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Indicative Rate * AU$24 to AU$170
Cairns Central YHA is located within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, cafes and nightlife.
The property offers air-conditioned twin, double, family and multi-share rooms with shared bathroom facilities and en suites available . Relax in the tropical outdoor courtyard, dining and games areas and cool off in the large swimming pool. The hostel has wi-fi internet access including free wi-fi hotspot, keyless entry to rooms, guest lockers and secure luggage storage.
The YHA travel desk at reception can book all tours and travel around the Cairns region.
Cairns is the perfect base to explore Tropical North Queensland. Discover the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef with scuba diving or snorkelling adventures. The World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation areas are also on the hostel's doorstep. There is plenty to do in Cairns, including white water rafting, tandem skydiving, exploring animal habitats and experiencing Aboriginal culture. Relax at the Cairns Esplanade and lagoon or spend a night out experiencing the local pubs and nightlife.
Before exploring this beautiful region, enjoy free pancakes daily from 7am to 9am!
A variety of comfortable and clean double and twin bedrooms are available. All rooms have air-conditioning, wi-fi internet access, linen and private en suite.
Family rooms are a great, affordable alternative while on holidays. Rooms are available in either four or six person capacity. These rooms all have keyless entry and include air-conditioning, private en suites, televisions, wi-fi internet access, bar fridge and tea and coffe making facilities. Linen is also supplied.
A variety of comfortable and clean multi-share rooms are available in either 4, 6 or 10 sleeping capacity. All rooms have keyless entry, air-conditioning, individual lockers, linen and wi-fi internet access. Shared bathroom facilities.
Female only and male only dorms are also available.
These comfortable and clean multi-share rooms sleep four people and include an en suite bathroom (shared between four people). All rooms have keyless entry, air-conditioning, individual lockers, linen and wi-fi internet access.
Female only and male only dorms are also available.
A variety of comfortable and clean double and twin bedrooms are available. All rooms have air-conditioning, wi-fi internet access and linen. Shared bathroom facilities.
Note: Information on listed products and services are provided by the operator and were correct at the time of publishing. Rates are indicative based on the minimum and maximum available prices of products and services. Please visit the operator's website for further information. All prices quoted are in Australian dollars (AUD).


text: (revised ordinance)The Village Board recently passed a new ordinance regarding parking and storing boats, trailers, recreational vehicles and accessories. The ordinance allows residents to park or store one motor home, travel trailer, camping trailer, recreational vehicle, boat, personal water craft, or all-terrain vehicle, including the trailer used to transport the vehicle. The vehicle may be parked or stored, but not lived in, on a lot in the residential district from April 1st to October 31st. We do require that the vehicle be parked on a hard surface driveway. (Hard surface means a driveway constructed of asphalt, pavers, or other similar materials resulting in a dust free surface.) Also, the vehicle may not extend or encroach into the right-of-way or over the public sidewalk, nor may the vehicle be parked or stored on the street.

