an old drug new tricks". Anesthesia and Analgesia. 87 (5): 1186–1193. doi:10.1097/00000539-199811000-00039. ISSN 0003-2999.


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From The Telegraph (UK)
Publisher's Note: Every since watching the original Jurassic Park movie I have wished to life long enough to see science bring some of these prehistoric creatures back to life. And my favorite creature would be the Woolly Mammoth. Science is wonderful. DIrk
The woolly mammoth, extinct for thousands of years, could be brought back to life in as little as four years thanks to a breakthrough in cloning technology.
Previous efforts in the 1990s to recover nuclei in cells from the skin and muscle tissue from mammoths found in the Siberian permafrost failed because they had been too badly damaged by the extreme cold.
But a technique pioneered in 2008 by Dr. Teruhiko Wakayama, of the Riken Centre for Developmental Biology, was successful in cloning a mouse from the cells of another mouse that had been frozen for 16 years.
Now that hurdle has been overcome, Akira Iritani, a professor at Kyoto University, is reactivating his campaign to resurrect the species that died out 5,000 years ago.
"Now the technical problems have been overcome, all we need is a good sample of soft tissue from a frozen mammoth," he told The Daily Telegraph.
He intends to use Dr Wakayama's technique to identify the nuclei of viable mammoth cells before extracting the healthy ones.
The nuclei will then be inserted into the egg cells of an African elephant, which will act as the surrogate mother for the mammoth.
Professor Iritani said he estimates that another two years will be needed before the elephant can be impregnated, followed by the approximately 600-day gestation period.
He has announced plans to travel to Siberia in the summer to search for mammoths in the permafrost and to recover a sample of skin or tissue that can be as small as 3cm square. If he is unsuccessful, the professor said, he will ask Russian scientists to provide a sample from one of their finds.
"The success rate in the cloning of cattle was poor until recently but now stands at about 30 per cent," he said. "I think we have a reasonable chance of success and a healthy mammoth could be born in four or five years."


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Studs Terkel, an American original, devoted the last of his great reportage to the people throughout history "who had hope," as he explained in a 2003 interview. "They did stuff they shouldn't have done. They discommoded themselves. They could have led nice lives." Terkel paid tribute to those people—who are called "activists"—in his final oral-history book published that year, Hope Dies Last: Keeping Faith in Troubled Times.
This was a prolific year for activists. With a bow toward the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street, Time magazine styled them collectively as the "Protestor," who was anointed Person of the Year.
What's an activist? "Someone who does an act," Terkel, who died in 2008, said in the interview conducted by Missy Daniel for PBS's Religion and Ethics Newsweekly (it was carried also in The Life of Meaning: Reflections on Faith, Doubt, and Repairing the World). "In a democratic society, you're supposed to be an activist; that is, you participate."
Of course someone could act in a way that energizes people for the greater good or just polarizes them. An activist could defend the privileges of the already privileged or speak up for those on the margins of society. Activism could mean standing exclusively with people who look and think like you, or venturing onto different turf.
In my mind, the most creative and meaningful activism today is taking place below the social radar, in the spirited locales of faith-based community organizing. Tom Roberts, my friend and former editor at Religion News Service, occupied some of that space as a reporter while producing his insightful and indispensable book The Emerging Catholic Church: A Community's Search for Itself, issued this past fall by Orbis. The book is primarily about the new forms of this hierarchical faith that are emerging from below, from the parishes and communities where Roberts did his remarkable reporting. On that ground he frequently crossed paths with social justice activists and followed some down their own trails.
Roberts on the Emerging Activist
In a chapter titled "Travels on the Margins," Roberts, who is editor-at-large of the National Catholic Reporter, profiled activists such as Sarah Nolan. In her case, it was the Society of Jesus that constructed a road to social agitation. She discovered justice issues as a student at the University of San Francisco, a Jesuit institution; after graduating she drew further links between faith and activism while helping women in El Salvador organize soy cooperatives in 2001-2002, as part of a Jesuit program. From there Nolan returned to her home in southern New Mexico and formed a regional affiliate of PICO (which stands for People Improving Communities Through Organizing), a nationwide interfaith network of congregation-based community organizations.
Now married with a small child, Nolan helps people in the region make common cause with uncommon allies—liberal Catholics with conservative evangelicals, Anglos with Latinos and African Americans, and so forth. The causes include poverty, homelessness, and—in one of the dicier tasks of solidarity—immigration.
