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H.R.6156 - Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012112th Congress (2011-2012)
|Rep. Camp, Dave [R-MI-4] (Introduced 07/19/2012)
|House - Ways and Means
|Committee Reports:
|H. Rept. 112-632
|Latest Action:
|12/14/2012 Became Public Law No: 112-208. (TXT | PDF) (All Actions)
|Roll Call Votes:
|There have been 2 roll call votes
This bill has the status Became Law
Here are the steps for Status of Legislation:
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To President
- Became Law
Subject — Policy Area:
- Foreign Trade and International Finance
- View subjects
Summary: H.R.6156 — 112th Congress (2011-2012)All Information (Except Text)
Shown Here:
Public Law No: 112-208 (12/14/2012)
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on November 16, 2012. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 - Title I: Permanent Normal Trade Relations for the Russian Federation - (Sec. 102) Authorizes the President to: (1) determine that title IV (Jackson-Vanik Amendment) of the Trade Act of 1974 (denying nondiscriminatory treatment [normal trade relations treatment] to non-market countries that restrict freedom of emigration and other human rights) should no longer apply to the Russian Federation, and (2) extend permanent normal trade relations treatment to the products of the Russian Federation upon its accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Title II: Trade Enforcement Measures Relating to the Russian Federation - (Sec. 201) Directs the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to assess annually to Congress: (1) the extent to which the Russian Federation is implementing the WTO Agreement and certain related agreements, and (2) the progress made by the Russian Federation in acceding to and implementing the Ministerial Declaration on Trade in Information Technology Products of the WTO (Information Technology Agreement) and the Agreement on Government Procurement of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act. Requires the USTR also to include in the report a plan of action to encourage the Russian Federation to improve its implementation of, or increase its progress in acceding to, the agreement when appropriate.
Directs the USTR to report annually to Congress on enforcement actions taken by the USTR against the Russian Federation to ensure full compliance of its obligations as a WTO member.
(Sec. 202) Directs the USTR and the Secretary of State to report jointly and annually to Congress on measures they have taken and the results achieved in promoting the rule of law in the Russian Federation to support U.S. investment.
Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a phone hotline and secure website accessible both within and outside of the Russian Federation to allow U.S. entities to report instances of bribery and to request U.S. assistance with respect to corruption in the Russian Federation. Requires the Secretary to report annually to Congress on such bribery and corruption.
(Sec. 203) Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to direct the USTR to include in the annual National Trade Estimates report on barriers to access of foreign markets an identification and analysis of any laws, policies, or practices of the Russian Federation that deny fair and equitable market access to U.S. digital trade.
(Sec. 204) Requires the USTR to continue to pursue the reduction of barriers to trade imposed on U.S. exports by the Russian Federation through efforts to: (1) negotiate a bilateral agreement under which the Russian Federation accepts U.S. sanitary and phytosanitary measures as equivalent to their measures, and (2) obtain the adoption by the Russian Federation of an action plan for providing greater protections for intellectual property rights than those required by the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights of the Uruguay Round Agreement Act.
Title III: Permanent Normal Trade Relations for Moldova - (Sec. 302) Authorizes the President to: (1) determine that the Jackson-Vanik Amendment should no longer apply to Moldova, and (2) extend permanent normal trade relations treatment to the products of Moldova.
Title IV: Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 - Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 - (Sec. 402) Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should continue to strongly support, and provide assistance to, the efforts of the Russian people to establish a vibrant democratic political system that respects individual liberties and human rights, including by enhancing the provision of objective information through all relevant media, such as Radio Liberty and the Internet; and (2) the Russian government's suppression of dissent and political opposition, the limitations it has imposed on civil society and independent media, and the deterioration of economic and political freedom inside Russia are of profound concern to the U.S. government and to the American people.
(Sec. 404) Directs the President to report to Congress, publish, and update a list of each person who the President determines: (1) is responsible for, or benefitted financially from, the detention, abuse, or death of Sergei Magnitsky, participated in related liability concealment efforts, or was involved in the criminal conspiracy uncovered by Sergei Magnitsky; or (2) is responsible for extrajudicial killings, torture, or other human rights violations committed against individuals seeking to promote human rights or to expose illegal activity carried out by officials of the government of the Russian Federation. Requires the President to consider information provided by the chairperson and ranking member of each of the appropriate congressional committees and credible data obtained by other countries and nongovernmental organizations, including those inside Russia, that monitor such government's human rights abuses.
(Sec. 405) Makes an alien on such list ineligible to enter or be admitted to the United States. Revokes any visa issued for such person.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to waive such prohibition if it is in the U.S. national security interest or if it is necessary for compliance with the Agreement between the United Nations (U.N.) and the United States regarding the U.N. Headquarters. Requires congressional notification of any such waiver.
(Sec. 406) Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to freeze and prohibit U.S. property transactions of an individual who is on the list if such property and property interests are in the United States, come within the United States, or are in or come within the control of a U.S. person or entity. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to waive such actions if in the U.S. national security interest. Requires congressional notification of any such waiver. Subjects persons that violate such transaction restrictions to the penalties set forth in the International Emergency Economic Powers Act for commission of an unlawful act described in such Act.
(Sec. 407) Directs the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Treasury to report annually to Congress regarding actions taken pursuant to this Act.


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Adults experiencing mental illness have higher rates of certain chronic physical illnesses
Adults with mental illness are also more likely to be treated in emergency rooms and to be hospitalized
A new report shows that adults (aged 18 and older) who had a mental illness in the past year have higher rates of certain physical illnesses than those not experiencing mental illness. According to the report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), adults aged 18 and older who had any mental illness, serious mental illness, or major depressive episodes in the past year had increased rates of high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
For example, 21.9 percent of adults experiencing any mental illness (based on the diagnostic criteria specified in the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)) in the past year had high blood pressure. In contrast, 18.3 percent of those not experiencing any mental illness had high blood pressure. Similarly, 15.7 percent of adults who had any mental illness in the past year also had asthma, while only 10.6 percent of those without mental illness had this condition.
Adults who had a serious mental illness (i.e., a mental illness causing serious functional impairment substantially interfering with one or more major life activities) in the past year also evidenced higher rates of high blood pressure, asthma, diabetes, heart disease and stroke than people who did not experience serious mental illnesses.
Adults experiencing major depressive episodes (periods of depression lasting two weeks or more in which there were significant problems with everyday aspects of life such as sleep, eating, feelings of self-worth, etc.) had higher rates of the following physical illnesses than those without past-year major depressive episodes: high blood pressure (24.1 percent vs. 19.8 percent), asthma (17.0 percent vs. 11.4 percent), diabetes (8.9 percent vs. 7.1 percent), heart disease (6.5 percent vs. 4.6 percent), and stroke (2.5 percent vs. 1.1 percent).
The report also shows significant differences in emergency department use and hospitalization rates in the past year between adults with past-year mental illness and those without. For example, 47.6 percent of adults with serious mental illness in the past year used emergency departments as opposed to only 30.5 percent of those without past-year serious mental illness. Adults with past-year serious mental illness were more likely to have been hospitalized than those without past-year serious mental illness (20.4 percent versus 11.6 percent respectively).
"Behavioral Health is essential to health. This is a key SAMHSA message and is underscored by this data," said SAMHSA Administrator Pamela S. Hyde. "Promoting health and wellness for individuals, families and communities means treating behavioral health needs with the same commitment and vigor as any other physical health condition. Communities, families, and individuals cannot achieve health without addressing behavioral health."
To that end, since 2009 SAMHSA has funded the Primary and Behavioral Health Care Integration (PBHCI) program, which works to improve the physical health status of people with serious mental illness and those with co-occurring substance use disorders by supporting community efforts to coordinate and integrate primary care services into publicly funded community-based behavioral health settings. Currently 64 community behavioral health providers receive the PBHCI grant, with the expected outcome of entering into partnerships to develop or expand their offering of primary healthcare services, resulting in improved health status for their clients. As of March 2012, over 17,500 adults with serious mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorders have been served via the PBHCI program. More information about the PBHCI program is available at http://www.integration.samhsa.gov/about-us/pbhci .
Another SAMHSA effort -- its Wellness Initiative – builds on the HHS Million Hearts campaign and promotes wellness for people with mental and substance use disorders by motivating individuals, organizations, and communities to take action and work toward improved quality of life, cardiovascular health, and decreased early mortality rates. To learn more, please visit http://www.samhsa.gov/wellness and http://millionhearts.hhs.gov/index.html .
The report entitled, Physical Health Conditions among Adults with Mental Illnesses is based on SAMHSA's 2008-2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) data. NSDUH is an annual nationally representative survey of the U.S. civilian, non-institutionalized population aged 12 or older. The report is available at:http://www.samhsa.gov/data/2k12/NSDUH103/SR103AdultsAMI2012.pdf .
SAMHSA is a public health agency within the Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.
Last updated: 4/10/2012 12:34 PM

subset: commoncrawl


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There is plenty of debate about the efficacy of most herbal supplements, but that's not my question.
I just want to know if there is a reliable/standard source of verification for the active ingredient purity of particular branded/packaged herbal supplements.
In other words, if I buy Brand X Gingko Biloba tablets, how much Gingko Biloba is in each tablet, and how much is inert fillers?
I have heard of organizations that audit the manufacturing sites of herbal supplement makers, including USP and NSF, but it appears that they do not actually test the contents of the supplements themselves.