subset: commoncrawl


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We don't have this item available for sale at the moment.
Each box will contain (5) Prospect Hits! There are no base cards, every card will be a Prospect autograph or Prospect game-used memorabilia card!
Prospects featured in the High Numbers Update include Jurickson Profar, Wil Myers, Christian Yelich, Tanner Scheppers, Jordan Akins, Asher Wojciechowski, Arodys Vizcaino, Chance Ruffin, Stetson Allie, and more!
5 Cards Per Box
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Rose, I have been praying every night for Jim and strength for you. I had so hoped that things were moving along at a good clip now. I will continue to pray for a good outcome with this treatment.
Rose, I have been praying every night for Jim and strength for you. I had so hoped that things were moving along at a good clip now. I will continue to pray for a good outcome with this treatment.
dear rose,
it's unfair that people in the latter stages of cancer have to go through the protocol of failed treatment before they are allowed to be part of a drug study that seems to be helping others.
my thoughts and prayers are with your family and i ask God to give you continued strength to deal with everything that you must and that He keeps you well in health and faith.
bless you all!
"The world is a better place when you're barefoot." Mark
"Don't go there unless you know the way back." TC
"...there will be an answer. Let it be." Paul McCartney
My heart goes out to you and Jim. Cancer is an insidious beast.
I'll be keeping you in my positive thoughts.
I've been a member of this forum during its different incarnations since I was dx in 9/98
((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~
The targeted biopsy testing is off the table as of yesterday. Jims oncologist, Dr. P, said there isnt time for Jim to wait for the process of acceptance into the study and the testing. The cancer is spreading at a rapid rate.
This afternoon, Jim had a CT scan. She wants to assess thoroughly what the x-ray revealed.
On Thursday, Jim will start immunotherapy with Opdivo.
(For more information, click on Frequently Asked Questions at the Opdivo site.)
Along with several other new cancer drugs, Ive seen Opdivo advertised on TV. Dr. P said that Keytruda hasnt been approved for treating Jims type of lung cancer, but Opdivo has been, with good results.
I was able to have a brief conversation with Dr. P on the phone yesterday. When I asked her what Jims prognosis is, she replied, Not good.
Thats when my entire being felt like I was free falling without a parachute or a safety net. Its impossible to describe.
I asked her about the tightness in his chest and intermittent pain. Is that the cancer spreading? Yes.
I asked her about his sore foot, for which I gave him 2 Tylenol that morning before his appointment. Is that neuropathy from the Chemo? Could be. But give Ibuprofen, not Tylenol. But Advil causes him to cough up blood. (She told us no Advil at our first appointment with her.) For neuropathy, she said, its better than Tylenol. She also mentioned that she could prescribe a drug, But he doesnt want to take it. I asked which drug. Gabapentin. Neurontin, as I know it.
Jim told me he didnt mention his foot pain, because it had subsided when he got to her office. That doesnt sound like neuropathy to me. Perhaps his RA acting up, and Tylenol helped.
I finally connected with the Nurse Navigator. She was sweet and sensitive to my emotionally fragile state. When I told her that I was fearful of the side effects of Opdivo, she calmly said, The majority of patients Ive known, who have taken Opdivo, have done very well on it. They complain of less side effects, even say that they dont feel like theyve been given anything, compared to Chemo. Much less nausea than Chemo. Less restrictions than Chemo (like not having to flush the toilet twice). Most patients tolerate it very well, and if Jim did well on Chemo, I think the odds are in his favor that he will do well on Opdivo.
All of Jims vitals are excellent, and Dr. P commented that Jim is remarkably well, considering what is happening inside of his body.
Last night, Jim had excruciating pain in his left lung, the location of the initial tumor. Along with the tightness in his chest wall, he was in agony. He took 2 Tylenol, and it began to subside to a tolerable level. He was able to sleep restfully and undisturbed for about 5 1/2 hours this morning. He managed the CT scan without too much discomfort or pain, and he says that his pain comes and goes and that hed rather not take pain meds.
When I tucked Jim in bed this evening, I told him that I didnt want him to have any pain nor to suffer in any way that can be lessened.
During the past 4 months on this journey, every doctor, nurse, technician, etc. has asked him about his pain. And he always responds: What pain? I dont have any pain. He told me several times that the way everyone goes on about pain, he was wondering what kind of pain he was eventually going to have. Now we know.
We are hopeful that Opdivo will mitigate that pain, as his body works to kill off the cancer cells.
Yesterday morning, at the same time that our dear friend and adopted son" pulled up to take Jim to see Dr. P., another car arrived, and the driver handed Jim, who was in the front yard, a box containing a new feeding pump for Jon. Why? Well at 2:00 a.m., Jons feeding pump went berserk, and I spent 45 minutes trying to get it to work.
Jon has had insomnia for 2 days, and he was ready to go to sleep, but I was messing with his broken pump, trying to eke out more nourishment for him.
I gave up. Jim got up about 3:00, and we agreed that he would give Jon a bolus feed of 50 cc every hour, until I could get a new pump delivered before noon. I went to bed at 4:00, and Jim came in at 5:00 to tell me that Jon was asleep. When I got up at 8 to call the nursing service pharmacy about the pump, Jim said that the pump started working at 6:00. I still called, because I could not cope with another night of worrying about his pump going bonkers. Thankfully, this one works fine, and its a newer version with better features.
Additionally, while Jon is peeing very well, hes still peeing over his catheter, which means that a larger catheter wasnt the solution. Or he needs the next larger catheter. Or is it something else?
As I drove to the grocery store and got gas for our van today, I thought about how much everything has changed in 4 months. By all rights, I should be on the floor right now, sobbing, unable to move. But Im not. I keep going each day, doing what is necessary, urgently needed, and I tend to as much as I possibly can with laundry and housekeeping, cooking, bills, and UGH! the taxes waiting for me to finish them. In addition to caring for Jim and Jon, of course.
Maybe Im running on adrenalin. But this how I roll now, after 47 years of nonstop crises. I do what has to be done, and I hold it together, so I dont cave.
And when the grocery store cashier asked me, How is your day going today? I smiled and answered, Not too bad. Thanks. Hows your day going?
I put on my Mask in public. In a way, my answer was accurate, since Jim was feeling better and had slept, Jon slept, and we have a new working pump. Sometimes a miracle is simply having a better day than yesterday. And I cling to these miracles.
Jim and I are hopeful about Opdivo, and while we cant really expect a cure, stopping the progression of the cancer would be a MAJOR MIRACLE. It has worked for others, and it's similar to Keytruda, which has worked for Jimmy Carters brain and liver cancer so far.
We arent giving up. Were going to keep fighting the good fight, with your help and prayers.
Let me leave you with this image:
Before Jim went to bed last night, he watched The Big Year, with Jon, about bird watchers. When it concluded, Jim imitated bird calls and pranced around Jons room flapping his arms like wings. I was in the garage doing laundry, and I could hear both of them laughing.
Later, when I tucked Jim into bed, he held my hand, I dont know what Id do without you.
I dont want to know what Id do without you.
For your love, prayers, support, concern, and for sharing our journey and reading my verbose updates. I love you all, and you are in my prayers too.
Love & Light,
Mom to Jon, 49, and Michael, 32, who were born with an undiagnosed progressive neuromuscular disease and courageous spirits. Our Angel Michael received his wings in 2003. Our Angel Jon received his wings April 2019. April 2020, Jim, the world's most wonderful Dad, joined them. Now, they all watch over me.
Rose, I'm so sorry to hear all of this... I come here always praying as I open the page for something positive and good. Even a miracle! I wish I could help! I feel so close ye so detached. I hope the new therapy helps and doesn't cause discomfort. Thank you always for the updates. I pray that you feel me sending positive energy, prayers and many many warm hugs.
Mary Grace
Hi Rose,
I'm so so sorry things have gotten worse! I'm so sorry Jim has pain! It makes me feel awful to think of him in pain. I actually know a woman who survived a type of cancer in her leg. She said her leg pain was almost unbearable but that she did not want pain medication because the pain let her know she was still alive and therefore able to fight the disease. I think I remember in your other thread about Jim's cancer you said that the doctor had mentioned she could use radiation to shrink the tumor and relieve pain? Is this still an option??? Why is the doctor not doing this??? Especially if the cancer is spreading rapidly?? I have heard very good things about Opdivo and I think Jim will do well on it. As for why you are not a crying wreck, I have a theory. You have simply gone into survival mode for your own sake and the sake of your family. You are living in the moment and doing exactly what you need to do right now. The emotion will likely come later when things have calmed down and you have a chance to slow down. In response to your other post you are completely right about "progressive discloser"! I am praying Jim gets pain relief and success with Opdivo! I am praying for your strength and comfort! Never give up! Please keep us updated and feel free to vent to me anytime. I'm also glad Jon got a new hopefully better pump.
Mild Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy and bad proprioception.
My website for my original short films! http://cripvideoproductions.com/astrokeofendurance.php
((((((Hugs to All)))))) ~
Jims Opdivo infusion went well on Thursday. His lovely nurse talked to me before Jim left to let me know that Jim had shared our life story with her, and she is deeply touched to know about us. She wanted to see photos of our family, which Jim didnt have with him. Next time.
Unfortunately about 2 hours after he came home, Jim began having excruciating joint pain. Neck and shoulders, elbows, wrists, fingers, knees, and ankles. Debilitating pain. He started taking Advil, which helped a little, and I applied Tiger Balm to the affected areas. When that didnt work, we switched to paper towels soaked in Witch Hazel taped to the areas. That seemed to help more. He kept up with the Advil. We increased his CBD oil.
Yesterday, Friday, was a long day of managing the pain. I called Jims infusion nurse, and she said that immunotherapy will cause an exacerbation of any autoimmune disorder. (Why havent I read this in any of the Opdivo literature? Why didnt Jims oncologist tell him this?)
She advised that we continue with our treatment choices. She said she would email Jims oncologist, and that we should call her on Monday to report progress or deterioration.
Because every infusion of Opdivo could cause a worse exacerbation, she said the doctor may decide to stop the infusions.
Holding back the tears, I said, But this is his last chance.
I know, she said softly. Lets just keep doing what youre doing. Youre a great nurse, and you know what to do. We will pray that the pain subsides.
Jim told me that he would rather tolerate this pain than give up on the Opdivo. He said, as he has many times, Im not afraid of dying. Im afraid of leaving you and Jon.
Jims appetite is excellent, and Ive been feeding him his favorites ~ pancakes, mashed potatoes, Field Roast, fresh steamed veggies, eggs/veggie sausage/hash browns, yogurt with fresh berries and canned peaches/flax seed oil. Hes drinking 2 Orgain chocolate shakes/day, 16 grams of protein per shake.
His temperature is normal, and his SATS and heart rate are stable and very good.
This morning he was feeling better, but as the day waned, and the Advil and CBD oil wore off, he felt worse. We stopped Witch Hazel and started using Aspercreme. He is exercising his legs with lifts and bends in bed, as well as his fingers and wrists. He has developed a fondness for Organic Gatorade, but I keep pushing water, because it is the best choice to flush toxins out of the system.
He is sleeping downstairs on the futon nest. Im so thankful that we bought a new futon frame for our very sturdy futon mattress, before all of this came crashing down on us. We call it his nest, because it has 3 blankets from very special loved ones. He has the living room BIG TV and remotes, hes snug and very comfortable. Its also easier for me to care for Jim and Jon, when they are on the same floor. Less running up and down stairs for me.
None of us have normal sleeping patterns now.
Ive been staying up until 5 a.m., to care for Jim and do his shift work for Jon. I wake up about 7 (dawn), check on Jim and Jon and return to bed and my heating pad, where I offer my morning prayers. My day begins at 8, and if I can, I take my walk for about 20 minutes, my respite, where I can commune with nature, pause at the lake and take in the view, and get my body moving for whatever the day holds. Lots of prayers on my way.
Jim either sleeps a lot in the day time or very little day or night now. The pain in his left side (tumor) has lessened, as has the tightness in his chest wall (metastasis), but its been replaced by searing pain in his joints. Its difficult to sleep and relax with that kind of pain.
Thank you, funnylegs4 for mentioning radiation. Yes, that doctor did tell Jim that she'd "zap" him if he ever had pain. This is something for Jim to mention to his oncologist. Thank you!
Jon seems to choose 2-4 a.m. as his time to fall asleep, but he isnt able to sleep longer than about 6 hours a day.
For your love, prayers, support, positive thoughts and healing energy for Jim, Jon, and me. We are truly grateful for the blessing you all are in our lives.
Love & Light,
Mom to Jon, 49, and Michael, 32, who were born with an undiagnosed progressive neuromuscular disease and courageous spirits. Our Angel Michael received his wings in 2003. Our Angel Jon received his wings April 2019. April 2020, Jim, the world's most wonderful Dad, joined them. Now, they all watch over me.
Another thing that should have been disclosed, Rose. Maybe Jim and the rheumatologist could have had a plan in place to abate the trigger of the autoimmune reaction.
Thank you for the updates.
Blessings to the 3 of you,
There comes a time when silence is betrayal.- MLK
You're very welcome Rose! When you made the other thread about immunotherapy I was going to ask you about whether Jim's doctor may have given him Chemo first because of fear of autoimmune response. Did Jim's doc know he had RA??? If I remember correctly any medication or supplement or even change in diet that boosts the immune system will worsen an autoimmune disease. So it will worsen conditions like MS,RA,and type 1 diabetes. In patients with organ transplants it can trigger organ rejection. I think with immunotherapy some doctors are concerned it could trigger a new autoimmune disease or even a secondary autoimmune disease and/or damage organs which may be why the "Chemo first" situation exists. I'm not sure. I'm not a doctor. If I were you I would HIGHLY suggest you do extensive research on Opdivo and Chemo and the reasons for their use at certain times before writing any letters to make your argument solid. I find it much better to do research before opening my big mouth which is why I research any condition or disability I depict in my films as I do not want to give false information or hurt anyone by accident. Once you do write the letter I would suggest you post it and send it to anything cancer related like St Jude first then move onto sites that deal with medications and then sites about disability. If you fear the doctor may pull the Opdivo off the table I would suggest stressing anything positive to the doc about Opdivo more than the negatives as long as Jim can cope and endure the RA. I would also start researching to see if there are other options besides Opdivo just in case. I don't like how they are making the options seem so limited. The food and "nest" setup sound divine! Jim is so lucky! I'm glad you are able to get some respite. I'm praying for all of you! Keep us updated!
Mild Spastic Diplegia Cerebral Palsy and bad proprioception.
My website for my original short films! http://cripvideoproductions.com/astrokeofendurance.php
((((((funnylegs4)))))) ~
Jims oncologist gave Jim chemo, because failing chemo with a platin drug + another chemo drug is a requirement to qualify for immunotherapy and for tissue testing. This applies to every patient with Jims specific type of cancer ~ advanced non-small cell.
This same protocol applies to tissue testing. Jim couldnt qualify to have targeted tissue testing, until he failed chemo. That was specifically stated in the literature Jim received about the testing study.
Jims oncologist said in our first visit, I dont think this is going to help you, but we have to try it. She didnt tell us why. In that same visit, she mentioned immunotherapy, specifically Keytruda. But she didnt explain that Jim had to fail useless chemo to be eligible to receive immunotherapy. Keytruda is used for a different type of lung cancer than Jims. Opdivo targets Jims type of cancer.
On the Opdivo website, it states that patients have to fail a platin+other chemo drug, before being allowed to try immunotherapy. The Opdivo literature given to Jim by his infusion nurse stated the same stipulation.
Of course, I have been researching Opdivo, immunotherapy, lung cancer, etc. Ive been an activist/advocate for nearly 50 years. Ive written hundreds of letters to elected officials and agencies. I filed two fair hearings on behalf of my sons, one with the school district, and one with IHSS. I prevailed. This definitely isnt my first rodeo in advocacy, although Im a rookie on the subject of cancer, but I am quickly learning more about it every day.
Here are some of the articles Ive found about immunotherapy and Opdivo.
Pharmaceutically, there are no other options for Jim. Natural alternatives are probably not going to help Jim, given the advanced stage of his cancer and the fact that it is spreading rapidly. He is following some of the Johanna Budwig protocol (yogurt & flax seed oil, Vitamin D, high protein diet). That may be one reason why Jim is doing as well as he is. But as far as medical treatment, Opdivo is the LAST RESORT.
A highly plausible reason why immunotherapy is only given after failed chemo is MONEY. Its unbelievably expensive. Big Pharma (and even hospitals and cancer centers) want to make as much money/profit as possible. Treating with chemo first brings in more money, because even if it fails, the bills have to be paid. Add to that the exorbitant cost of immunotherapy, and Big Pharma et al are making a nice pile of dough off of people dying from cancer. Jims infusion nurse referred to this as disgusting.
The first recipient of my letter will be Sen. Al Franken, who is attempting to pass a bill to prevent Big Pharma from keeping life-saving drugs from patients, because of the extraordinarily high costs of those drugs.
Next, Vice President Joe Biden, who was designated by President Obama to head up the Cancer Moonshot program.
I want to get to the people, who can actually do something about this horrid protocol of useless, harmful chemo, when immunotherapy is the ultimate goal with the best likelihood of efficacy.
I never enter a battle without full armor and ammunition. This battle will be no exception.
Love & Light,
Mom to Jon, 49, and Michael, 32, who were born with an undiagnosed progressive neuromuscular disease and courageous spirits. Our Angel Michael received his wings in 2003. Our Angel Jon received his wings April 2019. April 2020, Jim, the world's most wonderful Dad, joined them. Now, they all watch over me.


