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A statement released today by the LA County coroner is a bit of a surprise to no one: the manner of death is homicide and the cause of death is acute propofol intoxication complicated by benzodiazepines.
The complete toxicology results are not yet released. So you Jackson fans who want to leave comments saying "Ha, he wasn't an addict—no narcotics in his system!" had better hold off until all information is available to the public. Nor do we know the true levels of propofol and the benzodiazepine cocktail found in Jackson's bloodstream at the time of his death. Dr. Conrad Murray's account of how much of each drug he dosed may not be truthful.
The death was ruled a homicide because it happened at the hands of another person. However, it does not guarantee prosecution.
According to the LA Times, Jackson's history of drug abuse and health issues may make it difficult to prosecute anyone for his death.


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Shoals on David Stern: "And that's why your retirement is both sad and in some sense, a relief. There's nothing quite like the softening of authority figures, like those presidents who voters want to have a beer with, or prize-winning novelists playing Boggle. At the same time, the feeling that I've repeatedly been had by you, that I've let sentimentality cloud my politics, is nothing short of degrading." [GQ]
More from Deadspin

subset: commoncrawl


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Ask Temptalia Session #025
Got a question? Now's the time to ask it!
I'm taking your questions and answering them today. You can feel free to ask any question you'd like, both beauty-related or unrelated! Some tips on asking me questions so that you can get the best answer AND quickly…
- For color/makeup recommendations, please let me know your skin tone, if you have a brand preference, colors you love (whatever is applicable). I don't want to recommend something that doesn't work for your skin coloring or recommend a brand that's more than you want to spend!
- If you've tried a lot of products and are still looking for the one that works, if you could tell me products or techniques you have tried, that helps me suss out what might work! Again, I'd hate to just recommend you a product/technique you've tried!
It is always a pleasure to answer your questions, and I always hate answering your question with a follow-up question about your coloring or what brand you'd like the dupe in or what-have-you, so hopefully this will allow me to give you better answers and more efficiently, to boot! 🙂
Feel free to answer other readers' questions, too! The more the merrier! Plus, your feedback really helps to round out any answer I give. It's like a more complete worldview!
Don't be shy — ask one or twenty or none! 🙂
Edit @ 10:00PM PST: Session is now over! Thank you for participating!


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rockie with rose gold
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- 100% Lambskin
- Measures: 10" L x 7.5"H x 7.5"W with a 4" Handle Drop Length and 21" Removable Long Strap
- Dust bag included.
- Imported.
- 205323
Body/Exterieur: 100.00%: 100.00% LAMBSKIN (OVIS ARIES) Lining 1/
- standard shipping delivery in 3-6 working days
- express shipping delivery in 2-4 working days
we offer free returns for up to 14 days from delivery. use the pre-paid return label included in your order. if you prefer, you may also use a courier of your own choice at your expense.


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Although this dish is lower in fat due to the skim milk and reduced-fat cheese, you'll love it so much you may never resort to the fluorescent-orange boxed stuff again!
- Yield
- Makes 8 servings
- 16 oz uncooked elbow macaroni (or whole-wheat pasta for an added 3.5 g fiber per serving)
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups skim milk
- 1 tbsp light butter (stick or tub)
- 8 oz reduced-fat (33 percent) shredded cheddar
- 3 oz Velveeta Light cheese, cut into thin strips
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp seasoned breadcrumbs
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Boil macaroni until tender but firm. While pasta cooks, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup milk in a small bowl. Pour remaining 1 1/2 cups milk into a large saucepan and heat over low. Once milk is slightly warmed, turn heat to medium-low and add flour and milk mixture, stirring constantly until thick. Reduce heat slightly and add butter, cheeses, and pepper. Cook until smooth, about 5 minutes. Drain macaroni, then combine with cheese mixture, stirring thoroughly. Pour into a 13" x 9" baking dish. Sprinkle breadcrumbs lightly and evenly on top and bake 30 to 35 minutes. Serve immediately.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 341 calories, 7 g fat (4.5 g saturated fat), 49.5g carbohydrates, 19.5 g protein, 1.5 g fiber


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In just over three months, the Columbus Crew have changed ownership, fired a head coach and several members of his staff, and appointed an interim head coach to finish the season. Now, after filling their head coaching vacancy, they can add a front-office shuffle to their list of changes.
The Crew announced Wednesday that they have hired Gregg Berhalter to be the team's head coach. Berhalter will also fill the newly-created sporting director position, eliminating the club's technical director and general manager positions.
Berhalter is a former USMNT and LA Galaxy defender, and recently coached Hammarby IF in Sweden, where he spent a year and a half at the helm before being dismissed by the club with an overall record of 18-11-16.
"I'm extremely excited at this opportunity to join the Columbus Crew," Berhalter said in a conference call with owner-operator and chairman Anthony Precourt, President Mark McCullers and the media on Wednesday. "It's a club that I've admired at a distance for some time."
Berhalter was not in Columbus because of a scheduled trip to visit FC Barcelona in Spain, and Precourt said the club wanted to announce the decision quickly to give other candidates time to find new positions – including interim head coach and former technical director Brian Bliss, who will no longer be with the team.
The decision was made after a long search by Precourt and McCullers, along with brand ambassador Frankie Hejduk and Andrew Arthurs, executive director of the Crew Juniors youth program.
"It's an exciting day for the Columbus Crew," said Precourt, who confirmed that Berhalter was the club's first choice for the position. "I don't think this process could have gone any better."
McCullers, who said it was time "to move the general manager responsibilities off of my plate and into the competition division of the organization," immediately stressed that leadership was important in determining the team's new head coach, and that Berhalter's long-term plan was what won the Crew over.
"[Berhalter's] vision really resonated with all of us on the search committee," McCullers said. "He has a clear vision, he has a detailed plan, he has a voice to communicate that plan, and he has the personality and the attitude to inspire those around him to rally around that vision and that plan."
Berhalter said that there were "a few things that stood out" when he was deciding whether to take the job, and first credited Precourt's attitude for drawing him to Columbus.
"First and foremost is the energy brought to the club by the owner," Berhalter said. "Just walking around and talking to the staff and talking to the people, you can see that they're excited about the future."
Berhalter also noted "the tradition associated with the Columbus Crew," as well as the fans themselves.
"I've been lucky enough to play against the Crew and play in Crew Stadium with the national team, and it's an amazing environment," he said. "It's an environment that's very pro-the home team. It's special to play in."
Berhalter said that a priority in the coming weeks will be to build his staff, and confirmed that he will look for a "director of soccer operations," to help him better understand MLS rules and finances. He said he expects to make the hire within a matter of weeks.
Today was the last day of practice for MLS players not participating in the playoffs, but Berhalter said that there will be plenty to keep him busy over the next few months, and he'll be jumping right in.
"Moving forward, things go quickly," he said. "You have the Re-Entry Draft, you have college tournaments that are finishing up in November, and then you have to prepare for the SuperDraft. So there's a lot of activity that I'm going to have to focus on in the coming months.