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Playing this video requires the latest flash player from Adobe.
Download link (right click and 'save-as') for playing in VLC or other compatible player.
Clifton, Bub, and Halvorson claim to be able to derive quantum mechanics from information-theoretic axioms. However, their derivation relies on the auxiliary assumption that the relevant probabilities for measurement outcomes can be represented by the observables (self-adjoint operators) and states of a C*-algebra. There are legitimate probability theories that are not so representable --- in particular, the nonlocal boxes of Popescu and Rohrlich. We explain the impact of nonlocal boxes on the interpretation of the CBH derivation, and we discuss possible generalizations of the CBH derivation in the framework of these more general probability theories.


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Any Occasion Flowers in Scarborough
Flowers from Jordan's Floral & Gifts in Scarborough will make anyone happy on their birthday, anniversary, graduation, new baby or any occasion. Whether you want to send a fresh flower bouquet of gerbera daisies or roses, you know you'll be sending the best bouquet. Send a mixed bouquet of thank you flowers or beautiful anniversary flowers. You'll find the best right here! Ask us about same day delivery to Scarborough and the surrounding area.
|We Accept:


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Select your gifts by using the category links - click on the link which best describes the type of gift or occasion you're sending for (e.g. Birthday, Romance, etc). Alternatively, let us find the gift which best suits your budget, occasion and recipient by using the search or advanced search facility (to the left of the screen). If you would like to send a gift to someone outside of the UK, click 'International Flower Delivery', then select your destination country to view products available.
Sending flowers with us is a simple and secure process. This information will guide you through the order process step by step.
Once you've found an item you'd like to purchase, click 'more info' where you will be able to view further information about the product. When proceeding to place an order follow the numbered prompts on-screen:
This page shows a summary of items you've selected if you would like to add further items to your order, press 'keep shopping'. Your basket can contain orders for up to 4 different recipients.
To remove an item from your Shopping Basket click the rubbish bin icon to the right of the Shopping Basket list. If you're ready to make your purchase, click 'check out'.
Here we will ask you to complete the recipients' contact details, together with the card message, delivery date and any special instructions to make the delivery. If you have entered a postcode for your recipient earlier in the order process, possible matches will be displayed on this page if none of these match the address you require, use the link provided to enter the address manually. To ensure your order can be dealt with quickly and efficiently, it is important that you provide full postal addresses and contact details.
If you are ordering an item for funeral delivery, please specify the required time of delivery in the Delivery Instructions.
We require your billing address together with your contact details just in case we need to get in touch with you regarding your order. Please ensure an email address is supplied as this will be used to confirm receipt of your order. Your payment card details together with promotional codes (if applicable) will be required at this stage.
Before you submit your order, it's important that you review the information you have entered. If you have requested an additional delivery service (such as 'before 1pm') the total delivery charge will be shown on this page. If you need to edit any part of your order details, use the links provided at the top of the screen to move back to the relevant page. If you're happy with the information, tick the terms and conditions box and then click 'check out'. There will then be a short delay whilst we allocate an order number, which will be confirmed on the screen for your reference.
You will be sent notification by e-mail that your order has been received shortly after reaching the 'Order Sent' screen, again this will summarise full details of the order you have submitted including confirmation of recipient and card message. This will be written in English and sent to the e-mail address you provided within the 'Your Details' section of the order form. We would advise you to print and retain this information.
This will confirm that we have received your order. We would advise you to make a note of your order number(s) and print the order details summarised on this page for future reference.


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After watching, and often cringing through, the Oedipal themes of the dark comedy "Cyrus," one might have wondered -- what did Jonah Hill's mother think of the movie?
The movie stars Hill as dysfunctional 20-year-old with an unhealthily close connection to his mother (Marisa Tomei) who tries to fight off -- using any means possible -- a suitor in the form of John C. Reilly.
Even the "Cyrus" promotional bumper sticker features a line from the movie: "Seriously, Don't (Expletive) My Mom."
So PopcornBiz took the opportunity to ask Hill what his real folks thought of the Sundance favorite "Cyrus," Hill's major break into dramatic roles.
"It's my family's favorite movie that I've ever been in," Hill responded cheerily. "Some of the movies I have done, my parents can appreciate that people love them, but they are not always massive fans. This was their favorite."
In fact, Hill said he was mother was teary-eyed after the movie. She was particularly touched by the scene where Tomei admits she might have made some mistakes raising her twisted son.
"(My mom) said I really loved it, it hit (her) so hard. That scene with me and Marisa on the bed," said Hill. "It connected with her as a parent, hoping you haven't done anything to screw up your kids out of love."
His brother, however, gave a loaded compliment to Hill's performance. "He was looking at me all weird after the movie," said Hill. "He said he loved it, but it was the first time he didn't recognize me in a movie and it creeped him out."
"I took that as a very big compliment."
Jonah Hill's Mom Loves the Oedipal-Themed "Cyrus"
After watching, and often cringing through, the Oedipal themes of the dark comedy "Cyrus," one might have wondered -- what did Jonah Hill's mother think of the movie?


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The Vatican has been the residence of the popes only since 1377, six centuries interrupted by long stays at the Quirinal Palace. Before the pontifical court was transferred to Avignon (1309-1377), the headquarters of the pope had been at the Lateran. Since then, there has not been a pope who has failed to contribute to the grandeur and dignity of the Vatican, to make this holy hill an increasingly worthy seat for the Supreme Head of the Catholic Church. An uninterrupted succession of 265 men has sat on St. Peters throne, many of whom were martyrs and saints. The Vatican has been an independent state (called the Vatican City) since February 11, 1929, when t ... continue
Discover the Beauty of Italy.
Discover the beautiful places to visit for Your vacation.
Each region has its tradition, gastronomy, mentality and many more. Begin your voyage of discovery


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This little tidbit was spotted on BuzzFeed.
Okay, here's the deal. When you mean "a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption," "a primary source," or "an underlying faculty or endowment" (M-W), then the word you want is principle. When you mean "a person who has controlling authority or is in a leading position" (M-W), such as the person who has the power to put you in detention until the day you graduate from high school, then the word you want is principal. In this case, although Allen Gregory may very well love his principles, what they meant to show was that Allen Gregory loves his principal.
In principle, the proofreader of this article might want to make checking for spelling of principal importance.
Bonus MRP moment: In addition to this delicious typo, BuzzFeed also brings us "14 Punctuation Marks That You Never Knew Existed." Impress your friends and scare your enemies with your new knowledge of guillemets, sheffer strokes, and asterisms.


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Page View
Hogarth, William, 1697-1764 / The analysis of beauty : written with a view of fixing the fluctuating ideas of taste
Chap. XII: of light and shade, and the manner in which objects are explained to the eye by them, pp. 93-106
Page 99
This material may be protected by copyright law (e.g., Title 17, US Code).| For information on re-use, see http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/Copyright


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A Taste to Dine For
Welcome to A Taste to Dine For Online
I started A Taste To Dine For in 2004 as an on site catering business. It started with a leap of faith, a handful of proven recipes and amazing support from family and friends.
We provide a quality selection of amazing food. We do the majority of our food prep and cooking right at the event site so that the customer is provided with the freshest food possible. I shop at Farmer's markets for vegetables and herbs and also contract with an organic gardener for the best of the season herbs and vegetables. Although we have set menus we are more than willing, and happy to custom tailor a menu for our customers and their needs. If you have a special family menu we will be happy to incorporate it into any menu for your event.
A Taste To Dine For is a preferred vendor for The Beda Place in Meadow Vista,
I am also Food Safety Manager Certified through the National Registry of Food Safety Professionals.
A Taste to Dine For, INC. All Rights Reserved 2009 -
Ubiquitous Designs


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Drink More Water.
Since I have lost nearly 60 lbs and it is becoming noticeable that I'm losing weight people have started to ask what's the "secret". In reality, there is no secret. It's all stuff you already know. Eat more fruits and vegetables, less junk food, and exercise more. You know that, I know that. Yet, we Americans find it difficult to make these changes at once. So, when people are looking for a good starting point I have to say, "Drink more water."
I also want to say stop drinking pop. Yeah, I know you don't need to stop because you drink diet. STOP IT! I didn't drink pop for 8 years and then I moved to Africa when I was 20 (where it was my only safe choice) and it took 8 more years to quit drinking pop. I would contribute 10-15 lbs that I have lost simply to the elimination of pop. When I tell people this they quickly say, "Yeah... but you didn't drink diet. Did you?"
I drank it all. I love pop. I love the taste, the carbonation, the sound a cold can makes when you open it on a hot day. However, here is a chart of all that pop does to you.
And Diet Pop? Well you are just drinking a can of chemicals. How do you think that is helping your longevity, health, and weight?
Seriously, if you are just looking for a starting point drink more water. You should be drinking half your weight in ounces. So if you weigh 150 lbs you should be drinking at least 75 ounces of water a day. At the minimum.
One, of the many, nutrition books I read gave the visual of a flowing creek versus a stale pond. When your body is dehydrated and you don't have enough water going through your system you are like a stale pond with sludge and gook building up. When you drink plenty of water your body is like a fresh flowing spring from a glacier. Pure and clean.
So, grab a water bottle. Fill it up. And Chug-a-lug.