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What should I use to make Graphs for Graph Theory in LaTeX?
I have seen a lot of stuff about tkz (specifically
tkz-berge), but I'm running Ubuntu and there is no package for it, that I can tell. Trying to download all the .sty's is confusing the bejesus out of me. I cannot even find all the dependencies for


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You are currently browsing the tag archive for the 'England' tag.
Our reviewer for the September-October challenge, was once again Susan Toy – the generous writer and passionate supporter of writers and writing.
Susan took time out from her busy schedule, while travelling, to review five entries of approximately 800 words each. She has provided detailed feedback and encouragement to all entrants. In her response to the Bahrain Writers' Circle's Creative Workshop, she said, "…thank you for asking me to critique for your group a second time. You do have many excellent writers among you and I commend everyone for continuing to write and submit to these challenges."
Susan is a bookseller, an award-winning publishing sales representative, a literacy teacher and a promoter of fellow authors and their books through her company, Alberta Books Canada. Susan is also an author and publisher, her imprints are IslandCatEditions and IslandShorts. Through Alberta Books Canada, Susan represented authors directly, helping them find promotion for themselves and their books, seeking out new readers, and assisting them in making wise career decisions.
Susan continues to promote authors and good books in general, throughout the world and online, on her blog, Reading Recommendations. She created the writing contest, Coffee Shop Author, has sat on the Board of Directors of the Fernie Writers' Conference, served as a member of the Calgary Distinguished Writers Program steering committee, and was a member of the board of directors for the Writers' Guild of Alberta. She is now concentrating on her own writing and publishing and divides her time between Canada and her home in the Caribbean.
You can read more about Susan here: https://islandeditions.wordpress.com/about-susan-m-toy/
You can read about Susan's books here: https://islandeditions.wordpress.com/island-in-the-clouds-a-bequia-novel/
And her other thoughts here: https://theviewfrommytrailerandverandah.wordpress.com
Thank you once again, Susan!
The September-October challenge was to:
Write a monologue of around 500 -800 words about a person/your character who is breaking up, could be: with a lover/ girl-boyfriend/ husband/wife/ resigning a long-term post at a company or institution.
The entrants were encouraged to be creative in their responses and all of these entries were highly imaginative. Well done everyone and thank you for participating.
The entries are published in the order they were received.
by Gordon Simmonds
On that moonless night in Tabriz, the street lights were off and not even a glimmer escaped from behind the blackout curtains of the buildings on either side of the street. The only sound was the echo of my footsteps as I picked my way down the middle of the road; it was too dark to negotiate the uneven pavements. There was no traffic.
Iraqi bombers hadn't made any night raids so far, but the curfew and blackout had been in force since eight o'clock; two hours before. Alert for any sound that wasn't my own, I left the relative safety of the Armenian quarter and turned into Shahnaz Avenue, sensing rather than seeing, the trees along the kerb edge and the smart shops lining the empty street. Here, the pavement was wide and even, so I walked quickly and quietly, aware that the Revolutionary Guards would be patrolling.
Not far to go now. The bus – if it came – would stop on the corner with Pahlavi Avenue, no more than two or three hundred meters away. But then…., I could hear voices. Far away at first, but gradually getting closer as I walked on. Not knowing what would happen if I took these people by surprise, I deliberately stamped my feet with each step, which sounded loud in the silence of the night. Sure enough, as they came to within thirty or forty meters of me, the talking suddenly stopped followed a second later by the unmistakable 'tchuk tchuk' of an AK47 being cocked.
They couldn't see me and I couldn't see them, but there was no doubting the urgency of the challenge in Persian. I guess they said "Who goes there," or some such thing, and I replied "Englistani." I put down my bag, stood stock still and let them come to me. I was suddenly blinded from the light of a small torch as they approached, and said "Mihan Tour," which was the name of the well-known company whose bus I was to meet. There were two of them in military battle fatigues, so in broken Farsi I explained that I was catching the bus to Istanbul from the stop on Pahlavi. Suspiciously they asked for, and inspected my passport, and then to my absolute surprise, the guy with the rifle slung it over his shoulder (with a live round still in the chamber), and the guy with the torch picked up my bag and said "Come!" They escorted me to the bus stop .
With the war in full swing, no one could be certain that the bus would still be operating, but some time later, its headlights became the only light in the city as it arrived pretty much on schedule. It was a whistle stop, and I was the only passenger to get on. The two soldiers loaded my bag, bid me a friendly goodbye and went on their way – still with a loaded weapon. I sat next to an Iranian guy, who eased the journey with his conversation in excellent English. It was April 1982 and I remember the date clearly, because my fellow traveler translated the news broadcast from the bus radio. Some of the passengers were gloating over the fact that Argentina had just invaded the Falklands.
Two days and eighteen hundred kilometers later, I arrived in Istanbul; then on to England. I never went back.
Revolution, war, and circumstances beyond my control had destroyed the order of my life and family. And with that last emotional night in mind , among other things, I wrote these words :-
When I am gone, I will walk into the light
But my soul must bear the scars of an impure life.
I must reflect upon the guilt of countless sins
Developed and accumulated in a lifetime littered with flawed judgement.
The guilt for all the things I should have done, and didn't do.
For all the words I should have said, but didn't say.
For mistakes I made in selfishness, or ignorance, or crass stupidity.
I've made beds which were too hard to rest my faulted body
Or 'pon which the fates decreed I should not lie.
I know this now, but careless in the foolish flush of youth, I never thought
That consequence succeeds both action and inaction.
I no longer dream. All that remains is a perpetual haunting image which will stay with me until I die. I see the bedroom; Vanik asleep, Vartan awake and standing in his cot. The tense farewells have been said, and as I kiss my son he looks up and says 'Baeets menk menag enk' which in Armenian means "But we shall be alone!"
He was right – I didn't see my son again for thirty years.
by Michelle Schultz
I suppose on the morning of our last day together, a goodbye is in order.
I lean forward and brace both hands on the sink so I can see better to take a catalog of my body's faults. Without my glasses, my features almost blur into beauty. Almost, but not quite.
My teeth are crooked. Despite my begging for braces, Mom insisted that tuition was more important than my vanity. My nose is too big for my face, and no amount of makeup makes it look any less ridiculous. The magazines were wrong about that. The lazy eye that persists even after eye patches and other intrusive measures sits stubbornly to one side, staring at something or someone else.
I hate my face. I can't wait to be rid of it. Just think of it: after today, no one will glance at me and away while I'm talking, wondering if I'm speaking to them or someone behind them.
The body is no better. I have no discernible shape, whether hips or waist or bust. My fashion blogs say that I should love my less-than-svelte body, but I must dress to make myself look taller. Long pants and tall shoes are in order because they give a slimming effect. I think these are mixed messages, but I bought the pants and shoes anyway.
I won't have to buy them after today.
Those government agencies or whatever have finally passed legislation allowing minors to re-skin with parental approval. Although my mother does not approve, my father's girlfriend was all too happy to put the paperwork in with Dad's name. She reskinned when she was only twenty and Dad was nothing but pleased, so she thinks that I should have that opportunity too.
She's gorgeous. The elasto-skin of her face is poreless, without blemish. I won't ever have a zit again, nothing to embarrass me during these last few years of high school. I won't even have to worry about frizzy hair during my prom. The synthetic hair they implant in my synthetic skin will do exactly what I want so long as I don't change my mind for a few years. By then, I'll be an adult and can get reskinned whenever I want. My teeth will all be ceramic, and I can chose to get whatever eye color I want.
Gina, the girlfriend, says that she doesn't have the visual acuisy, acuitry, acuziwhatzit that she used to have, whatever that means, but I don't care. I have a lazy eye. I would give anything not to have that in school pictures anymore. If I have to wait a few years for cybernetics to catch up with meat bodies, then I'll wait. I can always get these eyes taken out in a few years and replaced .
The only weird part is paying for it. I have to donate my eggs once I turn eighteen or go to jail for breaking a contract. I don't know what I would do with the eggs as I don't even have a boyfriend much less a desire for a bunch of screaming brats. Might as well put them to good use, right?
Once they plane all the awkward angles off my skull and suck all the fat out of me, there's no way Jeremy won't look at me. He said I had horse teeth in elementary school, but reskinning wasn't possible then. I'll be better now. I'll be all fixed.
In two years, our senior pictures will make it into the school paper. Best Dressed, I imagine. Maybe we'll be Prom King and Queen. It would be nice to get asked to a dance. I'll have something to do with my weekends other than study.
So goodbye, ugly body. This is the beginning of the rest of my life, and I won't be taking your stupid eye and flat chest with me. Hello, reskinning.
I can't wait to meet the real me.
Quitting Addiction
by Mounira Fakhro
Never had I thought breaking up on this addiction could be this agonising.
Due to recent allergic reaction towards this delicacy of sweets I decided to quit it once and for all. Though for a chocoholic girl in her early twenties, quitting all kinds of chocolate products appeared to be so much harder to do than I earlier predicted when making such a decision. On the first day, it was quite painful to distract my thoughts of craving for it, especially since there were still dozens of chocolate thrown around in my bedroom, I hid the chocolate somewhere far of my sight and gave the rest away to my cousins and offering it to anyone I came across that day. And for the rest of the evening I held myself from having any sweets, thinking it was good to lose a few kilos by skipping the after-lunch sweets. By that, worst day came to an end.
However, little had I known that the worst is yet to come. Second day came, and so was that time of the month when cravings are almost impossible to control. I would always satisfy it by eating a whole jar of Nutella chocolate but now I need to find something else…now that I think about it, all my favourite sweets has an amount of chocolate no matter how many come up in my mind. Therefore, I spent the most painful day of the month without my serotonin dose I usually get from chocolate and settled for a plain vanilla ice-cream. Surely its cool calmed me and its sweetness filled my craving for sweets and put the chocolate craving on hold, wonder if it'll last.
By the third day, the rash that spread all over my arms and legs has begun to subside from the last time I had chocolate, and the itch was almost gone, which was absolutely relieving, thinking to myself how my efforts in resisting chocolate is finally bearing its fruit. It was a nice day compared to the heat waves you'd usually get in summer and thought of doing some writing at this new café that's opened up nearby and try their drinks while at it. So here I was, in front of the table, finished setting up my laptop and heading to the counter to make my order. What I do order when trying out coffee shops' drinks has always been a medium-sized cup of hot chocolate, and this not being an option anymore made my day hella frustrating. I ended up ordering green tea keeping in mind its ability to supress the appetite though I highly doubt it'll supress my urge for having chocolate in any way. I had never realized not eating it would affect my habits and routines this greatly.
Forth day wasn't much easier, for I had gone to a birthday party of a relative of mine with chocolate being the main ingredient in the birthday cake. ''It's a divine test of will strength.'' I thought to myself, and was able to stall enough time for the little kids to finish off the cake before being offered a piece. I can't remember which methods I had used; the lack of chocolate has been affecting my concentration and my memory a bit and barely keeping a record of it all.
Fortunately, since the fifth day and so forth, chocolate has been more absent from my mind than before and days would go by without even realizing any feelings of struggling with my urges and craving. Also spending the day without any mention of it has become more and more manageable. The rash has been healing up pretty nicely and barely leaving any traces of scars, and I even lost a couple of kilos a week after! I guess good things really do occur after bad events, I've also grown appreciative of green tea and grew fond of vanilla ice-creams, I do hope I don't develop any allergic reactions to it or else I'll go through another divine test of will.
The Farewell
By Mohamad Faouaz
I look at her one more time. The doubts resurface again. Should I be doing this? Perhaps we can try again for a few more weeks, but the specialists that examined her said there was nothing they can do. I took her to see the experts but to no avail. It was too late. It was pointless to carry on and it had to end today, a clean break and final farewell.
As I look at her from the covered porch, she stands there before me in her once glorious red dress. The rain falling on her once bright and glistening skin, now faded and dulled by time. Her eyes look at me soulfully, beckoning me to reconsider. I recall those eyes that winked at me so long ago, as they shone in the dark and twinkled in the sunlight. Those eyes are now greyed and sad, the rain tracing around their edges and dropping like tears to the ground.
I feel as though I am betraying her. We had been through so much together. She had supported me throughout the last 10 years. She had been the single constant in my life. Never letting me down. She was always there at the end of the day to take me home after a hard days work. She made sure I was safe and warm. She entertained me on those long journeys, singing and talking all the way worrying that I would fall asleep at the wheel.
When my first son was born, she was the one to carry him home from the hospital. She cradled him in her soft warm arms keeping him safe as if he were her own.
She carried him to his first day at school and back, she was there when he had a fever and I had to rush to see a doctor.
She was there when I moved jobs and house. She was always there to help and was ever loyal. Never asking for anything, apart from a drink down the Local once a week. I feel a sadness that it had to end now.
I shall miss those drives down to the coast, she was my companion on all my trips and was witness to many changes in my life. As I have witnessed the effects of time and the elements taking their toll on her beautiful body. She continued to be there unrelenting and always bidding my commands.
My friends told me I should find another, more attractive and younger. Yes, there were a few that were more beautiful than her, some with sleeker figures and better structure, but she had that something that seemed to call out to you.
The experts had said there was nothing to be done. Her once smoothly harmonious voice that sang to me in the morning was replaced with a gargling cough. It was too late. It has to be done.
As I am turning towards the door, I cannot resist one more look at her. A thought comes into my mind as the clouds pass and blue sky breaks through the gray monotony, perhaps parts of her will make others happy. I feel better at that thought, and walk back into the warm dry house into the arms of my wife.
It had been a week since my red Toyota Corolla failed its MOT test and many mechanics had come and gone but they could not do anything for the car.
It was time for a new younger and faster model that will be my companion for the coming years, to keep me warm and sing and talk to me on life's many journeys.