Roberts writes:
And then there is the occasional surprise, like the rabbi at the local reform synagogue who said his biggest concern was the need to work on immigration, even though his congregation is mostly retired, white, and not from New Mexico. The rabbi explained by recalling Jewish history and its multiple exoduses. He said he viewed the immigration centers as "modern-day concentration camps." His problem was that he didn't know any immigrants, and that's where Nolan came in. "There's this desire to be in relationship with people who are directly affected by the problem so that they can not only get to know people who are going through this problem, but so they can also have a path for their theology " [Nolan said] and apply it to the realities that people are going through.
It's hard to tell just how many faith-based community activists are out there, because nobody seems to be counting. But PICO alone claims more than 1,000 member institutions (churches, predominantly) that, in turn, have one million members in 150 cities and 17 states.
Activists like Nolan are helping low-income people assert their legitimate rights to minimum social goods such as healthcare and housing. At the same time they're enlarging the tent by including others, such as affluent members of congregations. They're able to do so because all these faith traditions have theologies that demand concern for the weak and vulnerable, and because, as Terkel insisted, "Hope dies last." …read more


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Events of 2010
The human rights situation in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) worsened in 2010, particularly for migrant workers, as the construction slowdown in Dubai continued. Other pressing human rights issues include torture, restrictions on freedoms of expression and association, and violations of women's rights. Authorities continue to prevent peaceful demonstrations and to harass local human rights defenders.
Two prominent cases in 2010 highlighted ongoing concerns about the justice system: in January a court cleared a member of the royal family on torture charges despite video evidence against him; in March, 17 migrant workers in Sharjah were convicted of murder despite evidence their confessions were unreliable and the product of police torture. The latter decision remains on appeal at this writing.
Migrant Worker Rights
During six years of spectacular growth in the construction sector, mainly in Dubai, the UAE brought in hundreds of thousands of South Asian migrant workers. Immigration sponsorship laws grant employers extraordinary power over the lives of such workers. Workers do not have the right to organize or bargain collectively and face penalties for going on strike. The Labor Law of 1980 excludes from coverage domestic workers employed in private households. Although the law calls for a minimum wage, the Ministry of Labor has yet to adopt such a measure.
Across the country, abuses include unsafe work environments, squalid living conditions in labor camps, and the withholding of travel documents. Workers also complain of nonpayment of wages, despite a mandatory electronic payment system introduced in 2009, that requires companies to pay salaries directly into licensed banks to ensure timely payments without illegal deductions.
The financial crisis that began in late 2008 cost tens of thousands of workers their jobs. Trapped in camps lacking basics such as food and sanitation, many were unable to find new jobs or a way home. Other workers say that some employers forced them to accept reduced pay and benefits or face dismissal.
Hundreds of laid-off migrant workers in 2010 were stranded in labor camps without electricity or running water for months on end after their Dubai-based employers closed; some had to fight off rats while sleeping amidst garbage heaps.
In May hundreds of workers marched from their Sharjah labor camp to the Labor Ministry in Dubai demanding to be sent back home. The workers said they lived in squalor and their employer had not paid them in six months. That same week about 200 workers staged a sit-in at the Labor Ministry demanding unpaid wages. Police detained 95 Vietnamese workers who allegedly attempted to block the ministry's entry gates. In June three Asian workers suffocated to death in their labor accommodation in Dubai after inhaling carbon dioxide from a generator. In August a fire charred to death 11 sleeping workers. In September authorities finally began sending home 700 stranded workers from the al-Sajaa camp in Sharjah.
In February 2010 New York University committed publicly to requiring all companies building and operating its Abu Dhabi campus to reimburse workers for any recruiting or other employment-related fees that they had to pay. The new terms also bar companies from confiscating worker passports. In September the Guggenheim art museum followed suit, though its provisions do not require contractors to reimburse workers for fees paid. Neither institution publicly committed to independent, third-party monitoring of labor conditions or to collective bargaining and a minimum wage. At this writing Le Louvre Abu Dhabi has not made any specific public commitments.
Many female domestic workers in the UAE suffer unpaid wages, food deprivation, long working hours, forced confinement, and physical or sexual abuse. The Indonesian embassy registered a 24 percent increase in domestic worker exploitation incidents in Abu Dhabi in 2009 compared with 2008. In October 2010, makeshift shelters in Abu Dhabi and Dubai housed more than 300 runaway Filipina domestic workers. The standard contract for domestic workers introduced in April 2007 calls for "adequate breaks" but does not limit working hours or provide for a weekly rest day, overtime pay, or workers' compensation.