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Meep Tutorial/Near-to-far-field spectra
From AbInitio
(diff) ←Older revision | Current revision | Newer revision→ (diff)
In this example, we demonstrate Meep's near-to-far-field transformation feature, which requires version 1.3+. This feature uses the fields from a "near" bounding surface inside the computational cell to compute the resulting "far" fields outside the computational cell via an analytical transformation. Note that this only works if the "near" surface and the "far" region lie in a single, homogeneous, non-periodic 2d or 3d medium. The analytical transformation is based on the principle of equivalence: given the Fourier-transformed tangential fields on the "near" surface, Meep computes equivalent currents and convolves them with the analytical Green's functions in order to compute the fields at any desired point in the "far" region. The use of the Fourier-transformed fields for this operation is similar to that for the flux and force spectra: we specify a set of desired frequencies, Meep accumulates the Fourier transforms, and then Meep computes the fields at each frequency for the desired far-field points.
There are three steps to using the near-to-far-field feature: first, we need to define the "near" surface(s) as a set of surfaces capturing all outgoing radiation in the desired direction(s); second, we run the simulation, typically with a pulsed source, to allow Meep to accumulate the Fourier transforms on the near surface(s); third, we have Meep compute the far fields at any desired points with the option to save the far fields from a grid of points to an HDF5 file.
For this demonstration, we will compute the far-field spectra of a resonant cavity mode in a holey waveguide; a structure we had explored in a separate tutorial. To do this, we simply modify the last portion of that control file beginning with the following:
(define-param d1 0.2) (define nearfield (add-near2far fcen 0 1 (make near2far-region (center 0 (+ (* 0.5 w) d1)) (size (- sx (* 2 dpml)) 0)) (make near2far-region (center (+ (* -0.5 sx) dpml) (+ (* 0.5 w) (* 0.5 d1))) (size 0 d1) (weight -1.0)) (make near2far-region (center (- (* 0.5 sx) dpml) (+ (* 0.5 w) (* 0.5 d1))) (size 0 d1))))
Here, we are creating a "near" bounding surface, consisting of three separate regions surrounding the cavity, that captures all outgoing waves in the top-half of the computational cell. Note that the x-normal surface on the left has a
weight of -1 (corresponding to the direction of the outward normal vector relative to the x direction) so that the far-field spectra is correctly computed from the outgoing fields, similar to the flux and force features. The parameter
d1 is the distance between the edge of the waveguide and the bounding surface, as shown in the schematic above, and we will demonstrate that changing this parameter does not change the far-field spectra which we compute at a single frequency corresponding to the cavity mode.
We then time step the fields until, at a random point, they have sufficiently decayed away (since the computational cell is surrounded by PMLs) and output the far-field spectra over a rectangular area that lies outside of the computational cell:
(run-sources+ (stop-when-fields-decayed 50 Hz (vector3 0.12 -0.37) 1e-8)) (define-param d2 20) (define-param h 4) (output-farfields nearfield (string-append "spectra-" (number->string d1) "-" (number->string d2) "-" (number->string h)) (volume (center 0 (+ (* 0.5 w) d2 (* 0.5 h))) (size (- sx (* 2 dpml)) h)) resolution)
The first item to note is that the far-field region is located outside of the computational cell, although in principle it can be located anywhere. The second is that the far-field spectra can be interpolated onto a spatial grid that has any given resolution but in this example we used the same resolution as the simulation. Note that the simulation itself used purely real fields but the output, given its analytical nature, contains complex fields. Finally, given that the far-field spectra is derived from the Fourier-transformed fields which includes an arbitrary constant factor, we should expect an overall scale and phase difference in the results obtained using the near-to-far-field feature with those from a corresponding simulation involving the full computational volume. The key point is that the results will be qualitatively but not quantitatively identical. The data will be written out to an HDF5 file (having a filename prefix with the values of the three main parameters) that will automatically include the far-field spectra for all six field components, including real and imaginary parts.
We run the above modified control file and in post-processing create an image of the real and imaginary parts of Hz over the far-field region which is shown in insets (a) above. For comparison, we compute the steady-state fields with a continuous source (making sure to force the fields to be complex) over the same region in a separate simulation using a larger computational cell that contains within it the far-field region, from which is obtained the images shown in (b). The difference in the relative phases among any two points within each of the two field spectra is zero, which can be confirmed numerically. Also, as would be expected, it can be shown that increasing
d1 does not change the far-field spectra as long as the results are sufficiently converged (i.e., the resolution is made sufficiently large to mitigate discretization effects).
In general, it is tricky to interpret the overall scale and phase of the far fields, because it is related to the scaling of the Fourier transforms of the near fields. It is simplest to use the
near2far feature in situations where the overall scaling is irrelevant, e.g. when you are computing a ratio of fields in two simulations, or a fraction of the far field in some region, etcetera.
Radiation Pattern of an Antenna
We can also use the near-to-far-field transformation feature to compute the radiation pattern of an antenna. This example involves placing a single point-dipole source in the middle of a 2d computational cell surrounded by perfectly-matched layers (PMLs). The near-field surface is along the inner boundary of the PML. The far-field surface is a circle having a radius many times the source wavelength and thus lying outside of the computational cell. The far fields are computed at several equally-spaced points along the circumference of this circle. The simulation geometry is shown in the image below.
We use the
get-farfield routine to compute the far fields. The control file is shown below.
(set-param! resolution 50) (define-param sxy 10) (define-param dpml 1) (set! geometry-lattice (make lattice (size (+ sxy (* 2 dpml)) (+ sxy (* 2 dpml)) no-size))) (set! pml-layers (list (make pml (thickness dpml)))) (define-param fcen 1.0) (define-param df 0.4) (define-param src-cmpt Ez) (set! sources (list (make source (src (make gaussian-src (frequency fcen) (fwidth df))) (center 0) (component src-cmpt)))) (if (= src-cmpt Ex) (set! symmetries (list (make mirror-sym (direction Y))))) (if (= src-cmpt Ey) (set! symmetries (list (make mirror-sym (direction X))))) (if (= src-cmpt Ez) (set! symmetries (list (make mirror-sym (direction X)) (make mirror-sym (direction Y))))) (define nearfield (add-near2far fcen 0 1 (make near2far-region (center 0 (* 0.5 sxy)) (size sxy 0)) (make near2far-region (center 0 (* -0.5 sxy)) (size sxy 0) (weight -1.0)) (make near2far-region (center (* 0.5 sxy) 0) (size 0 sxy)) (make near2far-region (center (* -0.5 sxy) 0) (size 0 sxy) (weight -1.0)))) (run-sources+ (stop-when-fields-decayed 50 src-cmpt (vector3 0 0) 1e-8)) (define-param r (* 1000 (/ fcen))) ; 1000 wavelengths out from the source (define-param npts 100) ; number of points in [0,2*pi) range of angles (map (lambda (n) (let ((ff (get-farfield nearfield (vector3 (* r (cos (* 2 pi (/ n npts)))) (* r (sin (* 2 pi (/ n npts)))) 0)))) (print "farfield:, " (number->string n) ", " (number->string (* 2 pi (/ n npts)))) (map (lambda (m) (let ((ffc (list-ref ff m))) (print ", " (number->string (* ffc (conj ffc)))))) (arith-sequence 0 1 6)) (print "\n"))) (arith-sequence 0 1 npts))
We compute the far fields for 3 different point sources: Ex, Ey, and Ez. The output consists of a set of columns containing the far-field point's index number, angle (in radians), followed by the magnitudes of each of the six fields. Since this is a 2d simulation, we plot the scalar field in each case normalized by its maximum value to produce a range of values between 0 and 1. This is shown in polar coordinates below.


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Schizoaffective disorder is a serious and puzzling brain disorder. It combines symptoms of two other disorders—bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. The symptoms are often severe and ongoing. They can disrupt lives and cause great emotional pain. Yet there is reason for hope. Talk to your doctor or mental health professional.
The symptoms of schizoaffective disorder can vary greatly. People with this disorder may see or hear things that aren't there (hallucinations). Or they may hold false, fixed beliefs (delusions). These can occur without any mood changes. At times, people with this disorder may seem withdrawn, listless, and remote. They may also have extreme mood swings. They may feel intensely happy for a time. Later, they may be very depressed. In some cases, they might have only lows without the highs. They might also have problems with sleep or a change in appetite. They may become more or less talkative, lose focus in their thinking, or even have thoughts of suicide.
The causes of schizoaffective disorder aren't fully understood. It is known that this disorder runs in families. Certain chemicals in the brain also play a role. In some people, abuse or neglect may trigger the disorder.
Although there is no cure at present, treatment with medications and therapy may be helpful. In addition, many support services exist for people with schizoaffective disorders and their families.
Medications may relieve many symptoms of schizoaffective disorder. These may include antipsychotic medications, antidepressant medications, or mood stabilizers. If your loved one is troubled by medication side effects, tell his or her doctor. Changing the dose or type of medication may help. Encourage your loved one to keep taking his or her medications. Stopping them may cause symptoms to come back.
A counselor can offer your loved one advice and support. Social workers may help with work, money, or housing issues. Friends and family members may also need support. Learning more about schizoaffective disorder can help you cope. Learn how best to help with your loved one's care.
Vidant Health can connect you to health care professionals to help you understand your condition and guide you through the treatment process. Let's chat.