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Pitfalls in the phylogenomic evaluation of human disease-causing mutations
Journal of Biology volume 8, Article number: 26 (2009)
4927 Accesses
3 Citations
A detailed sequence comparison of the MSX homeobox family sheds light on its evolution and identifies new conserved motifs. But in the absence of corroborative genetic data, phylogenomics alone can provide only limited insights into the pathogenicity of heterozygous missense substitutions in human genes.
The explosion in genome sequencing provides a rich resource for reconstructing the evolutionary origins of gene families. One proposed application for such phylogenomic information is to identify highly conserved sequences in human proteins suspected of being associated with disease, and to use this information to identify sequence variants in these regions as potential disease-causing mutations. A recent example of this approach is a study by Finnerty et al. of the MSX homeobox family published in BMC Evolutionary Biology [1]. MSX is of particular interest because it represents one of the most ancient families of animal homeodomain proteins, and mutations in both paralogous human genes, MSX1 and MSX2, have been associated with craniofacial disorders [1, 2]. The work by Finnerty et al. [1], which focuses on the MSX1 sequence changes, provides a useful case study in the context of current initiatives to generate large amounts of genomic sequence data from complex diseases. These will yield thousands of rare sequence variants, causing headaches for interpretation of the pathogenicity of individual sequence changes. So, how successful has the analysis of MSX sequences been in aiding interpretation of human MSX1 sequence variations?
Human MSX: evolution and domain organization
The human genome contains two MSX paralogs, MSX1 located at 4p16.2 and MSX2 at 5q35.2. There is strong evidence that these genes arose from the second round of whole-genome duplication that took place at the base of the vertebrate radiation (the additional two copies expected from these duplication events have been lost in humans, but rodents retain an Msx3 gene predicted to have split from Msx1/Msx2 at the first duplication event).
Apart from the well-known homeodomain ('MH4'), Finnerty et al. [1] confirm and extend a recent analysis [3], finding six other highly conserved sequence elements within human MSX proteins, which they term MH1N, MH1C, MH2, MH3, MH5 and MH6 (Figure 1a). The elements MH1N and MH1C exhibit homology, suggesting that they arose from an ancient duplication of a Groucho-binding domain; MH1C has been secondarily lost in MSX2 (and independently in rodent Msx3), but is retained in MSX1. MH6 near the carboxyl terminus is a newly identified motif and represents a PIAS-binding domain. Finnerty et al. [1] convincingly demonstrate that use of phylogenetically deep sequence comparisons can aid alignment of the more poorly conserved regions of the MSX proteins.
Having undertaken this alignment, sequence changes found in human MSX1 in samples from patients with either tooth agenesis or cleft lip/palate (CL/P) were mapped in relation to the conserved sequence elements, to help predict the severity of their functional effects [1]. Here I will focus on the missense changes, as these are the most difficult to interpret, and ask to what extent these efforts have succeeded.
Sequence variation in human MSX1: Mendelian tooth agenesis
Previous linkage studies of segregating Mendelian traits followed by candidate gene sequencing revealed sequence changes in MSX1 that are undoubtedly pathogenic; they show highly significant statistical association with disease (by segregation through a family) and are associated with a consistent phenotypic pattern of presentation and high penetrance. These heterozygous MSX1 mutations characteristically cause agenesis (loss) of elements of the secondary dentition, especially the second premolars and third molars. The phenotype of these missense mutations can be deduced to be due to haploinsufficiency because dominant mutations that obviously confer loss of function (complete gene deletions, nonsense and frameshift mutations) give an identical phenotype.
The positions of the five MSX1 missense mutations that fit this category (M61K, A194V, R196P, A219T, A221E) as mapped onto the conserved sequence elements identified by Finnerty et al. [1] are shown in Figure 1a (blue arrowheads). They are all located within the most highly conserved regions of the protein (one in the MH1N domain and four in the homeodomain) and collectively exhibit very high disease penetrance for tooth agenesis (29 of 31 with the relevant mutant genotype); none of these individuals had CL/P. So far, so good: the molecular predictions appear to agree with the genetics. However, two important caveats should be noted. First, in the report of the A194V mutation [4], only one of the three heterozygotes studied had any dental abnormality, indicating that this particular substitution is associated with incomplete penetrance [4]. Second, in the report of the A219T mutation, only homozygous individuals exhibited dental abnormalities (five of five individuals); none of the eight heterozygotes identified had any dental manifestations [5]. This suggests that the particular missense alleles A194V and A219T confer only partial loss of function, to different extents – that is, they are hypomorphs – and it illustrates an important limitation to the type of in silico analysis carried out by Finnerty et al. [1]. Simply demonstrating that a sequence change is likely to be disruptive is an insufficient criterion for disease causation, as it does not predict whether (and in what proportion of individuals) that change will produce a disease phenotype when present in the heterozygous state. Only empirical genetic analysis can answer that question.
Sequence variation in human MSX1: cleft lip/palate in case-control studies
In contrast to the demonstrated Mendelian inheritance of MSX1 defects in tooth agenesis, the association of mutations in MSX1 with human CL/P are based on genetic data that are much less robust for each individual sequence variant. Prompted by the clefting phenotype in Msx1-/- mice [6] and by the occurrence of CL/P associated with a heterozygous S105X mutation in four out of twelve members of a family segregating tooth agenesis [7], several groups have undertaken DNA sequencing of large numbers of CL/P cases and compared these with control samples. These studies yielded rare heterozygous missense changes in around 1% of cases [8], prompting claims that MSX1 mutations are an important 'cause' of CL/P. Importantly, none of the variants identified resides within the MH1N or homeodomain regions harboring the tooth-agenesis mutations; rather, they locate to other regions of the protein, some in the remaining conserved motifs described above, and some outside them (Figure 1a, red arrowheads).
On the basis of the MSX phylogenomic analysis, Finnerty et al. [1] attempted to analyze the pathogenicity of each of these variants individually, as judged by the degree of sequence conservation at their location and thus the potential effect of the mutation on protein structure and function. Several considerations indicate that this exercise will be problematic. In contrast to the tooth-agenesis mutations, none of the CL/P variants has presented in a pedigree showing clear Mendelian inheritance: at best, some familial clustering is observed, suggesting a more complex causation involving multiple genetic and/or environmental factors. In cases with available parental samples, one parent has always been found to harbor the same variant, even when they are unaffected themselves. Most of these variants have been identified in only single CL/P cases, making the task of obtaining a statistically robust distinction from controls formidably difficult (if 1 variant is found in 100 affected cases, it must be absent from 1,900 controls to obtain a P-value for the difference of 0.05). In the two instances where the variants have been discovered in multiple affected samples (E78V and P147Q), they have also turned up in control sample(s) from ethnically matched populations.
The most direct way to estimate the penetrance of CL/P associated with these variants would be to trace them back through the proband's family and ask what proportion of heterozygotes was affected. However, few such cascaded family studies have been undertaken. Where they have been performed (for example, in the cases of the G116E [8] and P147Q [9] variants) the correlation with phenotype has been poor, with the variant absent in some affected family members and present in some unaffected members. In this difficult context, can phylogenomic analysis help to sort out which of these sequence changes may be conferring a higher liability for CL/P than others?
Interpreting pathogenicity from sequence conservation and protein motifs
Finnerty et al. [1] examined the impact of amino acid changes in human MSX1 using the multivariate analysis of protein polymorphism (MAPP) program [10]. This evaluates pathogenicity on the basis of both sequence conservation at the substituted position and the comparative physicochemical properties of the wild-type and substituted amino acids. MAPP analysis was performed at three different depths of sequence conservation, human-amniote, human-tetrapod and human-cnidarian [1]. Although MAPP is not the only method for undertaking this type of analysis, it is unlikely that choice of a different algorithm would have substantially altered the conclusions.
Combining the MAPP analysis with the location of sequence changes relative to the conserved elements, Finnerty et al. [1] concluded that several of the CL/P variants were likely to be disease alleles. They further proposed that the different MSX1 mutant phenotypes are related to whether the sequence changes occur in regions functionally redundant with MSX2. From this viewpoint, mutations in the highly conserved MH1N and MH4 regions cause 'mild' phenotypes because MSX2 can partially replace these roles; by contrast, mutations outside these regions (the amino terminus excepted) cause 'strong' CL/P phenotypes because they affect the nonredundant functions of MSX1 (for example, those involving the MH1C domain). The authors further proposed that the CL/P variants are acting as dominant-negatives. Although ingenious, this explanation is not entirely convincing. From the genetic evidence the CL/P variants are not dominant negative – they are neither simple dominants, nor associated with the same phenotype as loss-of-function mutation. Nor do they preferentially occur in the conserved regions with functions supposedly distinct to MSX1 (Figure 1a). An equally plausible interpretation is that the location of the CL/P variants simply reflects avoidance of the most highly conserved parts of MSX1, and that they represent a bunch of susceptibility alleles of varying degrees of weakness, which sometimes act in concert with other genetic/environmental factors to disrupt palatogenesis.