In October, two weeks after Kuwait announced plans to scrap its kafala (sponsorship) system, UAE's minister of labor said the UAE would not follow suit. However, the UAE government took some steps in 2010 to protect migrant workers. In March the Labor Ministry announced the creation of a new unit to identify and investigate potential labor trafficking cases. In May the Labor Ministry extended by an extra month the summer season midday break for individuals working outside in sweltering heat.
Torture and Suspicious Deaths
On January 10 an Emirati court cleared Sheikh Issa bin Zayed al Nahyan, a member of the UAE ruling family, of torture charges despite video footage that showed him abusing Afghan grain dealer Mohammed Shah Poor with whips, electric cattle prods, and wooden planks with protruding nails. The court convicted five co-defendants but accepted the sheikh's defense that he was under the influence of drugs, which diminished the responsibility for his actions. The public prosecutor did not appeal the ruling.
On March 29 a Sharjah court sentenced 17 Indian men to death for the murder of a Pakistani national during a brawl over control of the illicit alcohol trade. The 17 men alleged that police tortured them over nine days to obtain confessions. Lawyers for Human Rights International (LFHRI), an Indian group, said police beat the men with clubs, subjected them to electric shocks, deprived them of sleep, and forced them to stand on one leg for prolonged periods. As of October their appeal against their convictions continued.
In August 2010 criminal lawyer Abdul Hameed filed a public complaint with Dubai's public prosecutor urging an investigation into circumstances surrounding at least 20 suspicious deaths of inmates (19 Emiratis and one Afghan) in Dubai's central prison over the preceding two years. As of October, he had not received any response.
Freedom of Association and Expression
In 2010 the government subjected the Jurist Association, an NGO established in 1980 to promote the rule of law and raise professional standards, to mounting restrictions. The government did not permit association representatives to attend meetings abroad and cancelled symposiums that it deemed controversial at home. Members also complained of official pressure to quit the association. Former association president Muhammad al-Mansoori, whom authorities have harassed for years, was dismissed from his position as a legal advisor to the government of Ras Al Khaimah in January after he gave a television interview in which he criticized restrictions on freedom of speech in the country. Authorities have refused to renew his passport since March 2008.
Police arrested at least four young activists after they attempted to organize a peaceful protest march on July 15 in response to increasing oil prices. Authorities fired one of the organizers from his government job and Dubai police held him in detention for a week for "inciting the nation against the government," even though the protest was cancelled. Another was imprisoned for more than a month and suspended from his work.
The government monitors press content and journalists routinely exercise self-censorship. Although Prime Minister Sheikh Muhammad stated in 2007 that journalists should not face prison "for reasons related to their work," a 1980 law still in force provides jail terms for journalists and suspension of publications that publish "materials that cause confusion among the public."
On February 7, authorities blocked access to the online discussion forum UAE Hewar (http://uaehewar.net/), a popular website that encourages debate on topics ranging from freedom of expression to political rights.
Women's Rights
Despite the existence of shelters and hotlines to help protect women, domestic violence remains a pervasive problem. The penal code gives men the legal right to discipline their wives and children, including through the use of physical violence. In October the Federal Supreme Court issued a ruling that upheld a husband's right to "chastise" his wife and children with physical abuse.
In January a Dubai court charged 23-year-old British woman and her fiance with having illegal sex and drinking outside permitted premises after the woman reported to police that a hotel employee had raped her. In June the Abu Dhabi criminal court sentenced an 18-year-old Emirati woman to a year in prison for illicit sex after she complained that six men gang-raped her a month earlier.
According to a survey conducted in January 2010 of 980 UAE residents, 55 percent of the female respondents said they would not report a sexual assault for fear of tarnishing their family's reputation, and 49 percent would not do so because society would judge them harshly.
The government made progress in law enforcement efforts against the trafficking of women and girls and successfully prosecuted several traffickers. In June the UAE announced it would establish two new shelters, in Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah, for trafficked women and girls.
Key International Actors
In April United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay toured Gulf countries. During her UAE visit she criticized the sponsorship system "that leaves migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation in an unequal power relationship with their employers" and urged the creation of national human rights institutions that comply with international human rights standards.
In August the United States expressed disappointment at the UAE's planned cutoff of key BlackBerry services, noting that the ban would set a dangerous precedent in limiting freedom of information. In October the UAE government said it would not go ahead with the ban. The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority said Canadian manufacturer Research in Motion had brought its devices into line with strict local guidelines on security and encryption but authorities did not release terms of the agreement.