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Looking on with continued interest, Walt. A barge fascinates me.
There are two kinds of boaters: those who have run aground, and those who lie about it.
Hey everyone. I finished gluing up the curved chines with 7 layers of ply. I think they are going to work out good. I have roughed them out with the power planer and will finish down with the belt sander. I want to be on my game when I do that because I don't want to cut them too low or at an angle that is not on the same plane as the 2 X 4's.
I am going to get off topic and show you what I do professionally. This is the project I worked on today which is a complete gut and remodel of a small house I built in 2004. We are nearing completion of adding a bathroom addition, porch and loft to this small house. This is the loft, stairs and railing that we built. Shown is the entire house except for the bathroom that you can see the doorway to on the right side of the picture. It was not built to be lived in originally and now it will be a full time residence.
Cool small house!
There are two kinds of boaters: those who have run aground, and those who lie about it.
It is situated on 300 acres and you can not see another house.
Nice clean solid unpretentious work Walt, a lot like you I bet.
It looks great, but last time I built stairs, the code required an awful lot of balusters or other closely spaced impediments to the passage of a building inspector's 4" ball. I had similar spacing on some basement stairs in an old house and my 3 yr old daughter launched herself right through. Nothing broken and no concussion, but it took a while to stop hurting. 20 years later and she remembers it well. I hate to bring it up, but if you have to pass an inspection, it is better to get it right now than later.
It really is quite difficult to build an ugly wooden boat.
The power of the web: Anyone can post anything on the web
The weakness of the web: Anyone can post anything on the web.
https://flic.kr/p/wcbJ4p once I figure out to post I will do it right I do not want to hi jack your thread and mine shanty close to a true shanty and not in a goodway (used lumber, pallets, a propane tank for a wood stove this forum is more about wooden boat building and I love the skill I see in every post / photo I am in awe of the work I see in your build mine was built more with a sledge hammer, chainsaw, and a lot of bandaids
Last edited by Skiff; 04-06-2016 at 07:29 PM.
That is nice. Glad you showed us that. lots of detail- I like the door latch especially!
Shanty pulling into motts creek inn by kevin kennedy, on Flickr
This sig line is proudly provided by The Wooden Boat Magazine Forum. If it ain't The Wooden Boat Mag, it just a rag.
Thanks Ben
Shanty woodstove smoke by kevin kennedy, on Flickr
I am using Atlantic White Cedar for the chines and sheer clamp. I started a thread a while back to see what everyone thought about this and most gave a thumbs up. AWC is a soft wood and that was the concern. There will be 2 layers of 3/4 x 5" cedar.
It was suggested, I think, by Chuck to place a layer of 6" cloth tape between the layers. I am doing that so it will strengthen the assemby and hold fasteners for the side planking better. I am using 6 oz fiberglass cloth with West System Epoxy. This is the first piece of it to go on the chine. I have alot of experience with bonding with Epoxy but using it with fiberglass cloth I only do it every 2-5 years and it seems like I have to learn all over again. Don't get me wrong, I have done some large fiberglassing projects including a 29 foot and 32 foot boat. It does not come natural to me like working with wood.
Walt looks great I love the fiberglass layer idea. It like a flinch plate beam for a boat . That AWC is beautiful did you get it local?
Walt. are you beveling what will be the tops of the chines, to reduce their water holding tendencies?
"we are the people, our parents warned us about" (jb)
Walt, that's great work! You certainly have the skills going at it without plans, amazed at how this comes together. What will you power her with?
BTW, good looking mini mansion too!
I bet 20 HP would get it up to hull speed Walt. Twin 20s would provide redundancy and maneuverability and be much less expensive.
You might be right. There are a couple of guys around here who put large motors on barges and they don't go any faster.
I am using it on the Chesapeake Bay and the wind blows most of the time. I don't want it to be under powered and stop me in a headwind. I think towing it would give me an idea of what horsepower would push it. i really don't need it to come up on a plane but it would be neat if it did.
The Oyster Barge I built goes 20 knots with a 115 HP Yamaha when its light. They are putting a 150 HP on it soon. It will be interesting what it does with that.
What has been done: All chines and sheer clamps have 6" fiberglass tape and epoxy. Installed bow awthartship angled piece that was tricky to fit. It is the piece painted white. Milled the boards to double the chines and sheer clamp and epoxied on the first section.
I am enjoying following this thread. Thanks Walt!
Money may not buy happiness, but it can buy a boat that will pull right up next to it!
You are welcome!
Well I am working on this almost every day. There are tasks that take a long time but don't show much progress such as doubling the sheer clamp and chines. We have finished doing that on the starboard side. The alternating 3 -1/4" ply layers with 3/4" AWC at the bow worked out good.
For 2 days we have been preparing stock for the frames. The wood is old growth pine that I am sure will be naturally rot resistant. It is very dense and came from several sources over the years. The frames will be 2" X 3". I think there are 34 of them.
I don't take pictures when using epoxy or polyester resin. Good way to ruin a camera and it takes enough concentration as it is. I am bonding the 2 layers of AWC with the layer of fiberglass tape in between with West System Epoxy. I have been using West for 26 years and they have always been good with technical support.
The weather has been unusually cool but the bowshed warms up nicely if it is sunny. One problem though is that the humidity is high at about 66 to 70 percent. If I run the fan to lower the humidity the temperature drops too much. West System assures me that humidity does not effect epoxy when bonding. It can affect epoxy when clear coating or glass reinforcement. Seems to be working good. Every other product I use is affected by humidity so I was pleased to know epoxy is not so I could continue work.
This is a great build!
Great build and I am enjoying watching, I think what you are building is like a garvey with a sled runner bow.


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Posts Tagged 'political'
Free Carla Bruni CDs French 1st Lady!
Posted May 5, 2009on:
Free Carla Bruni CDs anger French taxpayers
A French government initiative to give away thousands of Carla Bruni CDs for free to promote exports has sparked an outrage in France amid plummeting popularity of President Nicolas Sarkozy, whom she married after a lightning romance last year.
The album will be dispatched to admirers of the former Italian supermodel-turned pop singer with wine and cheese vouchers.
French taxpayers are outraged that up to 1 million pounds of their money has been transferred to marketing agency Sopexa to plug the Italian-born singer's songs.
Many believe France has still not digested the initial "bling bling" phase, symbolised by Sarkozy's whirlwind romance with the Italian heiress.
At least 14,000 people in 19 countries have applied to receive one of the gift packs through the Ministry of Agriculture initiative.
Those set to get the free Bruni CDs have been asked to organise "Gallic evening" to showcase France's best exports and then put their promotion on internet sites.
The former supermodel's third album was released soon after her marriage to Sarkozy last year but sold less than 90,000 copies in France.
Bruni shrugged off the vitriolic reviews of her last album, saying: "It's understandable that people can't help mixing up my work as an artist and my official role."
As Sarkozy completes two-year in office, sixty-three per cent have written off his first 24 months as a failure, according to a poll today for Metro newspaper, with only 28 per cent holding a positive opinion.


text:
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text:
One up, one down.
An advantage of my job is the opportunity to talk with interesting people -- often in public venues -- playing key roles in our communities.
Up next: On Tuesday, I will be on stage for an in-depth conversation with Tom Barwin, Sarasota's city manager for five months, and Bernadette DiPino, who became police chief in January.
If you are interested in the city and its government -- and relationship with the public -- come and listen to our conversation. And, if you like, then pose a question to the manager or chief.
The forum will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Mildred Sainer Pavilion on the New College of Florida campus, 5313 Bay Shore Road (just south of the Ringling Museum of Art).
The event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Reserve a seat by calling 361-4065 or by emailing: firstname.lastname@example.com.
There will be no shortage of topics to discuss.
Sarasota is a mid-size city, with 52,000 full-time residents, in a county of 382,000 people, according to the 2011 U.S. Census estimate. Yet the city has a disproportionately large impact on the entire region, its economy and political scene.
The city is the seat of county government and home to the major art and culture institutions -- including the publicly owned Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall -- in a two-county region of 709,000. It is both a major tourist destination and a center of commerce.
Sarasota has an active downtown and waterfront scene that attracts thousands of residents and visitors. The city houses most of the social-service agencies in the county and has the most visible homeless population. It also has the largest and oldest community of African-Americans in the entire county.
All these factors contribute to the complexity of policing and operating city government. What's more, Sarasota has a unique political culture, one that produces endless controversies over issues big and small and makes consensus-building difficult.
Barwin, for instance, became city manager even though he was among a slate of candidates originally rejected by the City Commission. He replaced Robert Bartolotta, who resigned under intense pressure last year.
DiPino was selected by Barwin to be top cop of the Police Department. Her arrival, as the city's first female chief, followed and coincided with complaints about the department's handling of suspects and the homeless. Tension remains between the department and some members of the historically black Newtown community.
These subjects -- and more -- will be up for discussion during the Hot Topics Forum Tuesday.
My challenge will be to make the discussion as interesting and compelling as the city itself.
� � �
On the matter of challenges: Most of my experience in public discussions has involved political and government types, with a few business leaders mixed in.
But Joe McKenna, executive director of the Sarasota Orchestra, recently invited me to have a "fireside chat" with Daniel Hege as part of the Guest Conductor Dinner Series.
Hege is one of five guest conductors under consideration to become the orchestra's next artistic director. He was in town last week for about 10 hours of rehearsals to prepare for three Masterworks concerts (the last of which is today at 2:30 p.m. at the Van Wezel) featuring four pieces.
The idea of the dinner series is for orchestra supporters to wine and dine, and then hear about the conductor during an "up close and personal" discussion.
It is not in my job description to suggest who should be the next artistic director, and it is beyond my personal capacity to judge Hege's musicianship in comparison with the other guest conductors.
But I can say this: My evening interview with Hege and a casual get-acquainted meeting in the late afternoon made for one of the best, most enjoyable gigs I've had.
Like all serious conductors, Hege is incredibly bright and passionate about his craft and the music he helps make. He articulated a compelling vision for presenting the classical repertoire in standard and innovative ways, and emphasized the link between financial resources and the quality of an orchestra and its musicians.
Hege is currently director of the Wichita, Kan., Symphony but lives in Syracuse, N.Y. And, based on his experience in that city, he advises that no community -- even one with a history of supporting the fine arts -- should be complacent and think an orchestra can be sustained without attentive care and nurturing.
We even talked about the similar challenges faced by the newspaper/media industry and fine arts organizations, whose older customers/patrons want traditional products at the same time younger generations expect new deliveries and experiences.
During the opening of our dinner conversation, I asked Hege -- who earned his first college degree in 1987 -- to cite his favorite recording artists outside the "classical" genre. His answers: Queen and Kansas, two of the great rock bands of my generation. Nice; that's the kind of guy I want to have a beer with.
This is not a column to lobby for Daniel Hege, but to say it was a blast to share the stage with a classical musician and conductor who also digs classic rock.
Tom Tryon is the opinion editor.
Email: email@example.com
Conversations with the leaders of a city and a symphony
One up, one down.