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Auralia's Colors: The Auralia Thread Series #1
Auralia's Colors: The Auralia Thread Series #1
In AURALIA'S COLORS, which marks the beginning of The Auralia Thread fantasy series, culture critic Jeffrey Overstreet makes a compelling first foray into fiction.
Overstreet opens his story in the imaginative world of The Expanse. A soon-absent and arrogant queen convinces the remnant of Abascar to give up all its bright colors. Soon, wearing colors are only for the privileged; others must turn in anything beautifully pigmented. The former wealth of colors from days gone by are stored in the vaults of the palace, presumably to be brought out when "spring" arrives --- which it never seems to do. And somewhere, "the Keeper" calls to those who listen. (If you think there are Christian metaphors here, you're on the right track.)
All of this is about to change. The rascally old Gatherer, Krawg, and his comical sidekick Warney discover a baby girl in a monster's footprint alongside the River Throanscall. When the common folks outside the palace walls take the mysterious Auralia in to raise her, they quickly find out she's different. She grows up semi-wild, at home in the natural world. When she becomes a teen, she has a chance to enter the House Abascar and to make her pledge at the "Rites," away from the perceived drab colorlessness and drudgery of the Gatherers' existence. But Auralia doesn't see the point.
Auralia questions the system and gently encourages subversion. Defying the law, she pulls colors from nature and gifts the Gatherers with her creations: slow-burning gold honeycomb candles, stonecutters with scarlet sheaths, a pillow of white and yellow and burgundy. But, as Auralia soon learns, House Abascar punishes orphans who do not follow the rules.
Overstreet's narrative is poetic, with vivid splashes of color, verve and ingenuity. "The child became twigs and burnt autumn leaves, thin and fisty fingers clutching acorns and seed as though they were stolen jewels. Her hair hung in tangles, silver and brown like the bark of apple trees." To read AURALIA'S COLORS is to indulge in a cornucopia of prose pleasures like these.
A whole fantasy world emerges as you turn the pages --- one with beastman creatures who roar (different but reminiscent of the "Orcs" of J.R.R. Tolkien), ride-able visorcats who purr and curl up on "a bed of intoxicating madweed" and rainhounds who bark. Even the dialogue is full of oddities related to this mystical place; a soldier might call another "you crusty old vawn nugget" or brag, "I earned that valor medal for killing two Cent Regus reptiles." Most of it the reader will be able to follow; occasionally it becomes confusing.
The characters are no less spellbinding: the beautiful princess and queen mad for power with twisted hearts; the impotent king who is addicted to a powerful potion; an ale boy who has a back story that tells us he's not all who he seems to be on the surface; and an advisor of wizardly dimensions who appears and disappears on the scene to mentor the prince Cal-raven, who we are unsure of whether will be a force for good or benign.
What the reader isn't prepared for is the violence that suddenly shocks with its intensity in the very last pages of the book. It's a startling contrast to the early part of the story, and the audience may well wonder if it is a precursor to more violence in the coming sequels. The violence might be upsetting to younger readers, although it is certainly no stronger than what you see on previews during a cable television commercial. It also vividly illustrates the evil found in Abascar. Still, this is the only caution I'd have about recommending the book to younger fantasy fans.
But the biggest warning to take away is this: If you read AURALIA'S COLORS, "The Red Strand" in The Auralia Thread series, you'll be hooked. I know I'll be eagerly awaiting the next installment.
Reviewed by Cindy Crosby on September 4, 2007


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Yes, congrats are in order for both the Tigers and Cardinals. My congrats are belated to Detroit and its fans on making it to the World Series for the first time since 1984. After first picking the Yankees, and then the A's, I received plenty of flak from my Tigers-loving friends back in Michigan. I guess the kid in me — the one that grew up a diehard Cubs fan — just didn't want to hear all the gloating from his friends about their team getting to the Fall Classic.
As for the Cardinals, they made me sound half smart! They weren't my original pick to go to the Series, but last weekend on the Fan590 in Toronto, I was asked to make my World Series prediction, and I blurted out Cardinals over Tigers in six. I don't know how smart that prediction was, but at least I was the only one of the three on the show to get the matchup correct.
–Josh Towers was removed from the 40-man roster on Thursday. Toronto outrighted him to Triple-A. He'll get another crack at making the club in Spring Training, but he's going to have to prove a lot after his disastrous 2006. I can't say that seeing the Jays bump him off the 40-man was much of a surprise, but the reality is he's still going to be paid almost $3 million next year. That's a lot for a Minor Leaguer with a slim chance at making the rotation.
–Toronto also tried to outright both Pete Walker and Kevin Barker, but they declined their assignments and became free agents. I guess that means it's unlikely we'll see Pete in Dunedin, Fla. this spring, but you never know. Pete is a good guy and hopefully a team will give him an invite come Spring Training.
–The Jays also outrighted John-Ford Griffin to Triple-A, bumping him off the 40-man roster as well. Griffin had shoulder issues all season. When Walker went on the 60-day DL in September, he was removed from the 40. So minus Towers, Barker, and Griffin, the roster dropped to 37 players. Toronto upped it to 38 by purchasing Tracy Thorpe's contract. Thorpe is currently pitching in the Arizona Fall League and will probably be at Triple-A next season.
4 Comments
For all I know, Dustin McGowan is a Sandy Koufax in need of a Norm Sherry to tell him he doesn't have to throw so hard, but at this point the only thing that's going to keep another team from taking him when he doesn't make the 25 man roster is that no other team is going to want him on their 25 man roster either.
Jordan, how about that MSU comeback? that was amazing coming back from 35 down. I personally could care less was state does but a performance like that is incredible
What is the status of their appeal to allow McGowan another year of options? Because if that doesn't go through there is probably a good chance we will lose him if we send him down. I could see team like KC, or Tampa Bay picking him up. Hopefully if all goes well he will come around so he can be an effective pitcher next year.
Yes, that was an amazing comeback by MSU — biggest comeback in Division 1A history! Go Green! Thanks for the comment.
As far as McGowan, I'm not sure off the top of my head when the league hears cases like McGowan's, but ultimately it's up to MLB whether or not he will receive a fourth option year. If you ask me, I'm pretty sure they'd allow it because of his Tommy John surgery. Of course, that's just speculation.


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Have you ever heard about Twitter Cards?
Then you are missing a great opportunity to increase the effectiveness of your social media marketing.
If you follow the steps mentioned in this post, you will be able to have Twitter Cards integrated in your WordPress blog in less than 5 minutes.
What are the Benefits of Twitter Cards?
Twitter Cards may help you increase the visibility of your content on Twitter.
You need to implement some meta tags in your blog, and your articles will definitely look more sexy on Twitter.
Not to mention, you should also be able to enhance your brand and attract more followers.
Talking about the mobile market, your tweets will look better also on mobile users.
All these features will make your content stand out!
Here below you see an image of one of my latest posts, after the integration of Twitter Cards.
How to Integrate Twitter Cards in Your WordPress Blog
First of all you need to decide which Twitter Cards type you want to implement:
- summary;
- summary below large image;
- photo;
- application.
You want to choose one, depending on your website type.
I have choosen "summary below large image" and the image above shows that kind of Twitter Cards (see more information directly on official site).
So how can you implement Twitter Cards in your WordPress blog?
The answer is using a great plugin, called "JM Twitter Cards".
Now you want to login to your blog dashboard and select "plugins", "add new".
Then search "JM Twitter cards" plugin and install it (this is the link to directly download it).
Finally you want to enable it.
It should appear a menu in the left side of your dashboard, showing the name of the plugin.
Go for it and click on "general".
This is what it the page will look like:
You need to enter your personal and website Twitter username.
Select your card type.
Now go on the "images" menu, and select a picture that will be taken as default if no featured image is added in any of your blog posts.
Under "Robots.txt" menu, select "yes".
Finally clicking on "home settings", you may want to personalize the message of home meta description.
Now you need to validate your Twitter card here.
Go to validate and apply, insert your blog URL (which need to contains cards meta tags) and follow the easy procedure to apply.
A message with approval will be sent to your email within few minutes (in my case) or up to few hours.
All this process won't take you more than 5 minutes.
For a more detailed guide, please refer to the video made by the creator of this plugin, Julien Maury :
I find Twitter Cards a powerful way to improve your visibility and increase your social media power.
What about you?
Have you already implemented Twitter Cards on your site?
I hope you found this tutorial easy to follow and let me know in the comments if you have any questions.
Thanks for reading!


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It's been compared to Superbad and is touted as being produced by Todd Phillips, the director of The Hangover, but the time has come for Project X to grow up and stand on its own. We've seen a pretty encouraging trailer and now we have 4 clips from the R-rated teen comedy to let you decide amongst yourselves whether it's the biggest party movie ever created. I spoke to Steve after he caught an early screening and he said it's extremely funny and absolutely rated R. He also said it's going to be a big hit for Warner Bros.
Directed by Nima Nourizadeh, the film stars Thomas Mann, Miles Teller, Oliver Cooper, Jonathan Daniel Brown, Kirby Bliss Blanton, Dax Flame, Nichole O'Connor and Alexis Knapp. Project X opens March 2th, 2012. Hit the jump to check out the clips.
Here's the synopsis for Project X:
"Project X" follows three seemingly anonymous high school seniors as they attempt to finally make a name for themselves. Their idea is innocent enough: let's throw a party that no one will forget… but nothing could prepare them for this party. Word spreads quickly as dreams are ruined, records are blemished and legends are born. "Project X" is a warning to parents and police everywhere.
This film has been rated R for crude and sexual content throughout, nudity, drugs, drinking, pervasive language, reckless behavior and mayhem-all involving teens.


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West Vail, CO Real Estate
Occupying a wider swath of the Valley than the Villages and East Vail, West Vail offers distinctly different environments on its northern and southern hillsides. The south side features lush wooded alpine terrain interspersed with meadows while the more exposed north side offers dramatic views and an abundance of sunshine year round. Divided into several neighborhoods, the area has a commercial center with groceries, shops, and restaurants and a close knit mix of locals and second home owners. Properties in West Vail range from simple condominiums to elegant single-family homes, all of which are a quick 5-10 minute Town shuttle away from the heart of the Village.
Timberline Tours is the Vail area's largest and most experienced outfitter. They offer guided whitewater rafting adventures and jeep tours.
Vail's wide variety of terrain, back bowls, and 5,289 skiable acres are one-of-a-kind. Four accessible base areas within the town of Vail include: Golden Peak, Vail Village, Lionshead and Cascade Village.
West Vail Mall offers excellent freeway visibility from I-70. Anchored by Sports Authority and adjacent to the Vail Safeway West Vail Mall is a successful collection of retailers and restaurants. Join Qdoba, Subway, ...