One can evaluate the limitations of MAPP analysis in this type of situation by regrouping the results of the analysis of Finnerty et al. (given in Figure 7 of [1]) according to the phenotype with which the sequence change has been associated, and according to the strength of the genetic evidence supporting the association (Figure 1b). The only consistent feature in these three analyses is that the four tooth-agenesis mutations examined have high MAPP scores, indicating that the amino acid position affected is highly conserved and the altered residue is therefore likely to be deleterious. Note, however, that the recessive A219T substitution is indistinguishable at all three evolutionary levels from the other, dominantly transmitted, changes. Turning to the other missense substitutions, no trends are apparent. There is substantial variation in MAPP scores both within and between categories, and the most consistently high set of scores concern a sequence change, G16D, that was observed in controls [8] rather than CL/P samples (Figure 1a, black arrowhead). This inconsistency indicates that the ability of MAPP analysis to predict the penetrance of different heterozygous sequence changes associated with CL/P is likely to be poor.
There's no substitute for good genetic studies!
Ultimately, the interpretation of the data on MSX1 mutations in CL/P [1] is undermined by the key consideration that we cannot easily know what the consequence of a missense change – that might be obviously pathogenic in the homozygous state – will be in the heterozygous state. We need a framework in order to make such interpretations, as we have in the case of the Mendelian condition of tooth agenesis. Here, we can conclude, by genetic and comparative arguments, that certain mutations cause complete or partial loss of function. Such a framework is currently missing for these CL/P variants.
So, are phylogenomic comparisons of no use in interpreting disease-associated mutations? Of course this is not the case; I frequently use such evaluations in my own work on Mendelian mutations. But the difficulties become much greater when attempting to understand the significance of rare variants in common complex disease. Ultimately, the only sure way to interpret the disease burden associated with these CL/P variants will be to undertake much larger case-control studies, and to ensure that thoroughly cascaded family follow-up is performed on those rare sequence changes that are encountered.
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Finnerty JR, Mazza ME, Jezewski PA: Domain duplication, divergence, and loss events in vertebrate Msx paralogs reveal phylogenomically informed disease markers. BMC Evol Biol. 2009, 9: 18-10.1186/1471-2148-9-18.
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Mavrogiannis LA, Taylor IB, Davies SJ, Ramos FJ, Olivares JL, Wilkie AOM: Enlarged parietal foramina caused by mutations in the homeobox genes ALX4 and MSX2: from genotype to phenotype. Eur J Hum Genet. 2006, 14: 151-158. 10.1038/sj.ejhg.5201526.
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Takahashi H, Kamiya A, Ishiguro A, Suzuki AC, Saitou N, Toyoda A, Aruga J: Conservation and diversification of Msx protein in metazoan evolution. Mol Biol Evol. 2008, 25: 69-82. 10.1093/molbev/msm228.
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Mostowska A, Biedziak B, Trzeciak WH: A novel c.581C>T transition localized in a highly conserved homeobox sequence of MSX1: is it responsible for oligodontia?. J Appl Genet. 2006, 47: 159-164.
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Work in the author's laboratory is funded by Wellcome Trust Programme and MRC Project Grants.
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Wilkie, A.O. Pitfalls in the phylogenomic evaluation of human disease-causing mutations. J Biol 8, 26 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/jbiol127
- Sequence Change
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Apple's Story: Passion, Patience and Pressure
Apr 25, 2014 6:38 AM PT
True, market-changing, life-changing innovation comes from three key elements: passion, patience and pressure.
Apple is the poster child for this view of innovation. Especially now. Especially when Apple is simply selling millions of profitable iPhones and MacBooks and iPads, quarter after quarter (after quarter) with few truly "new" products to show off.
To create something groundbreaking and new -- like a touchscreen-only smartphone -- you need passion. Not just creativity, but passion -- because passion brings heartfelt focus, and focus is critical for turning a creation into a product.
Apple's Passion
No one doubted Steve Jobs' passion. You could see it in his eyes, in his posture, in his word choice and cadence. Never mind the behind-closed-doors raging tyrant of passion, Jobs had an intensity most anyone could recognize. And his dirty little secret? Jobs could take other people's creativity, their creations, their passion, and add it to his own.
He seemed to be a super-human science fiction blob who grew more powerful by squeezing, shaping, and ultimately molding the narrative of a product into something he fully, seamlessly seemed to own. Effective? Heck yeah. Repeatable by an intensely ethical man of conscience? Probably not.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is a little tougher to read than Steve Jobs, but I believe there are many passionate creators working for Tim Cook at Apple. As near as I can tell, though, his personality is such that it might be impossible for him to take credit for someone else's passionate creation. If the CEO is such a different animal, how can Apple innovate?
That's the question, really.
Enter Patience
Patience, of course, is needed to help you get the product right -- to take your creation, which might be pretty or useful but not necessarily both, and turn it into a product that people not only want, but also are willing to buy. Innovation takes time. Sure, you can release "beta" products for years as a design strategy, but is that inspiring innovation? Not really. Palm-to-forehead innovation requires a hearty dose of patience.
The original iPhone took more than two years of effort inside Apple before it was revealed to the world. If you're going to change the world by getting rid of tactile keyboards by turning smartphones into slabs of touchscreen glass, you need patience to get that right.
So what's going on right now at Apple? Is the company exhibiting patience in its new product design and creation process? Or not? I believe it is. First, consider the Apple TV. If Apple were not patient with this product, it easily could have built its own full-size HDTV with a pretty frame, slapped an Apple TV puck inside to act as its brain, and called it "new and innovative."
Then Apple could have painted it each year with a new kind of translucent plastic or coating... or made the glass curved for no good reason... and Jony Ive could have created sexy, luscious curves to make it feel like a sculpture for your living room.
Boom. Sales.
Consider an "iWatch." Same story. Apple could create a pretty wristband that does little more than count steps and show off text messages. It would sell.
However, Apple hasn't done either of those things. Why? I believe that Apple hasn't released a crappy new TV or smartwatch product because Cook has patience. It's built into the company's culture, because it's very important to Apple that it get it right the first time -- not get it out first. In fact, Tim Cook has been patiently saying this to analysts at every quarterly financial report for years.
Apple seems to know that unimportant new product iterations aren't really needed in the world -- that they don't serve any new special purpose, even though Apple has enough loyal customers to buy anything the company produces. To not build and release a so-called "new" product requires a powerful sense of patience.
The Flip Side of Patience
More recently, in the era of Tim Cook, two key lessons may have been learned. First, Apple's Maps app was a product that Apple released before it was ready. A lack of patience? It seems so.
Without knowing the exact nature of the agreement with Google to provide Google Maps on Apple's iPhone, the release of an important -- and broken -- feature had to remind Cook something about getting the product right the first time.
That's just a special app, though -- a service, a component.
The iPhone 5c, on the other hand, was a new product, born out of analyst and Wall Street pressure to create some sort of lower-priced iPhone. So Apple did that. It messed around with an innovative new plastic build process that created a solid iPhone, but it did not create a groundbreaking new addition to its lineup.
In fact, I believe that Apple did not need the iPhone 5c at all. The company could have continued to sell its iPhone 5 at a lower price point about as easily as it could have created the iPhone 5c. Heck, the iPhone 4s is still selling in surprising numbers and it's a relatively old, slow and small smartphone.
So, a lack of patience produced a lackluster product -- a good product but hardly impressive compared to the previous iPhone 5.
Worse, did the 5c divert attention from more worthy products? I've got to wonder. I'm betting that Apple has learned something from Maps and the 5c.
Pressure, Pressure, Pressure
Meanwhile, passion is cool and patience is good, but neither can produce innovative products again and again. Creative people need pressure to get things done -- pressure to pry their hands from their creation and let it loose in the world. When? When it's perfect enough.
Almost no creative person feels they ever got their book, movie, sculpture, app or iPhone perfect. They can get it right, but rarely perfect. Again, Steve Jobs had the ability to leverage intense pressure. Does Cook?
That's the question right now, immediately following the aftermath of another brilliantly executed financial quarter from Apple.
Is Cook pushing his teams to innovate with the right balance of passion, patience and pressure? Plenty of laptop jockeys seem willing to second guess him.
However there's more to pressure, too -- outside market pressure. Wait too long to deliver a new product, and the market need will evaporate or evolve. Lightning might strike somewhere else, and Apple's loyal consumers might turn to the new light. It happens. Is it happening? Not yet. Not in any meaningful numbers --but it will. Until Apple delivers -- which it will, this year.
Why am I so certain? First, I have faith in the innovation machine that Steve Jobs created. Second, Apple's history of excellent products gives me patience. Third, competitors are starting to produce interesting products, too. That provides the pressure.
This is why -- as I pound the keys on my own MacBook -- I see innovative products on Apple's horizon: It's the lousy products that Apple hasn't created that give me hope.