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December 17, 2012 08:30 ET
GCS-100 Demonstrates Statistically Significant Reduction in Liver Fibrosis
Preclinical Results Show Promise for GCS-100 Treatment of Chronic Liver Disease
SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire - Dec 17, 2012) - La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company (
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases states that NASH affects between 7 million and 17.5 million Americans. In addition, an estimated 5.5 million Americans have chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. Together chronic liver disease and cirrhosis are currently the 12th leading cause of death, accounting for approximately 27,000 deaths annually, in the United States. Chronic Liver disease affects Americans of all ages and walks of life.
In the 12-week STAM model, NASH is established in mice by a single subcutaneous injection of streptozotocin (Sigma, USA) after birth, followed by the feeding of a high fat diet ad libitum after 4 weeks of age. NASH develops at about week 7 with evidence of fibrosis at week 9 and liver nodule formation at week 11-12. In the present study, mice were randomized at 9 weeks of age into 3 groups: a treated group which received 1 mg/kg GCS-100 IV, a treated group which received 25 mg/kg GCS-100 IV, and a control group which received inactive placebo. All animals received their respective administrations three times per week during weeks 9-12. At the end of the 12 weeks, blood and tissue samples were collected and analyzed for liver enzymes, NAFLD activity score, and presence of fibrosis by microscopic inspection. Animals in the high-dose GCS-100 treatment group showed a statistically significant improvement in all 3 of these efficacy measures.
"The results of this study demonstrate that GCS-100 is able to prevent and potentially reverse chronic liver disease through the remediation of fibrosis," said James Rolke, Senior Director of Research and Development at La Jolla. "In addition, the significant improvement in liver function and NAFLD suggests a preservation of functional tissue which is a clear clinical objective and benefit."
Overall the treatment of GCS-100 in STAM mice was well tolerated. The whole blood and plasma biochemistry results showed GCS-100 treatment decreased plasma ALT, but had no effect on blood glucose levels. Additionally, liver biochemistry showed GCS-100 decreased the amount of hydroxyproline present. Histological analysis showed a significant improvement in NAFLD score with decreased micro- and macrovesicular fat deposition, hepatocyte ballooning and inflammatory cell infiltration. Lastly, GCS-100 treated animals showed a significant decrease in the fibrosis area as measured by Sirius red staining.
"We are very pleased to see positive results from this preclinical study supporting the therapeutic role of GCS-100 in liver fibrosis," said George Tidmarsh, M.D. Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of La Jolla. "The liver disease program will complement our other programs with GCS-100 in chronic organ failure. Patients with chronic liver disease are in need of novel therapies to treat this terrible affliction and we plan to soon file an IND with FDA for the treatment of liver disease."
About GCS-100
GCS-100 is a complex polysaccharide that has the ability to bind to and block the effects of galectin-3. Galectin-3 is a soluble protein, over-expression of which has been implicated in a number of human diseases including cancer and chronic organ failure. The unique ability of GCS-100 to bind and sequester galectin-3 makes it an ideal candidate to prevent and treat diseases in which galectin-3 plays an important role.
About La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company
La Jolla Pharmaceutical Company is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of medical treatments that significantly improve outcomes in patients with life-threatening diseases. GCS-100, the Company's lead product candidate, is a first-in-class inhibitor of galectin-3, a novel molecular target implicated in chronic organ failure and cancer. For more information on the Company please visit http://www.ljpc.com.
Forward-Looking Statement Safe Harbor
This document contains forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to future events or our future results of operations. These statements are only predictions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results to be materially different from these forward-looking statements. The Company cautions readers not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made. Certain of these risks, uncertainties, and other factors are described in greater detail in the Company's filings from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), all of which are available free of charge on the SEC's web site http://www.sec.gov. These risks include, but are not limited to, risks relating to the development of GCS-100, the success and timing of future preclinical and clinical studies of this compound, and potential indications for which GCS-100 may be developed. Subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or to persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements set forth in the Company's reports filed with the SEC. The Company expressly disclaims any intent to update any forward-looking statements.