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Creepy Woody is one pervy figure. But he's not just a giant horn dog. He's also trolling rad toys, like the Metal Gear Rex. What a jerk!
Website TheOneCam is a collection of amazing figure photos and amazing Woody photos. Previously, Kotaku featured some of the site's more pervy Woody pics. Above, here's a look at Creepy Woody trolling some of the coolest figures you can buy.
The Creepy Woody figure was part of the Revoltech line of Japanese figures. It went out of production, with the pervy face no longer offered in newer Revoltech Woody figures. Last summer, however, it did go back on sale.
Click the lower corner of each image to expand to full size.
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Home > News & Events > Speeches & Testimony
Remarks by Martin J. Gruenberg, Chairman, FDIC to the Annual Washington Conference of the Institute of International Bankers; Washington, DC
It is a pleasure to take part in the Annual Washington Conference of the Institute of International Bankers.
Today I would like to focus my remarks on one of the key challenges we face in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008-2009 – developing the capability to manage the orderly resolution of a systemically important financial institution (SIFI) with extensive cross-border operations.
Prior to the crisis, this was an issue that was not the subject of significant international attention. Yet during the course of the crisis it became apparent that all of the major countries lacked this capability. National jurisdictions lacked the basic authorities to manage an orderly resolution of a SIFI, had no plans in place and no operational capability to carry out an orderly resolution even if authorities had existed, and had not developed cross-border relationships with key foreign authorities to facilitate critical international cooperation. As a result, there was no ability to hold these firms accountable to the discipline of the marketplace, by which I mean allowing these firms to fail and ensuring that shareholders were wiped out, unsecured creditors haircut, and culpable management replaced.
In the aftermath of the crisis, I think it is fair to say that this has been a subject of intense international attention by both the Financial Stability Board of the G-20 countries at the multilateral level, as well as at the level of national and regional jurisdictions.
I thought I would use my remarks today to describe the progress we have made in the United States, as well as with some of our key foreign counterpart jurisdictions in this critical area of financial reform.
Progress in the United States
Prior to the crisis, the resolution authorities of the FDIC were limited only to FDIC-insured depository institutions. The FDIC did not have authority to place the holding company or affiliates of an FDIC-insured institution into a public receivership process, nor did it have authority to place a nonbank financial company whose failure might pose a risk to the financial system into resolution.
Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act provided the FDIC these crucial authorities which are really a threshold for the capability to manage an orderly resolution of a SIFI. Given the highly integrated nature of the largest, most complex and diversified financial companies with extensive cross border operations, authority to place the consolidated entity into a resolution process is critical.
Since the enactment of Dodd-Frank, the FDIC has been actively developing internal resolution plans for our major companies based on the expanded authorities provided by the new law. In July 2011 the FDIC Board approved a final rule implementing the Title II authority.
In addition, Title I of the Dodd-Frank Act requires bank holding companies with total consolidated assets of $50 billion or more, and certain nonbank financial companies that the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) designates as systemic, to develop, maintain, and periodically submit to the FDIC and the Federal Reserve Board resolution plans that are credible and would enable these entities to be resolved under the Bankruptcy Code. These are the so-called "living wills." In 2011 the FDIC and the Federal Reserve Board jointly issued the basic rulemaking regarding these resolution plans. On July 1, 2012 the first group of living wills, generally involving bank holding companies and foreign banking organizations with $250 billion or more in nonbank assets, was received. Banking organizations with less than $250 billion, but with $100 billion or more in assets will file by July 1 of this year, and all other banking organizations with assets over $50 billion will file by December 31.
The FDIC and the Federal Reserve are currently in the process of reviewing the first round of plans submitted by the largest companies. As I indicated, the Dodd-Frank Act requires that the ultimate result of this process is that these plans be credible and facilitate an orderly resolution of these firms under the Bankruptcy Code.
International Efforts on Resolution
In order to monitor compliance by member jurisdictions with international standards promulgated by the FSB, including the Key Attributes, the FSB has established a regular program of country and thematic peer reviews of its member jurisdictions. The FDIC is currently leading the first peer review to evaluate FSB jurisdictions' existing resolution regimes and any planned changes to those regimes using the Key Attributes as a benchmark. This review will compare national resolution regimes across both individual Key Attributes and across different financial sectors. It will provide recommendations for future work by the FSB and its members in support of an effective and credible resolution regime for SIFIs. We expect the final report of the peer review to be released this spring.
In addition to its multilateral work with the FSB, the FDIC has been actively engaging on a bilateral basis with its key counterpart jurisdictions. Section 210 of the Dodd-Frank Act expressly requires the FDIC to "coordinate, to the maximum extent feasible" with appropriate foreign regulatory authorities in the event of the resolution of a systemic financial company with cross-border operations.
As part of our bilateral efforts, the FDIC and the Bank of England, in conjunction with the prudential regulators in our jurisdictions, have been working to develop contingency plans for the failure of Global SIFIs (G-SIFIs) that have operations in both the U.S. and the U.K. Of the 28 G-SIFIs designated by the Financial Stability Board, 4 are headquartered in the U.K, and another 8 are headquartered in the U.S. Moreover, around two-thirds of the reported foreign activities of the 8 U.S. SIFIs emanates from the U.K.1 The magnitude of these financial relationships makes the U.S. – U.K. bilateral relationship by far the most important with regard to global financial stability. As a result, our two countries have a strong mutual interest in ensuring that, if such an institution should fail, it can be resolved at no cost to taxpayers and without placing the financial system at risk.
European authorities have also called for the establishment of a European resolution agency, expected to be proposed this year, that would have broad legal powers and work closely with national authorities.
These recent developments signaled an opportunity for the FDIC to engage our counterparts in the European Union with the goal of better coordinating our resolution planning as well as share experience on deposit guaranty schemes. As a result, the EC and the FDIC have agreed to establish a joint working group made up of senior officials from our respective agencies that would meet twice a year, once in Washington and once in Brussels, to discuss issues of mutual interest relating to resolution and deposit insurance.
The first meeting of the joint working group took place in Washington last month.
Among the topics discussed at that meeting were:
The next meeting of the Working Group will take place in Brussels later this year. We will also be exchanging detailees twice a year as a way to develop better understanding of our respective organizations.
Let me say that as Europe moves toward greater fiscal consolidation and the establishment of a single bank regulator, there is a strong logic for the European Community to develop a European wide approach to both cross border resolution and deposit insurance. In that regard, the FDIC may have useful and relevant experience to share. We very much look forward to our ongoing engagement with the EC.
Let me say in conclusion that we understand that there is a great deal more work to do in terms of developing effective cross border relationships with our key foreign counterparts in order to manage an orderly resolution of a globally active SIFI. I do believe that the initiatives I have outlined today represent meaningful steps in that direction. We are very committed to pursuing these efforts. The stakes for both international financial stability and market accountability for these global financial institutions are very high.
|Last Updated 3/04/2013


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As Republican presidential candidates cross the Midwestern state of Iowa before the January 3rd caucus, they are greeted by supporters and demonstrators at campaign events. Police arrested scores during so-called Occupy the Caucus protests in the week before the nation's first event in this year's presidential election process.
Political science student Jessica Reznicek considers herself a career activist. ?You really have to care about what you are doing and really being O.K. with not receiving any money in return, it is a lot of dedication and enthusiasm," she said.
Her dedication was on display outside Republican presidential candidate Michelle Bachmann?s campaign headquarters in suburban Des Moines. ?You have to go there and you have to put your voices and your bodies on the line, and make a statement wherever that candidate is and say that we are more important than him or her," she said.
Occupy the Caucus protesters traveled by bus to Bachmann?s office to protest corporate political campaign influence. When protesters ignored warnings they were trespassing, police moved in and arrested 10.
Reznicek never had a chance to air her concerns to Bachmann; the congresswoman stayed inside her campaign headquarters.
It was the latest in a series of protests by Occupy the Caucus that ended in much the same way, protesters making their way to candidate offices, only to leave by police car. ?We are just trying to open the conversation, and if that means some of my friends get arrested to get the reporters here, then that is what they will do," says Dutch Ruisch.
Dutch Ruisch says one tactic of the Occupy movement during the Iowa caucuses is to use the increased media presence to draw politicians into debate about the protesters' issues. ?I cannot afford $1,000 a plate to hear some candidates speak," he said. "Why do candidates not listen to us because we do not have the money
Despite the arrests on the campaign trail, Occupy the Caucus protesters say they have no intention of disrupting the January 3rd Caucus.
?We will not disrupt the caucus at all. We respect the privilege and the right that Americans have to vote," said Ruisch.
Ruish says the anger of the Occupy movement is not solely targeted at Republicans. They also targeted the offices of Democratic lawmakers in Iowa. ?We are pretty disgusted with Obama," he said. "He promised 'hope,' he promised 'change.' What has he done?
Ruisch says more than 1,000 people have participated in Occupy events in the past several days, and he expects more protesters in Des Moines before Republican voters gather Tuesday to choose their favorite candidate.