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22 April 2013 | News | By BioSpectrum Bureau
Spinchrom Life Sciences to market Pall's ForteBio Division's BLItz protein analysis platform
Singapore: Pall India entered into an exclusive India distribution agreement with a leading biosupplier, Spinchrom Life Sciences, a division of Spinco Biotech to market in India ForteBio's BLItz system. The revolutionary platform uniquely enables scientists to conduct label-free analyses of proteins using small sample volumes easily and cost-efficiently at their laboratory bench. ForteBio is a division of Pall Life Sciences and a leading supplier of label-free technology that accelerates the development of biotherapeutic and pharmaceutical products.
Historically, institutions have used label-free assays selectively and relegated them to their core laboratories due to their high complexity and expense. This practice creates bottlenecks in biotherapeutic research and development, as scientists may wait days or weeks to schedule their experiments and then hours or longer to obtain results.
The BLItz system is small, taking up less surface area than a tablet personal computer, so it can fit easily in an individual scientist's workspace. It is simple to use and requires only four microliters of sample, which is 15-to-20 times less volume than needed for traditional, surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based label-free assays or microplate-based ELISA assays. The BLItz system utilizes the same Bio-Layer Interferometry (BLI) technology that powers ForteBio's flagship Octet instrumentation platform, which enables real-time kinetics, affinity and quantitation measurements in high-throughput applications, with unprecedented ease of use and cost-efficiency.
The BLItz system is designed for any researcher working with proteins, particularly those who analyze column fractions, monitor protein expression, perform reagent QC, identify mechanism of action and signaling and run protein engineering studies. Additionally, the BLItz system's Dip and Read assays utilize disposable, ready-to-use biosensors that uniquely provide results in seconds to minutes.
Mr Sachin Indane, director, BioPharm, Pall India, said that, "Given the growing biosimilar and proteomic activity in India, scientists' ability to understand protein interactions is increasingly a key success factor. The BLItz technology offers great value by means of a very cost-effective, simple and fast technology platform. The BLItz platform will revolutionize the use of label-free protein analysis here by making it more accessible than ever to individual bench scientists and this will help to further advance biotherapeutic development in India."