Disclaimer: © Copyright, Human Rights Watch
This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.


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The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission has recommended the suspension of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi.
The commission which said it has been investigating alleged misappropriation said it uncovered that N3.4 billion was misspent by the emirate under Sanusi saying it was misappropriated between 2014 and 2017.
According to NAN, the recommendation is contained in a preliminary report of investigation conducted by the commission and signed by its Chairman, Muhuyi Magaji.
The interim report raised four cardinal issues bordering on indictments, amount involved, obstruction of investigation and recommendations.
The report indicated that the Kano emirate council had spent over N1.4 billion in various expenditures believed to be fraudulent and unappropriated.
In addition, the emirate council was alleged to have spent over N1.9 billion unappropriated on seemingly personal expenditures, making the total sum of the questionable expenditures.
According to the report, the expenditures contravened the provisions of section 120 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and section 8 of the Kano state emirate council special fund law 2004.
Similarly, the expenditure had also violated Section 314 of penal code as well as provisions of section 26 of the Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended).
"It is also the opinion of this Commission, based on the available evidence, that Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II continued to undermine the investigation through various means which include giving instruction to all officers invited for clarification to shun the commission's invitation," the report read.
"The act is seriously affecting the process of our statutory responsibility and offends the provisions of Section 25 of the Commission's enabling Law 2008 (as amended)."
The report, therefore, recommended that the "principal suspect in the person of Muhammadu Sanusi II and all other suspects connected with the case be suspended, pending the final outcome of the investigations".
"This is a necessary administrative disciplinary action aimed at preventing the suspects from further interfering with the commission's investigations," it read.
"The commission further recommends that the contract awarded to Tri-C Nigeria Limited for renovation of Babban Daki, Kofar Kudu and Gidan Sarki Dorayi should be revoked as the company belongs to one of the suspects in person of Alhaji Mannir Sanusi, (The Chief of Staff in the Emirate)," the report added.


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Your Urinary System and How It Works
The organs, tubes, muscles, and nerves that work together to create, store, and carry urine are the urinary system. The urinary system includes two kidneys, two ureters, the bladder, two sphincter muscles, and the urethra.
How does the urinary system work?
Your body takes nutrients from food and uses them to maintain all bodily functions including energy and self-repair. After your body has taken what it needs from the food, waste products are left behind in the blood and in the bowel. The urinary system works with the lungs, skin, and intestines–all of which also excrete wastes–to keep the chemicals and water in your body balanced. Adults eliminate about a quart and a half of urine each day. The amount depends on many factors, especially the amounts of fluid and food a person consumes and how much fluid is lost through sweat and breathing. Certain types of medications can also affect the amount of urine eliminated.
The urinary system removes a type of waste called urea from your blood. Urea is produced when foods containing protein, such as meat, poultry, and certain vegetables, are broken down in the body. Urea is carried in the bloodstream to the kidneys.
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs about the size of your fists. They are near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys remove urea from the blood through tiny filtering units called nephrons . Each nephron consists of a ball formed of small blood capillaries, called a glomerulus , and a small tube called a renal tubule . Urea, together with water and other waste substances, forms the urine as it passes through the nephrons and down the renal tubules of the kidney.
From the kidneys, urine travels down two thin tubes called ureters to the bladder. The ureters are about 8 to 10 inches long. Muscles in the ureter walls constantly tighten and relax to force urine downward away from the kidneys. If urine is allowed to stand still, or back up, a kidney infection can develop. Small amounts of urine are emptied into the bladder from the ureters about every 10 to 15 seconds.
The bladder is a hollow muscular organ shaped like a balloon. It sits in your pelvis and is held in place by ligaments attached to other organs and the pelvic bones. The bladder stores urine until you are ready to go to the toilet to empty it. It swells into a round shape when it is full and gets smaller when empty. If the urinary system is healthy, the bladder can hold up to 16 ounces (2 cups) of urine comfortably for 2 to 5 hours.
Circular muscles called sphincters help keep urine from leaking. The sphincter muscles close tightly like a rubber band around the opening of the bladder into the urethra , the tube that allows urine to pass outside the body.
Nerves in the bladder tell you when it is time to urinate (empty your bladder). As the bladder first fills with urine, you may notice a feeling that you need to urinate. The sensation to urinate becomes stronger as the bladder continues to fill and reaches its limit. At that point, nerves from the bladder send a message to the brain that the bladder is full, and your urge to empty your bladder intensifies.