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It's taken me five years but I've come to the realization that I want you to ask me questions about Autism.
I want your inane, ill informed, insensitive and bizarre questions. BRING THEM ON. It's because, honestly, there is so much bad information out there, so much damned misunderstanding thanks to the media and the RAIN MAN and anything else you can think of, that I've decided I want to answer all of the questions. I'll tell you the truth. You might not like the truth, but unlike Jack Nicholson, I think you can handle it.
Some questions you should ask, if you don't know the answer:
- So how'd they get Autism? I don't really know. No one does. More and more it seems like it might be genetic but again, no one really knows.
- How long will they be like that? Forever. Or not. Again, no one knows.
- So how do they fix that? They don't. They don't fix it. They try to help us and them learn to work around it and work through it, but there's no fixing Autism, no matter what Jenny McCarthy says.
- I heard Jenny McCarthy say..... is that true?: To anything with her name on it, no she's an idiot. Even if she happened to be right, no she's an idiot.
- Do ya'll go to church and pray over it a lot? No. Next question.
- Why don't they know what causes it? It's probably because it's not just one thing, or because it doesn't act the same way person to person. It's similar, but not the same in each person. That's why it's referred to as a spectrum.
- Do you all do those special diets to cure it? No. Special diets don't cure Autism. What they can do is alleviate secondary side allergies, food sensitivities that go along WITH Autism. However, it also seems that these food allergies and sensitivities might be more common in the regular population than we realize and we simply have the luxury of communicating about it. Autistic children just eat what they are fed, if they like it, whether or not they should.
- Why are they both autistic? My guess? Genetics. But could've been something that happened in-utero, something poison and toxic to them I ate, or drank. No one knows.
- How do you do it? I could never deal with that. Of course you could. They hand you babies after hours of labor. You love them instantly and completely. That doesn't stop when you find out they aren't "right". That doesn't stop through the years before diagnosis that you have that nagging feeling something is off and you don't know what.
- Did you see this show/that show/the other show about person XYZ with Autism? The answer to this will almost always be no. And it's not that I don't appreciate you sharing with me, it's that Autism isn't something I want to watch shows about or movies about. I can't escape it, not at work, not when I travel, not when I'm at lunch alone - it's on my mind, if not being actively influential in everything in my world. It's 7:17 am and there is a 9 year old Autistic boy behind me singing 1-20, over and over and over. It's been going on since 6:50. So, no, I don't watch shows about it. If I am watching a show I want to be entertained or educated. I'm already educated as hell on Autism.
These are a short list of the few questions I've been asked recently. Everyone knows someone with an autistic kid. Everyone.
That should bother you. Does everyone know someone with a Down's Syndrome kid? Nope. One in 88 children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. 12 out of 10,000 are born with Down's Syndrome.
One in 88.
So please ask your questions. Ask them all. LEARN about it. Understand it. Because the only thing I can be pretty sure of, is that it's going to effect you in some way, you or someone you love. Do the math.


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My very sweet orange tabby named Pumpkin has been AWOL for the past five days. He's a neutered male, three years old, with no real identifying marks other than a notch taken out of his right ear (as you can see in the photo). He is microchipped to prove he's mine. He's most likely to be in the west end of Alameda. If you see him, please e-mail me at email@example.com. I'm anxious to get him home as his gardening chores (chasing butterflies, chewing grass, laying around) are starting to pile up.
Update: The prodigal cat has returned, apparently none the worse for wear. Thanks for all who expressed their concern!


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Conservation through Education
Home | The Animals | World of Macaws | Blue and Gold Macaw
World of Macaws
(Hook Bills)
Macaws are considered to be the most intelligent of all birds and are called by
many biologists the FLYING PRIMATES. This WORLD specializes in eight species/subspecies
of Large Macaws.
Common Name: Blue and Gold Macaw
Genus/Species: Ara ararauna
From eastern Panama across a vast area of northern South America, to Bolivia, Paraguay
and most parts of Brazil.
Natural Habitat:
Wooded riparian zones, swamps, virgin forests and savannas.
Macaws congregate on riverbanks in the jungle.
Parrots are tree species, their slow waddling gait on the ground makes them
vulnerable to predators. The birds do not light on the ground until their group
numbers 30 or more. The largest home range of the Macaws in South America.
Physical Appearance:
Physical appearance may slightly vary depending on geographic area. Regardless
of size, all macaws are characterized by strong beaks, long pointed tails, loud
voices, and a facial area of bare skin called the cheek patch.
They signal anger or unease by blushing.
The cheek patch in the Blue and Gold is adorned with a line of single black
feathers in a stitchery like pattern.
Head, back, and wings are blue and the chest and body up to the eye is gold. The tail feather is blue on the top
and gold underneath. There is a patch of black under the chin. Their tongue is all
They generally lay their two or three eggs in a two-day interval.
The incubation period is from 21 to 28 days. All macaws are devoted family
birds, mating for life and looking after their young even after they are grown. They are altricial at birth.
The young are vigorous even when young.
The little macaws beg for food by flinging their wings and giving loud
cries. The parent responds by grasping
baby's beak at an angle; the young bird pumps away, taking food from the parent's
crop into its own. The most disturbing discovery made about macaws is their low
reproductive capacity in the wild.
There may be as few as 15 to 25 young born each year to a group of 100 breeding
pairs. They do not breed annually.
STATUS in Natural Habitat:
Threatened to Endangered in their natural habitat.
Cool Fact:
Blue and Gold Macaws are considered more alert, intelligent, inquiring, mischievous
and better at imitating human speech than some of the other Macaws.
Click Here For Daily Activities Schedule


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Post your powerlifting workouts and/or training journals here!
This board (which was just created thanks to Ryan) is for all of the PLing/Strongman/Strength athlete members to post their workouts on to recieve critique. Please post all workout journals here, and ONLY journals.
Some basic rules.
1) If you have a question ABOUT POWERLIFTING, post it on...
Intro: I'll come back to this when I'm not feeling so lazy
Training since beginning RTS:
RTS Intermediate Routine Week 1 Day 1
Beltless Squats
335x4 @ 8.5
Had a good stretch from this time last year to March this year but had a pilonidal cyst that needed surgery so I was out for about 8 weeks. Not as bad as my last lay-off from the flu, pneumonia and other infections early 2018 that put me out for 12+ weeks or costochondritis that put me out from...
Steel Bending
- (6", 3/16, cold rolled) x 1
- (5", 3/16, cold rolled) x 1
- (6", 1/4, hot-galv nail) x 5 -- braced
- (7", 1/4, cold rolled) x 0 -- braced -- bent it a few degrees
- (6", 1/4, grade 2 bolt) x 5
- (7", 1/4, cold rolled) x 0 -- braced -- bent it a few degrees
I used to post on these forums a while ago (probably too much), moved my log over to the sweat pit but it seems to have gone offline.
I was a powerlifter for a couple of years, best gym lifts 170 x 5 squat, 105 x 5 bench and 200 x 5 deadlift. When I went to university I joined the olympic...
I have decided I need to log my progress and hope that it will increase my lifts. I have not done a meet in about seven years so I thought I would start this log to help me. I powerlifted in the late 80's to about 1990 on and off and had not done another meet until 2010. I now have the time to...
Starting this journal to mark progress and gains. Been training for around 18months now and put on around 28lbs...mostly muscle but obviously some fat as well. Will be weighing myself before I start but somewhere in the region of 210lbs I would guess with around 25% bodyfat.
Main goal for the...
Hello all, and welcome to my log. I am a beginning lifter who has been at it for about 7 months. I just finished up "The Juggernaut Method" and now it's time for me to go back to 5/3/1. I have a meet picked out next year, June 7th and 8th, 2014. It will be my first ever meet and I will be training...
I'm pulling out of the trenches with a new log showcasing what keeps me healthy enough that i can force the volume higher than the Eiffel Tower.
My training is widespread ****arounditis pulling in different principles and methodologies to keep me going. Anyone who's done anything brutal can feel...
Routine Background:
I've done a few different types of routines, but found what works best for me is a modified Sheiko. The routine I'm working with right now is a modified version of Wade Hoopers training routine for 2006 USAPL Nationals. I'll be using this & changing it to suit my needs as I...
Time to hit the weights again!
It's been nearly two months since I last lifted any iron. Body weight is down by about 6kg (13lbs), definatelt lost some muscle mass, and of course, strength is way down. So I have alot of catching up to do.
I was planning on running a typical bb type routine but...
Im moving my log from wannabebig, because their site goes down from time to time and I lose tracking on some of the days..
As the title of my log implies, I do quite bit of "cluster" work, whether it be more traditional clusters of 1-1-1 or 3-3-3 with only 15-30 seconds between. Also, Ive...
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Order threads in...
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.
Forum Rules