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PERTH, Australia (AP) John Isner withdrew from the Hopman Cup on Thursday because of a right knee injury, ending the American team's chances of reaching the final of the eight-country tournament and handing a championship berth to Spain.
Isner, who still hopes to compete at the Australian Open beginning Jan. 14, played with strapping on his knee when he lost to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France on Tuesday and later said he was suffering from ``a little tendinitis.'' Isner also lost to South African Kevin Anderson in his opening match on Sunday.
Isner said after withdrawing Thursday, however, that he's not sure if tendinitis is the problem.
``I don't necessarily know if it's tendinitis,'' he said. ``It's sore and it's caused me a little bit of trouble and from that I'm not able to really load the right way and I'm not really going for my shots like I should.''
Isner, the highest-ranked American at No. 14 in the world, said he still plans to play in next week's Sydney International and the Australian Open.
``My plan now is just to treat it as best I can and see how it reacts. I do know I've always been a fast healer when I've had little injuries pop up here and there, so I'm confident I'm going to be fine for the Australian Open.''
``It's not a great way to start the year but I'd rather it happen this week than in two weeks (at the Australian Open),'' he added.
Spain and the U.S. were each 2-0 in round-robin play at the Hopman Cup heading into Thursday's deciding match-up. Spain was awarded a walkover into the final Saturday against the Group A winner.
Although Spain is already assured of advancing, Isner was replaced by his Australian hitting partner, Thanasi Kokkinakis, for his singles match against Fernando Verdasco.
Venus Williams also was still scheduled to play Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues in women's singles, and would team with Kokkinakis to play Verdasco and Medina Garrigues in a meaningless mixed doubles match.


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A collection of scholarly works about individual liberty and free markets. A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.
1787 - 1874
Historical Period:
The 19th Century
Guizot was a member of the French liberal group known as the "Doctrinaires" during the Restoration. He taught history, was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, and served as Minister of the Interior, then Education, and Foreign Affairs. After the fall of the July Monarchy he returned to his academic post.


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So girls, I haven't had my period in 5 months.
No, I'm not pregnant. Yes, I am starting to get a little (a lot) concerned.
I came off the contraceptive pill in January after taking it for over 10 years. Like a lot of women my age, I was told as a 16 year old that it was perfectly healthy, would clear my annoying acne, ease my period pain and create a whole new world of convenience through the ability to "skip" periods.
Oh and of course, not fall pregnant.
And it did all of these things wonderfully.
But now, a decade or so later, a generation of us are starting to come off the pill for health reasons, to start a family or to just "see what happens".
And what's happening (or not happening in my case) is scary. I've heard stories of women gaining and losing cray-cray amounts of weight, getting full blown acne after years of clear skin and having irregular and painful periods. Or inexistent in my case.
But perhaps the most frightening side effects are miscarriage or inability to fall pregnant. Yes people, infertility.
Which sounds crazy. But think, the pill is designed to STOP you from falling pregnant. And if after years of controlling my cycles, my body still doesn't "remember" how to menstruate, how on earth could I expect it to not only conceive (say if I wanted to fall pregnant right now) but to also maintain a healthy 9 month pregnancy?
Which is what it is naturally designed to do.
Nat Kringoudis, author of Fertilise Yourself and owner of Women's Health Centre The Pagoda Tree in Melbourne, writes that…
'Often women coming off the pill have long cycles or do not see a period return for on average six months… Women who conceive within 6 months of coming off the pill present with less red blood cells and plasma folate levels which can lead to recurrent miscarriage.'
Scary stuff. So is the fact that most women on the pill or who have recently come off the pill are deficient in zinc as it is one of the major essential minerals severely drawn out via the pill. And zinc deficiency can cause major behavioural problems in children, let alone causing prolonged labours, reduced skin elasticity in birth (think OUCH) and cracked nipples. Fun!
You can read more about the pill and fertility on Nat's blog here.
So after almost half a year without menstruating (my inner 16 year old Claire is going WHAT? THAT'S AWESOME!) I'm starting to get scared.
How did I naively believe for so long that taking this little drug everyday for most of my post-pubescent life was healthy and acceptable?
Well, basically it's because it's what we were told. Mostly. I went on the pill after only 12 months after getting my first period and I know people who were on it a lot earlier than that. I sure hope we don't look back one day and go "Wow, that was a major fuck up in the history of women's health".
I want to have children. One day. And I've grown to love the hell out of my body and myself. Which means taking my health seriously and making wellness a priority. Not choosing convenience and letting "Future Claire" deal with the consequences anymore.
So I'm off to the Naturopath this week to suss my hormones and work out this where-the-hell-is-my-period situation. I'll keep you updated.
Until then, I'd love to know if you have ever come off the contraceptive pill and what reaction your body had. Or maybe you're on the pill now but have been hearing similar freak-outs and concerns?
Let me know in the comments! And if you know anyone who would benefit from this post too, please feel free to share it.
NOTE: This post has now been updated here and here. (Psssst. I got my period back!)
If you're looking at making positive health and lifestyle changes, I have loads of recipes, personal anecdotes and insights in my She Is Radiant eRange. Check it out here. I also recommend this eBook Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea by nutritionist Kate Callaghan.
Finally, if it's PCOS specific information you're looking for, I'd love to point you in the direction of Dr. Nat Kringoudis' eCourse Debunking PCOS.
Please remember to speak to your own health professional team before making any significant changes to your lifestyle.


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The roof of the 1972 Nova project is finally wrapping up, so I decided to tackle the rocker panel next. It was rough. Like… really rough. The outer rocker panel was missing, along with the lower fender mount and the inner bracing that keeps everything structurally sound. Repairing it was not the easiest thing that I have ever done.
The first step was to cut away all of the rotted metal until you find a solid base to work with. Then, since nobody makes replacement metal for this area, I had to fabricate my own. I started with the inner bracing since that was the deepest part. This piece was more complicated than I expected, because it is actually the lowest portion of the inner kick panel. (Think about that for a moment.) That interior kick panel metal goes down through the floor pan, and into the rocker where all of these different pieces meet up in harmony. To get the rusty section out, I had to cut a section out of the newly replaced interior floor pan, along with all the metal on the outside. Once I had it out, I grabbed some flat metal and started fabricating the piece that I needed. Since nobody likes reading, here is the story in the form of pictures. Enjoy, and leave some comments so that I know somebody is here besides me.


text: Millions of elderly and disabled Americans receive care in nursing homes across the United States. Unfortunately, there have been serious reports about nursing homes that have violated health and safety rules, neglected patients or otherwise failed to render adequate service. The law requires that nursing homes abide by various standards, including ensuring appropriate staffing, honoring patient rights, and other rules aimed at making patient's quality of life a priority. Violation of the rules and standards can result not only in serious penalties but also in lawsuits from nursing home residents. If your loved one has suffered an injury while a resident of a nursing home, consider speaking to an attorney about your legal rights. If the nursing home is found to be negligent in providing care or even abusive, you could be entitled to monetary damages and the nursing home could even lose its certification. For more information about nursing home injuries contact, in attorney in your area today


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Spring break lunch program gives missing meals to students
Several businesses and restaurants are offering free lunches to students whose families are unable to afford the meals when their kids are out on spring break.
School officials said 21,700 kids in Sebastian and Crawford counties receive free or reduced-price meals in school. About 32,000 students in the Food Bank eight-county area and 281,000 kids in Arkansas depend upon federally-supported school nutrition programs.
Seven out of every 10 students in the Fort Smith School District receives a free or reduced-price lunch at school. In some schools, nearly every child qualifies.
Fort Smith Public Library Director Jennifer Goodson said she sees many of the students come to the library during spring break.
"They stay all day and eat nothing," Goodson said.
Several businesses were helping by providing food at the Windsor Branch of the Fort Smith Public Library.
Golden Corral is providing lunches on Monday and Golden Living Cafeteria is providing them on Tuesday.
Saint John's Sack Lunch Program volunteer Ling Ling Moorman will provide a ham sandwich lunch on Wednesday.
Alex Catsavis with George's Restaurant is providing a mixed deli tray for the children to make up their own lunches Thursday.
Friday's lunch is being provided by Joe's Cantina.
Carl Davis at Davis Iron and Metal will be offering a hot dog lunch to Main Library visitors.