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Networking Ups Healthcare EfficiencyBy Mike Miller Print
Upgrading an outdated network and installing a VOIP telephony system helps Samaritan Regional Health System save money and reduce frustration for professionals and patients.
Samaritan Regional Health System is a community-based health care system that has been serving residents in Ashland, Ohio, and surrounding counties for nearly 100 years. The system depends on technology to support health care professionals in their efforts to diagnose, treat and heal their patients.
Until recently, Samaritan's network infrastructure was hindering that work. To resolve this critical problem, the health system deployed a backbone upgrade to facilitate secure wired and wireless access, along with a new VOIP telephony system. Network Administrator Mike Miller describes the deployment and its results.
In IT, we hear the term "business critical" often, but in the IT department of a hospital, those words take on a new meaning. In our industry, infrastructure failure can truly be a life-or-death situation. Technology is crucial for handling privacy issues surrounding patient data, as well as cost-containment efforts to rein in operational expenses while keeping the quality of patient care high.
The administrators, doctors and nurses at Samaritan and at our affiliated physician practice offices have long wanted to leverage the best, most forward-thinking technology to help them diagnose, treat and heal their patients. Until recently, our IT network was hampering that progress.
Our legacy backbone equipment was not up to the job of basic connectivity, let alone the newer technologies our staff wanted to implement. Our network infrastructure was best described as the Wild West, and it was becoming more difficult to predict where the next network failure would occur.
Inconsistent and unreliable, the network of end-of-life switches offered limited visibility into access policies. With more than 750 employees across seven locations constantly touching the network, we had little insight regarding who was logging in and out, and what they were using for resources.
Our staff spent most of their time responding to trouble tickets and trying to resolve the same old issues. The flat, static nature of our infrastructure made it impossible to direct or prioritize network resources to support more critical applications or devices. We quickly realized that we lacked the resources needed to become a proactive, strategic IT organization.
Asking the Right Questions
We started reviewing our IT goals and mapping them back to the hospital's patient care objectives. We asked ourselves:
• What are the most critical applications and services our staff uses daily, and how can we prioritize them?
• Will we have to do a complete rip-out and forklift upgrade, or can we salvage any of our existing infrastructure?
• If we can preserve any existing infrastructure, will it be compatible with whatever we deploy next?
• How can we oversee a network upgrade, learn about our new network technology and then manage a new network each day without adding more IT operations staff?
• How can we use technology to foster true collaboration between physicians, nurses, administrators and patients?
• Is there a security solution that will automate access policies based on user ID, so we can finally get a handle on network compliance?
We wanted to offer our staff quick, easy access to other caregivers and employees in the hospital network to support collaboration and information sharing. We planned to do that by consolidating the telephony system the hospital and its satellite practice offices used.
We also wanted to streamline data across departments and locations, without compromising the data's integrity and safety. Too often, one department updated a patient's record, but a lag in infrastructure stopped that information from getting to other staff members who needed it. Further, we needed to build a network that would allow us to use state-of-the-art, wire-free patient-monitoring devices. Also, we wanted a secure connection so patients and visitors could access the Internet safely.
Solution Wish List
After looking over our network needs, we created a list of criteria for each one. A robust, unified backbone that would give us the ability to build out compatible VOIP and wireless devices on our own timetable was a must. We also required a simple, centralized management system.
In addition, we needed a solution with built-in security that would allow us to create and maintain access policies that complied with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). All this had to come at a price
we could justify to the hospital's administration.
After evaluating leading infrastructure and security vendors, we went with Siemens Enterprise Communications and its network and security infrastructure division, Enterasys. We felt they had the standards-based architecture, interoperability, security, reliability and cost-performance ratio to deliver what we needed. The bonus: All the company's networking components are certified to be compatible with Dräger wireless patient monitors, including their heart monitors, which will be the first wire-free patient devices to be integrated into the new infrastructure.
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High-contrast AMOLED screen, Smooth user interface
Has almost all the features of its last flagship Galaxy S III
Jelly Bean out of the box
Excellent ergonomic design
Fantastic price point
Solid performance
Easy-to-use interface
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Fast data when available
Powerful dual-core processor
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Skype text input
Good features list
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text:
H609 800ML Tritan 2016 New Design Sport Water Bottle Fruit Infuser Water Bottle Clear
Product information
|Product name
H609 800ML Tritan 2016 new design sport water bottle fruit infuser water bottle clear
Item No.
Custom design
1pc/polybag,48pcs/master carton
Sample lead time
8-15 days
Production lead time
25-40 days after all details are confirmed
FOB port
Payment terms
30% deposit,70% T/T before shipment
Place of origin
Best price available
Packaging & Delivery
Packaging Details:
1 pc/polybag, 48pcs/carton for plastic space bottle
Delivery Detail:
Shipped in 45 days after payment
Some tips for Water bottle
Introduces three methods of easy to taste little
1. Method of salt to taste
First with detergent within the wash cup clean, and then diluted with saline into the cup, after shaking evenly, place two hours, and finally cleaning the bottle
2. Method of milk to taste
First with detergent to wash the cup clean, and then two spoonfuls of fresh milk into the cup screwed tight uniform shaking for about one minute, and finally cleaning the bottle
3. Method of Orange peel to taste
First with detergent to wash the cup clean, and then fresh orange peel into the cup screwed tight lid for about four hours, and finally cleaning the bottle
Our Services-What can I do for my friends?
1. Professional space bottle manufacturer.
2. Exchange information, ideas & trends with our partners.
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Usually our MOQ is 6000pcs per item(3000pcs/color ). But we accept lower quantity for your trial order. Please feel free to tell us how many pieces you need, we will calculate the cost correspondingly, hoping you can place large orders after checking quality of our products and know our service.
2.Can I get samples?
Sure. We usually provide existing sample for free. But a little sample charge for custom designs. Sample charge is refundable when order is up to certain quantity.We usually send samples by FEDEX,UPS,TNT or DHL. If you have carrier account, it will be fine to ship with your account. It takes about 2-4 days to reach.
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We have our own designer in house . So you can provide JPG, AI,cdr or PDF, etc.We will make 3D drawing for mold or printing screen for your final confirmation based on technique.
4.How many colors are available?
We match colors with Pantone Matching System. So you can just tell us the pantone color code you need. We will match the colors. Or we will recommend some popular colors to you.
Specialized in manufacturing good quality BPA free h609 800ml tritan 2016 new design sport water bottle fruit infuser water bottle clear, HUANGYAN is well-known as one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of various hot sale bottles. Welcome to wholesale our products and experience our customized service.
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text:
Of the three remaining "American Idol" finalists, two have been sure bets for weeks.
Crystal Bowersox has been an audience and judges' favorite from the beginning, while Lee Dewyze has never been in obvious danger of going home. Apart from last week, when Ryan Seacrest made Bowersox sweat it out until the last minute in the "results-in-no-particular-order" reveal, neither has had much to worry about. (Though Dewyze is pretty obvious about showing us that he worries plenty anyway.)
And then there's Casey James. He was in the bottom three in back-to-back weeks in April, but stuck around when Tim Urban and Siobhan Magnus got the boot instead. It's not like he's used that scare to raise his level of performance, but the results have been better anyway. He was thought to be one of the worst singers over the past couple of weeks as well, but wasn't among the two lowest vote-getters when Aaron Kelly went home.
U.S. & World
News from around the country and around the globe
Which begs the question: Why is he still here? That's what fans of Michael Lynche, Kelly, Magnus and pretty much every other eliminated contestant are asking. In fact, half the time, it looks like James himself is wondering what in the heck he's still doing there.
They kind of have a point.
James hasn't shown the same flashes of star potential as Lynche did with "This Woman's Work" and Magnus did in parts of nearly every song. James fans will cite "Jealous Guy," which was fine, but wasn't something that could go right onto the radio. He's pretty to look at, and seems to have a pleasant personality, but musically speaking, he hasn't been one of the season's stars.
A bad fit?
Part of the problem is that he seems to be a bad fit for "Idol." It's easy to see him making a career for himself in country, though the competition in Nashville is a lot more fierce than it is at the Kodak Theater. But he hasn't had the opportunity to go down that road often on the show, and he hasn't made his own chances to do that either.
This is a mass-market musical talent show that tries to manipulate the contestants to ensure the maximum commercial viability. Most contestants go with the flow, finding it the most obvious route to the judges' favor, though many ultimately find chasing that ghost to be a fruitless task and become bland, flavor-of-the-week karaoke masters.
Others stick to their strength and have the confidence — or the hubris — to think they know better than the judges. Bowersox has done that and excelled, but so did Magnus with less success. It doesn't often work, and it takes a certain kind of contestant to pull it off.
The thing with James is that he's really done neither. If he's trying to please the judges, it isn't working. The only reason he isn't getting slammed instead of mildly critiqued by Simon Cowell is that the Brit's gone soft in his senior season. But James also isn't doing much to use the songs to accentuate his own strengths, like Bowersox does.
In addition, James is entirely dependent on his instrument. It's not quite fair to say that he uses his guitar as a crutch because he's a legitimately strong guitarist, but take that away — as the show did in Sinatra week — and it's like he loses all confidence in himself.
Getting attention
Last, but certainly not least, it's unfortunate for James that he first got the cameras' attention by taking off his shirt during his auditions. It prompted the season-long cougar story line with Kara DioGuardi that's been as mature as a seventh-grade classroom's discussion of who likes whom this week.
It says something that, just seven seasons after the whole Corey Clark-Paula Abdul did-they-or-didn't-they story, "Idol" is now making a joke about a married female judge and a younger male contestant. But one of the side effects is that it helps turn James into a sideshow as much as a singer, which isn't fair to him or his abilities.
That said, the easiest explanation as to why James is still around is simple: Who would you prefer?
Even if you buy that Bowersox and Dewyze are worthy heirs to the top two of previous seasons, the defining attribute of this group of finalists is that most are equally average.
Did Lynche really deserve to be here more? He was a judges' save away from finishing ninth, so he was lucky to make it as far as fourth. Are Kelly, Magnus or Katie Stevens closer to being radio ready than James? No. Tim Urban was a last-minute addition to the semifinals, so can his fans really be upset that he came in seventh?
In all likelihood, anything other than a dominant performance will get James tossed off the show this week, and we'll get the "Idol" finale that the judges seem to want.
However, a lot of people last year would have said at this point that Kris Allen had enjoyed a nice run, but the signs were pointing to a Danny Gokey-Adam Lambert showdown. Instead, Gokey was the surprised contestant who exited early, and Allen won the season eight title and is all over the radio.
So you never know ...
Craig Berman is a writer in Washington. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/craigberman.


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Christophe Tack and Karolina Winkowska secured their first place finishes in the double elimination this weekend in choppy onshore conditions. Top spots were overtaken and challenging conditions prevailed.
Dramatic performances finished off the double elimination under sunny skies and steady breeze. With winds averaging 14-18 knots throughout the day, the short period chop made landings difficult and physically demanding.
Marc Jacobs managed to climb his way back up from an early exit in the singles, advancing solidly through three heats with his powerful riding. He eventually fell however, to a well-rested Aaron Hadlow, whose high-scoring Front Blind Mobe and Blind Judge 5 secured his fourth place position.
Next was Robinson Hilario, who beat out Hadlow with his stylish execution and extremely low kite position. Hilario then managed to move up from from third to second place by beating out Alex Neto, who struggled to land some of his signature tricks.
In a dramatic finale, Christophe Tack beat out the young Dominican by stomping a wide variety of well-executed technical tricks in what was the highest scoring heat of the day. Despite impressive tricks from Hilario such as 317 and S-Mobe 7, Tack's Slim 7, Blind Judge 7, and Crow Mobe 5 secured his eventual victory.
For the women's ladder, an impressive Annelous Lammerts climbed up the ladder to fourth place by taking out Annabel Van Westerop in a close heat before falling to Gisela Pulido to come in fourth. Pulido then advanced over Bruna Kajiya, knocking her to third place and reaching the finals. A notable scare came from Gisela when she crashed hard in the last 30 seconds of her heat against Karolina Winkowska. Thankfully she is fine, and despite riding well, she was no match for Karolina, who managed to land a Back Mobe and S-Mobe amongst other tricks for the win.
For more final results, news and photos, visit the PKRA website at www.prokitetour.com