When you urinate, the brain signals the bladder muscles to tighten, squeezing urine out of the bladder. At the same time, the brain signals the sphincter muscles to relax. As these muscles relax, urine exits the bladder through the urethra. When all the signals occur in the correct order, normal urination occurs.
What causes problems in the urinary system?
Problems in the urinary system can be caused by aging, illness, or injury. As you get older, changes in the kidneys' structure cause them to lose some of their ability to remove wastes from the blood. Also, the muscles in your ureters, bladder, and urethra tend to lose some of their strength. You may have more urinary infections because the bladder muscles do not tighten enough to empty your bladder completely. A decrease in strength of muscles of the sphincters and the pelvis can also cause incontinence, the unwanted leakage of urine. Illness or injury can also prevent the kidneys from filtering the blood completely or block the passage of urine.
How are problems in the urinary system detected?
Urinalysis is a test that studies the content of urine for abnormal substances such as protein or signs of infection. This test involves urinating into a special container and leaving the sample to be studied.
Urodynamic tests evaluate the storage of urine in the bladder and the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra. Your doctor may want to do a urodynamic test if you are having symptoms that suggest problems with the muscles or nerves of your lower urinary system and pelvis (ureters, bladder, urethra, and sphincter muscles).
Urodynamic tests measure the contraction of the bladder muscle as it fills and empties. The test is done by inserting a small tube called a catheter through your urethra into your bladder to fill it either with water or a gas. Another small tube is inserted into your rectum to measure the pressure put on your bladder when you strain or cough. Other bladder tests use x-ray dye instead of water so that x-ray pictures can be taken when the bladder fills and empties to detect any abnormalities in the shape and function of the bladder. These tests take about an hour.
What are some disorders of the urinary system?
Disorders of the urinary system range in severity from easy-to-treat to life-threatening.
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a condition in men that affects the prostate gland, which is part of the male reproductive system. The prostate is located at the bottom of the bladder and surrounds the urethra. BPH is an enlargement of the prostate gland that can interfere with urinary function in older men. It causes blockage by squeezing the urethra, which can make it difficult to urinate. Men with BPH frequently have other bladder symptoms including an increase in frequency of bladder emptying both during the day and at night. Most men over age 60 have some BPH, but not all have problems with blockage. There are many different treatment options for BPH.
Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic bladder disorder also known as painful bladder syndrome and frequency-urgency-dysuria syndrome. In this disorder, the bladder wall can become inflamed and irritated. The inflammation can lead to scarring and stiffening of the bladder, decreased bladder capacity, pinpoint bleeding, and, in rare cases, ulcers in the bladder lining. The cause of IC is unknown at this time.
Kidney stones is the term commonly used to refer to stones, or calculi, in the urinary system. Stones form in the kidneys and may be found anywhere in the urinary system. They vary in size. Some stones cause great pain while others cause very little. The aim of treatment is to remove the stones, prevent infection, and prevent recurrence. Both nonsurgical and surgical treatments are used. Kidney stones affect men more often than women.
Prostatitis is inflammation of the prostate gland that results in urinary frequency and urgency, burning or painful urination ( dysuria ), and pain in the lower back and genital area, among other symptoms. In some cases, prostatitis is caused by bacterial infection and can be treated with antibiotics. But the more common forms of prostatitis are not associated with any known infecting organism. Antibiotics are often ineffective in treating the nonbacterial forms of prostatitis.
Proteinuria is the presence of abnormal amounts of protein in the urine. Healthy kidneys take wastes out of the blood but leave in protein. Protein in the urine does not cause a problem by itself. But it may be a sign that your kidneys are not working properly.
Renal (kidney) failure results when the kidneys are not able to regulate water and chemicals in the body or remove waste products from your blood. Acute renal failure (ARF) is the sudden onset of kidney failure. This can be caused by an accident that injures the kidneys, loss of a lot of blood, or some drugs or poisons. ARF may lead to permanent loss of kidney function. But if the kidneys are not seriously damaged, they may recover. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is the gradual reduction of kidney function that may lead to permanent kidney failure, or end-stage renal disease (ESRD). You may go several years without knowing you have CKD.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacteria in the urinary tract. Women get UTIs more often than men. UTIs are treated with antibiotics. Drinking lots of fluids also helps by flushing out the bacteria.
The name of the UTI depends on its location in the urinary tract. An infection in the bladder is called cystitis . If the infection is in one or both of the kidneys, the infection is called pyelonephritis . This type of UTI can cause serious damage to the kidneys if it is not adequately treated.