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After all these years, has there been a more complete, beautiful, gentlemanly, sporty Ferrari than the 250 SWB?
What's that you say? 288 GTO? F40? 250 Lusso? Stop kidding yourself. There is only one right way to Ferrari perfection, and that is the skittish, perfectly proportioned, road-racing predecessor to the 250 GTO.
Now, you could argue that there is such a thing as technological progress. You're wrong. YOU'RE WRONG. Lord Spiegelblaster, the Longer Laster Masterblaster blessed us with this relevant knowledge while we drooled over Tesla's robo-keg built out of prototype parts for the Model S.
Yeah it's cool and all but in all fairness you lose a lot of what is cool about pouring your own beer. The weight and coldness of the bottle, that feeling you get when you hear the beer hitting the glass and it foams up. It's as if beer pouring has lost its soul. It used to be taken directly from the keg, by hand and it was great! They even had people specially trained to handle the beer and different alcoholic beverages required different pouring techniques. But then the automatic, electric-powered beer dispensers came and it was great for some...just not for me.
This is where the beer world is heading and while it's a great, bright future for most, I don't think it'll be a great future for me.
Hm. We're sure there's some connection here to old car technology, like the gorgeous open-gated manual in that 250 SWB, but we can't think of anything.
Photo Credit: °mario°


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Preterm infants exposed to stressors in NICU display reduced brain size
New research shows that exposure to stressors in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) is associated with alterations in the brain structure and function of very preterm infants. According to the study now available in Annals of Neurology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Neurological Association and Child Neurology Society, infants who experienced early exposure to stress displayed decreased brain size, functional connectivity, and abnormal motor behavior.
Infants born prior to the 37th week of pregnancy are considered preterm, which occurs in 9.6% of all births worldwide, according to the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO). A report by The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development confirms that preterm birth occurs in 12% of all pregnancies in the U.S. In addition to increased mortality risk, prior studies have shown that up to 10% of very preterm infants (22-32 weeks gestation) have cerebral palsy, nearly 40% display mild motor deficiency, and up to 60% experience cognitive impairments, social difficulties and emotional issues.
Babies who are premature are commonly admitted to the NICU for specialized medical attention, allowing time for immature organs to further develop. While interventional studies have demonstrated that exposure to stressors in the NICU may be harmful and reducing stress in premature infants improved outcomes, it is unknown how stressors in neonatal units impacts infant brain development. The present study, led by Drs. Terrie Inder and Gillian Smith, both Washington University researchers at St. Louis Children's Hospital in Missouri, is the first to report on the effects of stress among hospitalized preterm infants and its impact on brain development.
For their observational study, the research team recruited 44 preterm infants within 24 hours of birth from November 2008 to December 2009. Study participants were less than 30 weeks gestation, or very preterm, and stress was measured by using the Neonatal Infant Stressor Scale (NISS)a scale consisting of 36 interventions that contribute to infant stress, ranging from diaper change to intubation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and neurobehavioral examinations were used to evaluate cerebral structure and function.
Results show that the average daily exposure to stressors was greatest in the first 14 days following birth. The greater number of stressors that an infant was exposed to was associated with decreased frontal and parietal brain width. Researchers also reported altered brain microstructure and functional connectivity within the temporal lobes in infants with early stress exposure. Abnormal movement pattern and reflex scores were lower among preterm infants exposed to higher stress in the first two weeks of life.
"Our findings suggest that stress exposure reduces the brain size in early preterm infants and long-term consequences are unknown," said Dr. Inder. "However, prior research has found that brain volume at (term) birth is a predictor of neurodevelopmental outcomes later in childhood." The authors suggest that further research of stress exposure on the preterm brain, independent of illness severity, is needed to improve outcomes for premature infants.
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Electronic flame detection and control
Automatic burner control units IFD 244
Automatic burner control units IFD 244
Our company also supplies products and components from Kromschröder. The history of Kromschröder begins in 1865 and the company has undergone a series of transformations over the years. Kromschröder is now part of Honeywell (Elster Kromschröder) and the product range includes gas meters for homes and business premises, safety valves and control components for heating systems and systems for measuring and controlling industrial heating processes.