text:
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text:
Well, well, well….it's been a while since I've actually been on time posting a DB challenge. I'm not too sure whether it's cos I'm so excited about it, or whether it's cos I really won't get the time to do it tomorrow since I'm gonna be stuck at work all day till late at night!
If people were to ask me what my signature cake is, it'd be a really toss up between Tiramisu and Chocolate Banana Cake. Tiramisu cos I've become such an expert at it and after all trials and errors, have found what I think in my opinion is the best tiramisu. Chocolate Banana cos it was born of my craving for Secret Recipe's Choc Banana Cake and over time I've come up with my version of which has never failed me in any event.
The February 2010 Daring Bakers' challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.
When Feb's challenge was announced, I was like "Yes!! Something right down my alley! I should nail this with my eyes blindfolded!" Now I'm beginning to sound cocky but what-the-heck…we are all allowed to be like that once in a while! :p
Although loving my personal recipe for tiramisu, this challenge was in many ways new to me. For one, I've never done it the traditional way with zabaglione and marsala wine. And for another, I've never made my own cheese, much more mascarpone cheese! *Whee!* This is so exciting!
For those who don't know, this Italian dessert is literally translated as "pick me up". And this name is indeed well suited for this ever so tempting and mouth-watering wonder! I modified the recipe a little as I like my tiramisu a little bit more cheesy and definitely with more alcohol in it! I was tempted to try new flavours but in the end decided classic was definitely the way to go.
(Recipe source: Carminantonio's Tiramisu from The Washington Post, July 11 2007 )
This recipe makes 6 servings
For the zabaglione:
2 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons sugar/50gms
1/4 cup/60ml Marsala wine (or port or coffee)
1/4 teaspoon/ 1.25ml vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
For the vanilla pastry cream:
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1 tablespoon/8gms all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
3/4 cup/175ml whole milk
For the whipped cream:
1 cup/235ml chilled heavy cream (we used 25%)
1/4 cup/55gms sugar
1/2 teaspoon/ 2.5ml vanilla extract
To assemble the tiramisu:
1.5 cups brewed espresso, warmed
1/4 cup tia maria + 1/4 cup amarula liquer
2 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese
savoiardi/ ladyfinger biscuits (you may use less)
unsweetened cocoa powder, for dusting
For the zabaglione:
- Heat water in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, place a pot with about an inch of water in it on the stove. Place a heat-proof bowl in the pot making sure the bottom does not touch the water.
- In a large mixing bowl (or stainless steel mixing bowl), mix together the egg yolks, sugar, the Marsala (or espresso/ coffee), vanilla extract and lemon zest. Whisk together until the yolks are fully blended and the mixture looks smooth.
- Transfer the mixture to the top of a double boiler or place your bowl over the pan/ pot with simmering water. Cook the egg mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 8 minutes or until it resembles thick custard. It may bubble a bit as it reaches that consistency.
- Let cool to room temperature and transfer the zabaglione to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
For the pastry cream:
- Mix together the sugar, flour, lemon zest and vanilla extract in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. To this add the egg yolk and half the milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Now place the saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
- Add the remaining milk a little at a time, still stirring constantly. After about 12 minutes the mixture will be thick, free of lumps and beginning to bubble. (If you have a few lumps, don't worry. You can push the cream through a fine-mesh strainer.)
- Transfer the pastry cream to a bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, until thoroughly chilled.
For the whipped cream:
- Combine the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer or immersion blender until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Set aside.
To assemble the tiramisu:
- Mix together the warm espresso, rum extract and sugar in a shallow dish, whisking to mix well. Set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese with a spoon to break down the lumps and make it smooth. This will make it easier to fold. Add the prepared and chilled zabaglione and pastry cream, blending until just combined. Gently fold in the whipped cream. Set this cream mixture aside.
Now to start assembling the tiramisu.
- Working quickly, dip the ladyfingers in the sweetened espresso, about 1 second per side. They should be moist but not soggy. Immediately transfer each ladyfinger to the platter, placing them side by side in a single row. You may break a lady finger into two, if necessary, to ensure the base of your dish is completely covered.
- Spoon one-third of the cream mixture on top of the ladyfingers, then use a rubber spatula or spreading knife to cover the top evenly, all the way to the edges.
- Repeat to create 2 more layers, using as many ladyfingers as required and the cream mixture for each layer. Clean any spilled cream mixture; cover carefully with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tiramisu overnight.
- To serve, carefully remove the plastic wrap and sprinkle the tiramisu with cocoa powder using a fine-mesh strainer or decorate as you please. Cut into individual portions and serve.
(Source: Vera's Recipe for Homemade Mascarpone Cheese)
This recipe makes 12oz/ 340gm of mascarpone cheese
474ml (approx. 500ml)/ 2 cups whipping (36 %) pasteurized (not ultra-pasteurized), preferably organic cream (between 25% to 36% cream will do)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a wide skillet. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the water is barely simmering. Pour the cream into a medium heat-resistant bowl, then place the bowl into the skillet. Heat the cream, stirring often, to 190 F. If you do not have a thermometer, wait until small bubbles keep trying to push up to the surface.
- It will take about 15 minutes of delicate heating. Add the lemon juice and continue heating the mixture, stirring gently, until the cream curdles. Do not expect the same action as you see during ricotta cheese making. All that the whipping cream will do is become thicker, like a well-done crème anglaise. It will cover a back of your wooden spoon thickly. You will see just a few clear whey streaks when you stir. Remove the bowl from the water and let cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, line a sieve with four layers of dampened cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Transfer the mixture into the lined sieve. Do not squeeze the cheese in the cheesecloth or press on its surface (be patient, it will firm up after refrigeration time). Once cooled completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate (in the sieve) overnight or up to 24 hours.
- Keep refrigerated and use within 3 to 4 days.
(Source: Recipe from Cordon Bleu At Home)
This recipe makes approximately 24 big ladyfingers or 45 small (2 1/2″ to 3″ long) ladyfingers.
3 eggs, separated
6 tablespoons /75gms granulated sugar
3/4 cup/95gms cake flour, sifted (or 3/4 cup all purpose flour + 2 tbsp corn starch)
6 tablespoons /50gms confectioner's sugar,
- Preheat your oven to 350 F (175 C) degrees, then lightly brush 2 baking sheets with oil or softened butter and line with parchment paper.
- Beat the egg whites using a hand held electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Gradually add granulate sugar and continue beating until the egg whites become stiff again, glossy and smooth.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly with a fork and fold them into the meringue, using a wooden spoon. Sift the flour over this mixture and fold gently until just mixed. It is important to fold very gently and not overdo the folding. Otherwise the batter would deflate and lose volume resulting in ladyfingers which are flat and not spongy.
- Fit a pastry bag with a plain tip (or just snip the end off; you could also use a Ziploc bag) and fill with the batter. Pipe the batter into 5″ long and 3/4″ wide strips leaving about 1″ space in between the strips.
- Sprinkle half the confectioner's sugar over the ladyfingers and wait for 5 minutes. The sugar will pearl or look wet and glisten. Now sprinkle the remaining sugar. This helps to give the ladyfingers their characteristic crispness.
- Hold the parchment paper in place with your thumb and lift one side of the baking sheet and gently tap it on the work surface to remove excess sprinkled sugar.
- Bake the ladyfingers for 10 minutes, then rotate the sheets and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the puff up, turn lightly golden brown and are still soft.
- Allow them to cool slightly on the sheets for about 5 minutes and then remove the ladyfingers from the baking sheet with a metal spatula while still hot, and cool on a rack.
- Store them in an airtight container till required. They should keep for 2 to 3 weeks.