Urinary incontinence , loss of bladder control, is the involuntary passage of urine. There are many causes and types of incontinence, and many treatment options. Treatments range from simple exercises to surgery. Women are affected by urinary incontinence more often than men.
Urinary retention , or bladder-emptying problems, is a common urological problem with many possible causes. Normally, urination can be initiated voluntarily and the bladder empties completely. Urinary retention is the abnormal holding of urine in the bladder. Acute urinary retention is the sudden inability to urinate, causing pain and discomfort. Causes can include an obstruction in the urinary system, stress, or neurologic problems. Chronic urinary retention refers to the persistent presence of urine left in the bladder after incomplete emptying. Common causes of chronic urinary retention are bladder muscle failure, nerve damage, or obstructions in the urinary tract. Treatment for urinary retention depends on the cause.
Who can help me with a urinary problem?
Your primary doctor can help you with some urinary problems. Your pediatrician may be able to treat some of your child's urinary problems. But some problems may require the attention of a urologist , a doctor who specializes in treating problems of the urinary system and the male reproductive system. A gynecologist is a doctor who specializes in the female reproductive system and may be able to help with some urinary problems. A urogynecologist is a gynecologist who specializes in the female urinary system. A nephrologist specializes in treating diseases of the kidney.
Points to Remember
Your urinary system filters waste and extra fluid from your blood. Problems in the urinary system include kidney failure, urinary tract infections, kidney stones, prostate enlargement, and bladder control problems. Health professionals who treat urinary problems include general practitioners (your primary doctor), pediatricians, urologists, gynecologists, urogynecologists, and nephrologists.
Please be aware that while we have made all effort to ensure that this information is accurate, we cannot guarantee that there are no mistakes. Also that the best management for individual patients may differ from that outlined here. Only the doctors caring for the patient will be able to advise on this.


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It's My 21st Birthday Party Headband Crown
Regular price$13.99
All crown designs vary in height due to the different sayings, but most crowns are 6 inches wide, and anywhere from 2- 4 inches tall. The sayings are cut out of heavyweight premium card stock, and the glitter card stock has minimal to no glitter shedding. The plastic headbands are black and flexible, and fit almost every head whether child or adult. The fringe is made out of colorful fluffy tissue paper.


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Target fumbles during holiday playoff run
MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Namath he's not. Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel assured investors last month that December comps would exceed November's 1.8% increase, but then Thursday morning reported a disappointing 1.6% increase and a reduced profit forecast.
Namath, the former New York Jet's quarterback, famously guaranteed victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III and then delivered on his guidance with a stunning 16-to-7 victory. Conversely, Target's failure to live up to Steinhafel's guarantee that fourth-quarter comps would be in a low-to-mid single-digit range, but above November's 1.8% gain, caused the company to significantly reduce its fourth-quarter earnings-per-share forecast to a range of $1.35 to $1.43 from $1.43 to $1.53. The company did stick with a January comps forecast in the low-to-mid single-digit range, the same as in December and November. What makes Target's December results even more disappointing is the company was up against a relatively easy prior-year comparison when comps increased just 0.9%. The 1.8% gain in November, also regarded as disappointing at the time, was at least a little more understandable as it came a against a prior-year comparison of 5.5%.
"December sales were below our expectations as growth in grocery and beauty offset softness in electronics and music, movies and books," Steinhafel said. "Sales and traffic were strongest in the week leading up to Christmas as guests waited to shop for last-minute gifts. In 2012, we'll continue to pursue initiatives designed to deliver compelling value and a superior shopping experience against the backdrop of continued slow and volatile economic growth."
If there was a bright spot amid the company's December showing, it was the fact that the majority of the growth the company experienced was driven by an increase in average transaction size, which suggest loyalty among core customers. Steinhafel also took the high road by not offering weather conditions as an excuse for sales weakness, even though unseasonably warm conditions are believed to have negatively impacted Target and other retailers.
Additionally, the company noted that December comps in food increased in the low teens, while comps in household essentials increased in the mid-single-digit range, with the strongest performance in beauty. Comps in apparel and accessories increased in the low-single-digit range, with the strongest performance in kids' apparel and the intimate, hosiery and performance categories. The softest performance was in jewelry and accessories and shoes. Comps in hardlines decreased in the low-single-digit range, with the strongest performance in toys and the softest performance in electronics and music, movies and books. Comparable-store sales in home furnishings and decor decreased in the low-single-digit range, with the strongest performance in seasonal categories and the softest performance in decorative home.