text: Hello there! Finally I am here and I am ready to be spoiled by all of you. Of course I am a very demanding girl but i do have a lot to give back in return. The only thing that matters is that we all have a great time together. If you want to know my deep desires, join me and be charmed


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Best Family Events For Easter In Houston
Get the kids ready for some Easter fun at these family Easter events around Houston.
Best Ways To Celebrate St. Patrick's Day In Houston
Saint Patrick's Day is one of the most popular days in the United States for parties and Houston has several ways to celebrate with friends or family.
Best Locally Owned Coffee Shops In Houston
Forget big chains. Visit these must-try locally owned coffee shops in Houston.
Best Ways To Support Houston's Local Art Scene
Houston has a thriving art scene that includes one of the nation's best and largest theatre districts. These five places represent the best ways to partake in Houston's art scene while showing your unending support.
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Arts and crafts are often associated with children, but a crafty class can reap many benefits on adults as well as young people.
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Final Four Guide: Top 10 Most Instagram-Worthy Spots In Downtown Minneapolis
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Final Four Guide: Best Breweries To Visit While You're In Minneapolis
Beer-lovers visiting Minneapolis for the Final Four won't have to go far to find Minnesota's most beloved beers. Walk in any direction out of U.S. Bank Stadium and you'll probably find a bar or restaurant serving craft beers from the Twin Cities, the North Shore and other parts of "The Land of 10,000 Beers." But for hop heads seeking a more direct experience of the state's brewing culture, there are a few places that need to be on your radar, because they're well worth the Lyft ride.
Final Four Guide: 5 Restaurants To Try Near U.S. Bank Stadium
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What are you playing today?
Parking Games
Car Games
Parking Games
Parking Games
These exhilarating games will put you in control of a moving vehicle. You'll try to avoid fender benders and race against the clock to park your car, truck or other vehicle. A variety of parking games are at your fingertips, challenging you to test your abilities in many different environments. In a matter of seconds, you'll be racing to park cars in city lots, on side streets, and even in special garages. In all of these games, your driving and parking skills will be put to the test, as you'll race against time to park in straight, slanted, and parallel spots.
Gameplay in parking games varies from one game to another. Traditionally, you will use the arrows on your keyboard to steer the car. In some games, you can click the mouse to accelerate and brake while driving through fully interactive environments. You'll be challenged to master many different aspects of high-octane parking, such as squeezing into tight spots, controlling larger vehicles (minivans, trucks), and avoiding in-game obstacles. In some levels, you will need to weave between quickly moving cars and pedestrians! Some adventures also place a time limit on you, adding an element of tension and an additional, fun challenge.
Popular this week


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By: Tucker Marion, EE Times
Almost daily we hear depressing news reports regarding the economy, the loss of manufacturing, a crumbling infrastructure and seemingly impending decline of the U.S. While there are fundamental problems, of course, often ignored is the current reality that at no other time in our history has it been easier to innovate.
That's right, today is the Golden Age of innovation. And what makes that possible?
Outsourced resources are available to entrepreneurs to provide high skill for low cost. At the heart of those resources are contract manufacturers that are U.S.-based, highly competent and as entrepreneurial as their clients.
I recently visited two different companies that exemplify what is available for the innovator. The first is a contract electronic pc assembler located outside of Philadelphia. Their's is a small facility, with two product lines and about 10,000 square feet of space. They are highly adaptable, easily moving from assembling medical device housings to rigorous testing of military electronics. The project manager works intimately with clients, often suggesting design solutions and doing anything it takes to meet tight deadlines.
The benefit for the innovative entrepreneur is that by engaging with a firm like this, you instantly add expertise without adding fixed cost. Contract manufacturers can debug designs, develop pre-production prototypes and provide fulfillment – essentially filling in the latter half of the development process. And if the entrepreneur has cash flow problems, the project can be put on hold with no questions asked. Try doing that with a full-time staff that drains tens of thousands of dollars per month from cash reserves.
The second company I visited is a Massachusetts-based firm focused on the design and development side of the innovation process. The company is a full-service design and prototyping firm, with graphic designers, industrial designers, engineers and machinists. The staff can go from sketch to 25-unit pre-production runs extremely quickly.
Their work includes consumer products, medical devices, toys, baby equipment, and sporting goods. The speed of development and quality of the prototypes fabricated is truly world-class. And it's all done within an unassuming, small office building in a neighborhood south of Boston. For the entrepreneur, adding design and engineering talent can mean the difference between an also-ran product and the next iPhone.
This Golden Age of innovation powered through an outsourcing model of development is a recent trend, starting approximately 10 years ago with the convergence of three revolutions: wide adoption of the Internet combined with services like www.MFG.com; the commercialization of easy-to-use and transfer digital design tools and files (i.e. low-cost computer-aided-design or CAD like Solidworks); and globalization along with the need for U.S. firms to lower costs through outsourcing.
Today, a single person can have an entire network of outsourced service providers from manufacturing to design to fulfillment all managed virtually, often for much less cost and risk than staffing internal resources, full time. Additionally, designs can be prototyped and limited production can be done for testing before committing large investments in volume tooling and inventory – lowering risk and needed investment further.
This approach is not limited to physical products. Just visit Cambridge, Mass., and you'll see dozens of 1- and 2-person biotechnology firms that use contractors for synthesis, diffusion and manufacturing of new biologic compounds to dedicated low-volume contract manufacturers.
While we can't ignore the many challenges in reviving U.S. manufacturing, we also can't ignore the opportunity at our domestic doorstep. If you have an idea, develop it. Finding expert resources from design to manufacturing is a click away.
–Tucker Marion is an assistant professor in Northeastern University's College of Business, School of Technological Entrepreneurship.


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Salaries by Job Title: How Much Money Does Everyone Earn in Hawai'i?
Everyone wants to know how much money everyone else makes—even more now given the gloomy economy. Take a look and find out how your paycheck stacks up.
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Everyone wants to know how much money everyone else makes—even more now given the gloomy economic climate. We asked around town to find out what people are pulling down, from bank CEOs to L&L cashiers, to just about everyone else we could think of. Many local companies were guarded about releasing information, perhaps because of the recession. Salaries listed by job titles are a result of surveying local business owners and researching public and corporate records. Salaries attached to people by name are those that are public information—such as government officials and nonprofit executives. All figures reflect the most current salary information, some including pay reductions. Take a look and find out how your paycheck stacks up.
Allan Landon, chairman and CEO of Bank of Hawai'i
Landon receives an annual salary of $750,001 and $1,715,079 in bonuses and other compensation.
Constance Lau, CEO and chair of American Savings Bank, chair of Hawaiian Electric Co. and CEO and president of Hawaiian Electric Industries, which is the parent company of ASB and HECO. Lau receives an annual salary of $763,000 and $1,752,000 in bonuses and other compensation.
$30,000 to $350,000
Insurance agent, Mass Mutual
"A lot of [the agents'] income is from commission and policy renewals," says Wayne Tanaka, general manger of the Honolulu office. "The income potential is unlimited, some people make more than the president of the company."
$12 to $17 an hour
Loomis Armored Delivery driver
Drivers go through background, credit and driver's record checks, a drug test, a polygraph exam and a "human performance" exam. Top-scale drivers receive more based on years of experience, having a weapons license, and a Type 4 or CDL driver's license (driving a vehicle weighing 15,001 to 26,001 pounds).
Accountant, Honolulu average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
$11.33 per hour
Bank teller, Hawai'i average, according to the Hawaii Employers Council.
$17,940 to $22,770
Mail assistant, Honolulu salary range, according to OfficeTeam, an international staffing service.
$19,090 to $26,680
Receptionist, Honolulu salary range, according to OfficeTeam.
Travel Agent, Honolulu average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Howard Garval, president and CEO of Child & Family Services
Garval receives an annual salary of $187,992 and $1,880 in other compensation.
Richard Grimm, president of the Hawaii Food Bank
Grimm receives an annual salary of $130,369 and $19,169 in other compensation.
Pamela Burns, president and CEO of the Hawaiian Humane Society
Burns receives an annual salary of $153,500 and $6,448 in other compensation.
Susan Au Doyle, president of Aloha United Way
Au Doyle receives an annual salary of $154,541 and $15,914 in other compensation.
Paul Groesbeck, executive director of Life Foundation
Lyn Brown, executive director of Make a Wish Foundation of Hawaii