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Pneumatic Trabeculoplasty (PNT) Has Not Been
Proven Safe and Effective for Treating Glaucoma
Stephen Barrett, M.D.
Glaucoma is a group of disorders in which pressure within the eyeball [intraocular pressure (IOP)] exceeds the person's tolerance and, over a period of years, can damage the eye and impair vision. The damage can range from slight impairment to complete blindness. The pressure results from an imbalance between production and drainage of the intraocular fluid (aqueous humor). The pressure is usually high, but damage can occur at relatively low levels in people whose tolerance to pressure is apparently low. Most cases of glaucoma can be controlled with eyedrops [1]. Oral medication and/or surgery may be used when control cannot be achieved with the drops.
This article concerns pneumatic trabeculoplasty (PNT), a surgical procedure claimed to lower IOP and reduce or eliminate the need for medication. After studying the evidence with help from several experts, I have concluded that PNT does not work and poses serious danger to patients.
Background History
In 1997, the Arizona Glaucoma Institute (AGI), of Scottsdale, Arizona, began offering a "new treatment" for open-angle and pigmentary glaucoma using a patented vacuum-ring device. Devices of this type are FDA-approved for stabilizing the eye during refractive surgery, but they are not approved in the United States for treating glaucoma. The institute's parent company, Coronado Industries, marketed the device through another subsidiary called Ophthalmic International. The device was invented by company chairman Richard G. Smith and ophthalmologist John T. LiVecchi, M.D. and patented by Coronado in 1994 [2]. Company documents have described LiVecchi as medical director and a major shareholder of Coronado Industries.
The patent document states:
The open angle glaucoma treatment apparatus is a vacuum source and a vacuum applicator coupled by a hose. The vacuum applicator is an eye ring or an eye cup that is placed on the frontal surface of an eye. Suction (negative pressure) in the range of 10 to 30 mm. Hg. is applied by the vacuum source, which will fixture the ring or cup to the eye, or alternatively pressure is applied for 15 to 120 seconds. A second treatment is recommended later. It could be within twelve hours, on the following day, or within the next couple of days [2].
An AGI brochure stated that a 2-minute treatment with the device lowers IOP in most cases. [3] Another AGI document stated that during the previous four years, "a good number" of patients had been taken off of their medication completely and that "a number of patients" remained on medication but required reduced dosage [4]. PNT cost about $200 per treatment. In September 1997, the institute offered free glaucoma screenings in connection with its "grand opening." [5]
Early in 1998, an Arizona investment firm seeking investors for Coronado Industries issued a private offering summary which noted that the AGI's medical director, ophthalmologist Leo D. Bores, M.D., had originated the radial keratotomy procedure [6]. The solicitation, intended "for broker-dealer internal use only," projected after-tax earnings of $12 million in 1998, $46 million in 1999, and $99 million in the year 2000. The solicitation also stated that the proceeds would be used to open additional Glaucoma Treatment Centers and that Coronado Industries believed that "insurance companies will . . . quickly approve payment for the new device and procedure since it is projected to reduce the cost of long-term care costs associated with alternative treatments." [6] However, the company's Form SB-2 Registration Statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on 8/24/98, noted receipts of only $179,767 and an overall loss of $648,702 for the first half of 1998 [7].
Coronado's hopes for financial success have not materialized. The AGI clinic closed in 1999 after the Arizona Medical Board took action (described below) against Dr. Bores, and lack of FDA approval has blocked sale of the device within the United States. The device received CERMET certification in 2004, which means it can be marketed in about 25 other countries. So far, however, Coronado has steadily lost money since its inception.
No Evidence of Effectiveness
The fluid within the eyeball normally drains through the trabecular meshwork, a thin net-like band that lies between between the cornea (the clear window of the eye) and the sclera (the white portion of the eye). Glaucoma usually occurs because the mesh becomes clogged or is unable to allow sufficient drainage. When this happens, since fluid production continues, IOP builds up. Proponents postulate that PNT reduces IOP by stretching the trabecular meshwork so that more fluid flows out of the eye. However, this has not been anatomically demonstrated.
Studying whether a treatment is effective against glaucoma is complicated because (a) IOP can vary from day to day, (b) sensitivity to increased pressure can vary considerably from person to person, (c) blindness from glaucoma typically takes 12 to 15 years to develop, so long-term monitoring is necessary, and (d) the tests that measure IOP involve interpretations that could be influenced by observer bias. To be valid, a test protocol should include the following:
- Patient selection should based on repeated tests that show a consistent pattern of IOP elevation.
- Treated patients (or eyes) should be compared to patients (or eyes) that are untreated or receive standard treatment.
- Patient selection should be randomized to ensure that treated and untreated eyes are comparable before treatment is applied. Failure to do this can result in selection bias.
- The people doing the eye-pressure measurements should not be able to tell which eyes were treated and which were not. Failure to do this can result in observer bias (a possible conscious or unconscious tendency to make favorable findings).
- The data must undergo appropriate statistical analysis.
PNT proponents claim that three published studies demonstrate effectiveness. Two of these studies were described by Drs. Bores and LiVecchi and a Mexican ophthalmologist (Guillermo Avalos Urzúa, M.D.) in a paper that was published in 2005 in the Annals of Ophthalmology [8]. The first study involved 177 patients of Avelos and LiVecchi who underwent PNT twice one week apart and then about every 3 months for from 2 to 8 years between 1994 and 2001. The report stated that many of these patients were able to reduce or eliminate their glaucoma medication and that there was a 6.3 mm Hg drop in average IOP. The second study involved 317 eyes from 172 patients that Bores treated at the Arizona Glaucoma Institute for up to 18 months beginning in 1997. The report stated that many of these patients were able to reduce or eliminate the the amount of medication they took. However, these studies were so poorly designed that they should be regarded as meaningless.
- Patient selection was not randomized.
- The initial (baseline) IOP readings were not properly determined. The proper way to determine baseline values is to screen everyone on the same schedule and often enough to determine their average level. Instead of doing this, Bores, LiVecchi, and Avelos relied on high readings obtained when the patients happened to be seen. Doing this virtually ensures that the baseline IOPs assigned to patients are higher than their true average pressure and will falsely appear to drop when more frequent measurements are made, regardless of whether they are treated.
- Masking was not used to prevent the researchers from knowing whether the eyes being evaluated had been treated. This is important to guard against observer bias.
- Neither study contained control group of patients who did not undergo PNT, so that it is not possible to judge whether any lowering was due to PNT or to other factors. It is also possible that lowering could result from patients being studied taking their medication more carefully.
The third allegedly positive study was published in 2005 in the European Journal of Ophthalmology [9]. This study involved 37 patients who were observed during 2001 and 2002 in two Italian clinics. The protocol called for treating one eye in each patient while the other served as a control for 30 days. The second eye was then treated, and the first eye was treated again two months later. The first eye treated was the one with the higher IOP. The authors claim that PNT lowered the average IOP by about 2 mg Hg. However, the study had many flaws, and proper statistical analysis actually shows no benefit.
- Eye selection should have been randomized rather than based on which eye had the highest initial IOP.
- The results were not compared with those of comparable patients who received standard treatment.
- To determine the treatment effect on the second eye, the authors compared the IOP after PNT was done with the IOP when the study began. They should have compared the pressure after PNT was done with the pressure at day 30 before PNT was done. When this is done, the "statistical significance" vanishes.
- Ten people (27% of the original group) dropped out of the study because their IOP could not be controlled. The final statistical analysis did not include them in the calculation. (In other words, they took the data, eliminated the worst ten results, and then reported on the average of the rest.)
- The IOP reduction the authors claimed for the Bores data was only about 2 mm Hg, which is too small to be clinically significant.
- The longest follow-up period was only about 3 months.
- No masking to prevent bias from influencing IOP measurements was described.
- The eyes that were treated first had two rounds of treatment. Yet their average IOP remained higher than the other eyes that received only one round of treatment. If PNT were effective, the eyes that received two rounds of treatment should have done better than eyes that had received one.
The best designed study of PNT was reported in 1998 by researchers at Duke University. This study involved 8 glaucoma patients with who had one eye treated while the other served as a control. Measurements at 1 hour, 2 hours, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months later found no reduction of IOP or improvement in the drainage of fluid from within the eye [10].
The European Journal of Ophthalmology paper mentions but does not identify another study that involved 49 patients with glaucoma who took multiple medications and/or had prior multiple surgeries, and "did not respond well to PNT."
Significant Safety Risk
Normal IOPs range from 8 to 20 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). In high-pressure glaucoma, the levels range from 21 to 40. In rare cases, new patients present with higher levels. The higher the IOP, the more likely that optic nerve damage will occur.
PNT temporarily squeezes the front of the eyeball and raises the IOP to 65 and perhaps even higher. In someone with an already damaged optic nerve, this could be serious. The accepted treatment for glaucoma is to lower the IOP with medication or surgery. Experiments in monkeys have demonstrated that sudden pressure elevations can compromise the blood supply to the optic nerve and accelerate nerve cell death in already weakened cells [11,12], and human experiments have found that acute pressure increases can increase cupping of the optic nerve [13,14]. Two cases have been reported of patients who lost part of their vision following refractive surgery during which a suction ring was applied to their eyeball [15,16]. Although no such complications have been reported with PNT, it still should be viewed with caution. Damage from high IOP may not be immediately apparent because visual impairment from glaucoma typically takes many years to develop. Proof of safety and effectiveness would require long-term studies showing not only that IOP is lowered, but also that the patients' visual fields have not been adversely affected.
Minor complications from PNT appear to be common. The Italian researchers stated that 34 of their 37 patients had adverse effects such as redness of the eye (26 patients) or conjunctival bleeding (14 patients), but these effects were temporary and not serious.
FDA Objections
Documents obtained with a Freedom of Information Act request indicate that in February 1998, the FDA issued a warning letter to Ophthalmic International president G. Richard Smith. The letter stated:
During an inspection of your firm conducted between November 25 and December 11, 1997, our investigators determined that your firm distributed two vacuum fixation devices with suction rings to the Arizona Glaucoma Institute. . . for use in treating patients with glaucoma using a pneumatic trabeculoplasty (PNT) procedure. These products are devices as defined by . . . the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.
Your vacuum fixation devices are adulterated . . . in that they are Class III devices. . . and do not have approved applications for investigational device exemption (IDE). . . . Your . . . devices are also misbranded . . . in that a notice or other information respecting the devices was not provided to the FDA as required [17].
The letter indicated that because the device is not approved for the treatment of glaucoma, the FDA regards it as a new device for which FDA approval is required and that:
The sponsors of investigations, investigators, or any persons acting for or on behalf of a sponsor or an investigator may not promote or test market an investigational device or represent that it is safe or effective for the purpose for which it is being investigated.
Smith replied that (a) the vacuum fixation device did have an IDE and should not be considered a Class III device, (b) an Institutional Review Board (IRB) had determined that the device did not pose an unreasonable risk to patients, and (c)his company plans to submit an application to broaden the way the device is used [18]. However, an FDA official responded that (a) the device had not been formally classified, (b) new devices are automatically placed in Class III, and (c) the agency disagreed with the IRB's conclusion [19]. In August 1998, the company submitted an IDE application, which the FDA rejected.
Disciplinary Action
In March 1999, Dr. Bores announced that he had retired from clinical practice but would continue to direct research at anther clinic with which AGI had merged [20]. In December 1999, after additional communication with the FDA, Ophthalmic International was given permission to conduct a small "feasibility study." [23] Federal regulations state that during clinical studies, no investigator or sponsor can commercially distribute an unapproved device, charge subjects more than the amount needed to cover costs, or represent that the device is safe or effective for its intended purpose. The Arizona Medical Board concluded that Bores did all of these things, lacked FDA approval to conduct any PNT studies, and improperly collected Medicare payments for patients treated between December 1997 and February 1999. In April 2003, the board reprimanded Bores and placed him on two years' probation under which he was barred from conducting studies that did not meet FDA criteria. He was also required to reimburse Medicare for $15,539.81 that he had been paid for the 1997-1999 treatments [21].
The Current Situation
Press releases from Coronado Industries indicate that the company has received approval to market its PNT equipment in several countries and has begun to do that. However, it appears to be a long way off from getting FDA clearance to sell within the United States. Its third-quarter 2005 report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission states:
The Company has not made an operating profit since its reorganization in 1996. Further, the Company has a working capital deficit of $891,435 and a negative net worth of $878,266.
At this time the greatest impediment to the Company's profitability is the FDA approval of the sale of its products in the United States. The Company has been attempting to negotiate the protocol for a clinical study in the United States which would be relatively short in duration and inexpensive to complete. The previous finding of a "significant patient risk" by the FDA has thus far been a problem to negotiating a favorable clinical study protocol. The Company is hopeful that the results of a recent animal study and a new presentation of older patient records will permit a favorable clinical study protocol to be granted by the FDA within the next year.
If a favorable clinical study protocol were granted by the FDA the Company anticipates it will be about two years after the clinical study commences before the Company's products could be sold in the U.S. The estimated cost of the clinical study is several million dollars. The Company is hopeful a major medical equipment distributor will pay the majority of the clinical study expenses as consideration for receiving the U.S. or worldwide marketing rights to the products. If the Company is unable to obtain third party funding of the clinical study, the Company will seek equity or debt financing for the clinical study. There is no assurance that the Company will be able to adequately fund any clinical study permitted by the FDA.
Until the Company receives its FDA approval the Company will be dependent on loans from its management and improved international sales. During 2004 the Company received its Type 2a product classification and began shipping its products overseas pursuant to four distribution contracts. The Company recorded product revenue of approximately $88,330 during the first three quarters of 2005. The Company anticipates slightly increased product revenues in 2006 from these European distribution agreements [22].
The Bottom Line
Pneumatic trabeculoplasty has not been proven safe or effective for treating glaucoma; and Coronado Industries' vacuum fixation device lacks FDA approval for such use. It remains to be seen whether additional research will demonstrate benefit. I do not believe that it will.
For Additional Information about Glaucoma
- American Academy of Ophthalmology
- Glaucoma Foundation: (800) 452-8266. Has a 20-page brochure online.
- Glaucoma Research Foundation: (800) 826-6693.
- National Eye Institute
- State ophthalmic or optometric boards
- Don't Waste Money on Overpriced Eyedrops
Two ophthalmologist served as consultants for this article:
- Dan L. Eisenberg, M.D., a biostatistician and glaucoma specialist who practices at the Shepherd Eye Center in Las Vegas, Nevada
- George Reiss, M.D., a glaucoma specialist who practices in Glendale, Arizona.
- Glaucoma. In Beers MH, Berko R, editors. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, Seventeenth Edition. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck Research Laboratories, 1999, pp 733-738.
- Open angle treatment apparatus and method. Patent No. 5,601,548, Feb 11, 1997.
- Announcing a new treatment for glaucoma. Flyer from the Arizona Glaucoma Institute, Scottsdale, Arizona, 1997.
- "Dear Glaucoma Patient." Letter from Arizona Glaucoma Institute. Undated, acquired in 1997.
- Coronado Industries, Inc., announces grand opening of exclusive glaucoma treatment center. Press release, Sept 5, 1997.
- Private offering summary. $5,600,000. Coronado Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ Symbol CDIK) 12% 5-year Convertible Notes. Fox & Company Investments, Phoenix, Arizona, January 29, 1998.
- Coronado Industries. Form SB-2 Registration Statement filed 8/24/98 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
- Urzua GA, Bores LD, LiVecchi JT. A new method to treat primary open-angle glaucoma and reduce the number of concomitant medications. Annals of Ophthalmology 37:37-46, 2005.
- Bucci MG and others. Pilot study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pneumatic trabeculoplasty in glaucoma and ocular hypertension. European Journal of Ophthalmology 15:347-352, 2005.
- Harris JW and others. Determination of the efficacy and mechanism of action for pneumatic trabeculoplasty in the treatment of open-angle glaucoma. Abstract. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science 39(4), 1998.
- Shirakashi M. The effects of intraocular pressure elevation on optic nerve axonal transport in the monkey. Acta Ophthalmologica 68:37-43, 1990.
- Coleman AL and others. Displacement of the optic nerve head by acute changes in intraocular pressure in monkey eyes. Ophthalmology 98:35-40, 1991.
- Parrow KA and others. Intraocular pressure-dependent dynamic changes of optic disc cupping in adult glaucoma patients. Ophthalmology 99:36-40, 1992.
- Azuara-Blanco A and others. Effects of short term increase of intraocular pressure on optic disc cupping. British Journal of Ophthalmology 82:880-883, 1998.
- Bushley DM and others. Visual field defect associated with laser in situ keratomileusis. American Journal of Ophthalmology 129:668-671, 2000.
- Weiss HS and others. LASIK-associated visual field loss in a glaucoma suspect. Archives of Ophthalmology 119:173-174, 2001.
- Messa EC. Warning letter to Gary Smith, President, Ophthalmic International. FDA Los Angeles District Office, February 12, 1998.
- Smith GR. Letter to FDA Compliance Officer Dannie E. Rowland, March 30, 1998.
- Messa EC. Letter to G. Richard Smith, May 4, 1998.
- Bores LD. A notice from the Arizona Glaucoma Institute, February 26, 1999.
- Consent agreement and order for letter of reprimand and probation. In the matter of Leo Bores, M.D. Arizona Medical Board Case # MD-97-0948, April 4, 2003.
- Coronado Industries. Quarterly report under section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2005.
This article was revised on January 15, 2006.