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SA Orthopaedic Journal
On-line version ISSN 2309-8309
Print version ISSN 1681-150X
SA orthop. j. vol.10 n.1 Centurion Jan. 2011
Cervical PEEK cage standalone fusion - the issue of subsidence
RN DunnI; C PretoriusII
IMBChB(UCT), FCS(SA)Orth, MMed(Orth) Associate Professor and Head of Spinal Services: Groote Schuur Hospital, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
IIMBChB(Pret) Registrar, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Stellenbosch
Anterior discectomy and interbody fusion is a well-accepted management option for the treatment of persistent cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy due to focal stenosis. The Smith-Robinson anterior approach1 utilises the plane between the sternocleidomastoid and neurovascular bundle laterally and the strap muscles, trachea and oesophagus medially to rapidly and bloodlessly expose the cervical spine. Following annulotomy, the offending disc material is removed and the canal and foramina cleared, thus decompressing the thecal sac and exiting nerve roots. Typically a fusion is performed to stabilise the segment, maintain foraminal height and the normal sagittal profile.
The Smith-Robinson fusion technique1 described in 1958 using tri-cortical anterior iliac crest autograft is the gold standard with excellent reported fusion rates and symptomatic resolution. The Cloward technique2 using a cylindrical graft was popular but is less frequently used now due to dangers related to reaming the cervical column and graft collapse.
With the use of uninstrumented autograft fusions, there is an incidence of graft displacement, subsidence and non-union1,3,4,5 especially if poor bone stock is used. With the age of instrumentation, anterior cervical plating was added. This brought its own problems. Plating requires increased longitudinal exposure, has the risk of adjacent disc violation by screws and may increase the rate of dysphagia due to plate prominence. Allograft iliac crest graft has been used with fusion rates approximating autograft.
More recently synthetic cages, initially titanium and more recently PEEK have been employed. PEEK has the advantage of biomechanical properties similar to bone, but more importantly to the clinician is its radiographic transparency facilitating postoperative fusion confirmation. Cages can be used with an adjunctive plate or as standalone devices. There is some concern regarding standalone use, especially as regards expulsion or migration.6
This study presents our experience with the use of standalone PEEK cervical interbody cages.
A retrospective review was performed on 34 consecutive patients undergoing standalone cervical interbody PEEK (polyetheretherketone) cage decompression and fusion. The Cornerstone® cage (Medtronic) was used in 31 cases and the Solis® (Stryker) in three patients. The surgery was performed by the senior author (RND) from September 2003 to December 2009.
Surgical indications were cervical radiculopathy unresponsive to medical care of a minimum of 6 weeks or established myelopathy. Pre-operative X-rays and MRI scans were performed to confirm the diagnosis. A right-sided Smith-Robinson approach was used. Caspar dis-tractor pins were used to open the disc space, especially posteriorly. The disc was removed and the decompression done. The thecal sac and appropriate proximal part of the roots were visualised. In the case of osteophytic pathology, this was burred away until decompression was satisfactory. The endplates were prepared to bleeding bone. The cage was sized with trials, releasing the distracter pins to confirm resistance to pull-out. Bone graft was harvested percutaneously with a tube from the iliac crest. This graft was packed into the selected cage. The cage was placed into the disc space under direct vision. The depth of insertion was confirmed with lateral fluoroscopy. The average skin-to-skin duration was 82 (30-165 ± 30.4) minutes with an expected significant difference between single level 75 (30-150 ± 24.4) and double level 132 (115-165 ± 22.5) surgery (p=0.01). The average blood loss was 65 ml (10-200 ± 44.9) with single level 59 ml (10-200 ± 39.7)and double level 112 ml (75-200 ± 59.5) (p=0.01).
Case notes were reviewed for presenting symptoms, patient age and diagnosis. Surgical parameters including duration of the surgery, blood loss, fusion level, cage size and complications were recorded.
Radiological parameters were assessed at fixed time points from pre-op to a maximum of 2 years in terms of kyphosis, cage migration and subsidence, as well as fusion. The lateral C2-7 angle was used for regional assessment and posterior body wall for the local angle. Disc height was measured directly as well as a ratio to the body width to correct for changes in X-ray magnification. The AP X-ray was assessed for lateral cage migration. Fusion was assessed as present if trabecular continuity and bone bridging across the disc space was present. Although planned follow-up is two years, once fusion was obtained and communicated to patients, they often failed to return as they perceived no benefit. This is borne out in our follow-up results explained later.
Of the 34 patients, 15 were male and 19 females. Twenty-four patients presented with a radiculopathy and 10 with myelopathy. The commonest radiculopathy was C6 (14) followed by C7 (7), C5 (2), C6 and C7 (1).
Eight patients underwent a C6/C7 fusion, 20 patients a C5/C6 fusion, one patient a C4/C5 fusion and one patient a C3/C4 fusion. Four patients received two-level fusions (Figure 1).
The average age at surgery was 52.2 (26-78 ± 11.7) years, with a significant difference between the radiculopathy group at 49.7 (38-73 ± 10.8) years and the myelopathic group 58.3 (38-73 ± 10.8) years (p=0.02).
The most frequently used cage height was 6 mm (Figure 2).
Of the 34 patients, 26 had complete resolution of their presenting complaint, i.e. radicular pain or myelopathic features. The radiculopathy was typically resolved completely postoperatively with the myelopathy improving in a matter of weeks. This represented 22/24 (92%) radiculopathy patients and 4/10 (40%) myelopathy patients. The contrast in clinical success between the two groups was statistically significant (p=0.003).
Other than two intra-operative minor CSF leaks, there were no other recorded complications. These leaks were controlled with Duroseal application.
Thirty of the 34 patients had postoperative X-rays available for review.
The local angle improved from an average lordosis of 0.4º (-10 - +10 ± 3.5) to 2.7º (-15-10 ± 5.3) (p=0.02). This was maintained at 6 months? follow-up at 2.6º (-12-15 ± 7).
The disc height improved from 4.2 mm (2-6 ± 1.3) preop to 7.6 mm (4-10 ± 1.5) postop (p=0.000006). This was maintained at 3 and 6 months.
Subsidence was noted to occur in the postoperative period, postop 0 mm (0 - 0 ± 0), 3 months 1.5 mm (0 - 5 ± 1.34) (p=0.00000002), 6 months 2.1 mm (0 - 6 ± 1.7) (p=0.000015) and 1 year 0.8 mm (0 - 5 ± 1.5).
This apparent improvement between 6 and 12 months is incorrect and due to a diminishing number of longer-term X-rays available, thus representing a smaller group at 12 months than 6 months. With rapid symptom resolution and fusion confirmation, many patients do not see the need to return. An example of cage subsidence is demonstrated in Figure 3.
There was a trend to increased subsidence with increasing cage height (Figure 4).
No relationship between subsidence and clinical outcome was observed.
Fusion had occurred in 25/30 (83%) by 3 months, 26/30 by 6 months and 29/30 (92%) at final follow-up (Figure 5).
Surgery failed to relieve eight patients' symptoms. Of these, seven were radiographically fused. The remaining patient had a non-union at 1 year before defaulting final follow-up. Six of the eight were myelopathic. There was no cage migration or expulsion.
Cervical surgery for radiculopathy in well-selected patients is usually successful as once the root is decompressed, the patient wakes without pain.3 The anterior approach popularised by Smith and Robinson is the mainstay of management due to easy patient positioning and intermuscular plane as compared to the posterior foraminotomies. The downside of the anterior approach is the requirement for fusion. There are proponents for discectomy alone, but this results in a spontaneous ankylosis with localised kyphosis. Thus most surgeons prefer an interbody fusion to maintain foraminal height and fuse the cervical spine in lordosis. Although intuitive and unproven in the human clinical setting, this is thought to minimise adjacent segment disease.5
Originally tricortical iliac crest autograft was used but had pseudarthrosis rates in excess of 10%, graft resorption with loss of sagittal correction, and risks of graft dislodgement.3,4
The use of a synthetic interbody cage reduces the iliac crest trauma. Allograft and synthetic bone replacement products are commercially available to completely avoid bone harvesting. In the reported cohort, percutaneous graft was harvested with a corer via an 8-10 mm stab incision. Local anaesthetic was infiltrated and it is the author's experience that patients tolerate this technique well and without complaint.
The cage cannot resorb, but there is an incidence of subsidence through the vertebral endplate. This has been shown above to increase over the first few postoperative months. There is seemingly a conflict in the reported data, as the disc height increased during the procedure and this increase was maintained - yet subsidence of the cage was noted. This may be explained by the associated simultaneous correction in lordosis which will affect disc height measurement. In addition, the disc height measurement was referenced to corners of the body, whereas the subsidence was in the central area of the body. Subsidence has been confirmed in another study by Kulkarni.6
In our study, this subsidence did not affect resolution of the patients' symptoms or the maintenance of the lordotic correction. There appeared to be more subsidence with the thicker cages. During this series, the author chose cage sizes on the basis of 'the bigger the better' as there was a concern about postop expulsion. An interference fit was thought to reduce the chance of migration and increase fusion rates. Frequently a mallet would be used to seat the cage posteriorly. As no migration/expulsion was experienced, the author is now less aggressive in terms of cage height.
Endplate integrity is paramount. There is the conflict of adequate preparation for fusion and not violating endplate strength. The cartilage is removed with a curette or osteophyte scraper, but caution should be exercised to avoid removing bone. This is sometimes difficult when the disc space is tight and posterolateral osteophytes need to be burred as this may require posterior endplate removal.
In double level surgeries, sizing should be performed serially, i.e. the second disc space trialed definitively once the first cage is in. If not, one often finds the second cage requires excessive persuasion to enter the disc space.
Subsidence has been shown to be reduced when combining posterior fixation in a study by Song et al.7 They focused on the management of kyphotic segments. In a neutral to lordotic cervical spine, the addition of a second approach seems likeoverkill, especially in the light that symptomatic improvement is not impaired by the presence of subsidence.
Cervical interbody fusion utilising a standalone PEEK cage is an effective method of achieving clinical symptom resolution in cervical radiculopathy. It achieves a high fusion rate without the graft-related complications reported with tricortical grafts.
However cage subsidence remains a concern and caution is recommended with endplate preparation and cage sizing, avoiding overstuffing.
1. Smith G, Robinson R. The treatment of cervical spine disorders by anterior removal of intervertebral disc interbody fusion. JBJS 1958;40A:607-24. [ Links ]
2. Cloward RB. The anterior approach for the removal ruptured cervical discs. J Neurosurg 1958;15:602-15. [ Links ]
3. Bohlman HH, Emery SE, Goodfellow DB. Robinson anterior cervical discectomy and arthrodesis for cervical radiculopathy. Long-term follow up of 122 patients. JBJS 1993;75A:1298-307. [ Links ]
4. White A, Southwick W, Deponte R. Relief of pain by anterior cervical-spine fusion for spondylosis. JBJS 1973;55A:525-34. [ Links ]
5. Goffin J, Geusens E, Vantomme N. Long-term follow-up after interbody fusion of the cervical spine. J Spinal Disord Tech 2004;17(2):79-85. [ Links ]
6. Kulkarni A, Hee H, Wong H. Solis cage (PEEK) for anterior cervical fusion: preliminary radiological results with emphasis on fusion and subsidence. The Spine Journal 2007;7:205-209. [ Links ]
7. Song K, Johnson J, Choi B. Anterior fusion alone compared with combined anterior and posterior fusion for the treatment of degenerative cervical kyphosis. JBJS 2010;92B:1548-52. [ Links ]
Reprint requests:
Prof RN Dunn
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. H49 OMB Groote Schuur Hospita
7925 Observatory Cape Town
Tel: (021) 4045387 Fax: 0866 715 294
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
No benefits of any form have been received from a commercial party relating directly or indirectly to the subjectof this article.


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I wanted to make a fairly uncomplicated bread with a good portion of spelt flour and while I was at it I decided to add some walnuts since I love nuts and my new apprentice Max is quite the nut as well.
My wife picked up some chocolate infused olive oil on close-out at William Sonoma so I figured that along with some chocolate vinegar would be a good compliment to the mix of nutty flours along with the walnuts. I'm not sure you really end up tasting too much chocolate flavor but it did add some nice chocolate undertones to the final bread.
I let the flours autolyse with the water overnight for around 12 hours before mixing in the other ingredients and let it bulk ferment for another 12 plus hours before baking it off.
The final bread was a nice nutty, chewy bread perfect for some hard cheese or olive oil. The crumb was nice and moist and open and the spelt flour really added a wonderful taste to this one.
Levain Directions
Mix all the levain ingredients together for about 1 minute and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for around 7-8 hours or until the starter has doubled. I used my proofer set at 83 degrees and it took about 4 hours.
Main Dough Procedure
Mix the flours with the water for about 1 minute. Place it in a covered bowl and let it sit at room temperature or in your refrigerator overnight for around 12 hours.
The next day cut the starter in pieces and add it along with the oil and vinegar to the dough and mix on low-speed or by hand for 4 minutes. Next add the chopped walnuts and mix until incorporated for about 1 minute. Remove the dough from your bowl and place it in a lightly oiled bowl or work surface and do several stretch and folds. Let it rest covered for 10-15 minutes and then do another stretch and fold. Let it rest another 10-15 minutes and do one additional stretch and fold. After a total of 2 hours place your covered bowl in the refrigerator and let it rest for 12 to 24 hours. (Since I used my proofer I only let the dough sit out for 1.5 hours before refrigerating).
When you are ready to bake remove the bowl from the refrigerator and let it set out at room temperature still covered for 1.5 to 2 hours. Remove the dough and shape as desired and cover with a moist towel or oiled plastic wrap. The dough will take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on your room temperature and will only rise about 1/3 it's size at most. Let the dough dictate when it is read to bake not the clock.
Around 45 minutes before ready to bake, pre-heat your oven to 500 degrees F. and prepare it for steam. I have a heavy-duty baking pan on the bottom rack of my oven with 1 baking stone on above the pan and one on the top shelf. I pour 1 cup of boiling water in the pan right after I place the dough in the oven.
Right before you are ready to put them in the oven, score as desired and then add 1 cup of boiling water to your steam pan or follow your own steam procedure.
After 1 minute lower the temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 35-50 minutes until the crust is nice and brown and the internal temperature of the bread is 205 degrees.
Take the bread out of the oven when done and let it cool on a bakers rack before for at least 2 hours before eating.
This post has been submitted to the Yeast Spotting Site here: http://www.wildyeastblog.com/category/yeastspotting/.


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BjDiamonds Shop with ebay!
Men's and Women's Chains
Grading diamonds
|Understanding coloured diamonds
Grading diamonds
Colour The single most important factor in grading and valuing coloured diamonds is the colour of the stone. The colour saturation of the diamond is compared to the lightness or darkness of the colour to determine the grading, or quality of the stone (see table). The stones at the top end of the grading spectrum, such as the intense and vivid grades, are the rarest pieces in the marketplace with the strongest colour saturation and the highest values. Furthermore, the rarer colours that appear less frequently in nature will command a higher value than the more common colours.
GIA Colour Grading Scale
Cut- Cut has the strongest influence on the diamonds brilliance. In a well-cut stone, rays of light entering the diamond reflect back to the eye of the observer. In a coloured diamond, the unique mixture of colour that the viewer experiences is termed face up colour. The cutter of fancy coloured diamonds is an artist using the coloured diamond rough material to create individual masterpieces with perfectly faceted dimensions and a vibrant colour composition. Radiant and brilliant cuts in rectangle, asscher, oval, heart and pear shapes are often used to maximize the colour saturation and enhance the sparkle of the stone.
Carat Weight - The size of a diamond has an impact on its price and is a major factor of rarity. The metric carat, which equals 0.20 gram, is the standard unit of weight for diamonds and most other gems. Coloured diamonds tend to appear naturally in smaller sizes compared to other diamonds and gemstones. In fact, very few pink diamonds from the Argyle mine in Australia are over one carat in size. At last years Argyle tender, the largest pink diamond was 2.03 carats and most of the stones were between a half-carat and one carat in size. Because coloured diamonds have a higher price tag and are more readily available in smaller sizes, there is an active sub-carat collector market for these stones.
Clarity - Diamonds contain minute imperfections called inclusions. The majority of coloured diamonds contain inclusions because of the chemical structure and pressure required to create one. Coloured diamond connoisseurs will acquire a stone based on the colour saturation and consider clarity as a secondary issue. Instead of using a loop to examine the stone, they use different light sources as their guide. The question they ask is: How does the stone look in natural sunlight as opposed to artificial light? The third most expensive stone ever sold was a 0.95 carat red diamond for $926,000 per carat in 1987. This stone was heavily included but because of its rich strawberry colour, it sold for a world record price. A comparable D-flawless diamond would sell for $20,000 per carat.


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The living body has long been the site of cultural, political, and principled debate. The dead body amplifies these and other contested positions related to identity, strategic re-use, and commemoration.
Projects engaged urban and intimate scales simultaneously. Strategies interfaced with existing urban infrastructures, explored where and for how long a life is remembered, and re-qualified how society processes both the physical and emotional aspects of death. New sequences between civic and intimate territory infused the city while also providing an envelope for the delicacy of human grief.
Experimentation is essential to challenge certainty. Students were encouraged to push any inquiry to failure. Concepts rendered into new matrices, de-familiarizing expectations and opening new possibility.
Befitting the substantial scale and pragmatics of the urban death industry, projects were explored as infrastructures, strategically opportunistic in their catalyzing impact on both current culture and existing metropolitan systems.
Sometimes change must be radical.
Karla Rothstein, critic. Jennifer Preston, TA. Muchan Park, DA


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ALBANY -- Annie George, the Rexford woman on trial this week for harboring an illegal alien for personal gain, surprised many Wednesday when she took the stand in her own defense. Valsamma Mathai, the illegal alien at the center of the case, claims she was forced to sleep on the floor of a closet and work from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. for 6-1/2 years without vacations, days off or sick days. On the witness stand, George told the court she never gave servant duties to Mathai, saying her family took the woman in as a favor to a pastor they knew. The pastor asked the family if they would help out a woman living in a shelter who had split from a romantic situation. "Whatever she did, she did on her own," George said. "There were no assignments. I never gave her a list. I treated her like family." George said she never asked Mathai about her passport or visa in the 6-1/2 years she worked for the family. She also denied that there was ever an agreement by anyone in the family to pay Mathai $1,000 per month. "We helped her out liked you do with family," George said. "(My husband) gave them (Mathai and her two sons in India) plenty of money. She could have left at any time." As she sat at the witness stand, George, a former pharmacist, told of an arranged marriage, a home where the wife does not meddle in a man's business for fear of dire consequences, her failure at times to care for six children and a checkbook with just $1,500 in it upon the death of her spouse. Through tears, swallowed sobs and long pauses, George confirmed that her late husband would hit her if she meddled in his affairs. U.S. District Judge Gary Sharpe refused to allow Defense Attorney Mark Sacco to enter into evidence seven photographs, presumably of George's injuries. George told Sacco she had to go to the hospital three times after interfering with her husband's business. She wept openly as she spoke of her decision to purchase the Llenroc manion at 708 Riverview Road in Rexford after her husband's death, despite a lack of cash. "I didn't want to leave the home, leave the memories," she said. "I didn't have the strength to pack up five children and move." Mathai's son, Shiju Mathai, who traveled from India for the trial, also testified Wednesday, saying he became so concerned about his mother's well being he contacted an international human trafficking organization. On May 3, 2011, his mother was removed from the Rexford home by agents of Homeland Security and Investigations. The next month, Shiju Mathai recorded three phone calls with Annie George about the situation. Transcripts of the calls were read aloud in court Wednesday. George is heard in one transcript telling Shiju, his brother Shibu, and Valsamma to tell authorities that Valsamma is family of the Georges and not working at the Rexford home. "If she is working, it will be very bad. They will take all her money and deport her," George is heard saying on one of the transcripts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Belliss said the government can account for the George family sending $21,000 in checks and Western Union money transfers to Mathai's sons in India. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Valsamma Mathai should have received $317,144.09 for her time worked. Belliss will cross examine Annie George at 9 a.m. Thursday.
Annie George testifies she treated woman as if she were a member of her family
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