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NBC Sports' Bob Costas speaks out in this exclusive interview with Lawrence O'Donnell about his Sunday night comments on the gun culture of America and the murder-suicide committed by Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher.
NBC Sports commentator Bob Costas on Tuesday expanded on comments he made Sunday about the need for gun control in the wake of the murder-suicide of an NFL player.
"What I was talking about here – and I'm sorry if that wasn't clear to everybody – was a gun culture," Costas said on MSNBC's "Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell," referring to comments he made during his weekly half-time slot on NBC's Sunday Night Football. "I never mentioned the Second Amendment. I never used the words gun control. People inferred that. Now, do I believe that we need more comprehensive and sensible gun control? Yes I do. That doesn't mean repeal the Second Amendment."
Costas sparked a firestorm when he read from a column written by Fox Sports columnist Jason Whitlock, saying: "If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today."
Belcher, a Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, shot and killed his 22-year-old girlfriend Kasandra Perkins on Saturday, before fatally shooting himself. The gun he used was registered legally, police confirmed on Monday.
Related: Report: Belcher shot girlfriend then kissed her forehead
Following Costas's comments, social media sites lit up as people sided with Costas or berated him.
In his interview with O'Donnell, Costas emphasized a gun culture "that demonstrates itself in different ways":
"It demonstrates itself in the Wild West, Dirty Harry mentality of people who actually believe that if a number of people were armed in the theater in Aurora, they would have been able to take down this nut-job in body armor and military-style artillery," he said. "It plays itself out in the inner cities where teenage kids are somehow armed to the hilt. And it plays itself in the sports world where young athletes are disproportionately armed."
Read more at The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell
Costas relayed an anecdote relayed to him by Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Dungy asked 80 football players at training camp if they owned a gun. Sixty-five hands went up.
"Even if all those guns were obtained legally, you can't have 65 guys in their 20s – aggressive young men subject to impulses, without something bad happening," Costas said.
He continued: "Give me one example of an athlete – I know it's happened in society – give me one example of an athlete by virtue of his having a gun, took a dangerous situation and turned it around for the better. I can't think of a single one. Sadly, I can think of dozens that by virtue of having a gun, a professional athlete wound up in a tragic situation."
Responding to criticism that Costas didn't blame Belcher for the murder of his girlfriend: "No one is saying that Belcher is not responsible. However, the ready easy availability of guns makes mayhem easier. The easy availability of guns makes this sort of thing far more likely to occur."
Meanwhile Fox's Whitlock told Roland Martin of Roland Martin Reports that he hadn't gone far enough in his original commentary. He said that he took advantage of writing about gun violence in his column because so many people ignore the real world but they do pay attention to sports.
"I believe the NRA is the new KKK," Whitlock said. "And that the arming of so many black youths, and loading up our community with drugs, and then just having an open shooting gallery, is the work of people that obviously don't have our best interests."
NBC's Kari Huus and Isolde Raftery contributed to this report.
More content from NBCNews.com:
- Disability-compensation claims for veterans lag as 'VA backlog' worsens
- More than 20,000 students to miss school as teachers in Chicago suburb strike
- 'You killed Jesus' scrawled on Hanukkah menorah
- Witnesses: Man pushed to his death on NYC subway tracks after argument
Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook


text:
A man pushing his friend in a wheelchair wrestled a gun away from a man who shot him and then shot his attacker in the head on the South Side Friday night, according to police.
The 21-year-old man was in the 200 block of Root Street in the Fuller Park neighborhood about 6:30 p.m. when a 19-year-old man approached him and opened fire, police said. The two men were from rival gangs, police said.
The 21-year-old was hit in the arm and upper back and fought with the younger man after getting shot. He was able to get the gun and shot the 19-year-old "multiple" times, police said.
The 19-year-old who initiated the exchange may not survive but if he does, will be charged with the shooting, according to police.
The two people shot were among at least nine wounded in attacks across the city Friday into Saturday morning.
A 17-year-old boy was wounded late Friday morning in the South Shore neighborhood on the South Side. About 11:40 a.m., the victim was found wounded on the 2400 block of East 75th Street, said Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer Jose Estrada. The boy suffered wounds to his buttocks and legs and was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where his condition had been stabilized, Estrada said. There was no immediate information about the circumstances leading up to the shooting and area Central Detectives were investigating.
At about 5:57 p.m. a 24-year-old man was shot in the face on the 7000 block of South Aberdeen Street in the Englewood neighborhood, said News Affairs Officer Daniel O'Brien. The man was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center where his condition had stabilized, O'Brien said. Area South detectives were investigating.
About 10:30 p.m. a 19-year-old man was shot in the 3500 block of West Douglas Boulevard in the North Lawndale neighborhood, police said. He's in serious condition at Mount Sinai Hospital.
About an hour later, a 21-year-old was shot twice in the hip in the 9000 block of South Escanaba Avenue in the South Chicago neighborhood. He was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where his condition had stabilized.
Latest Breaking News
A 19-year-old was shot in the foot about 1 a.m. in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, just north of the intersection of St. Louis Avenue and Hirsch Street. He was hit in the foot and taken to Norwegian-American Hospital in good condition, police said.
Another man walked into Holy Cross Hospital about 2:15 a.m. with gunshot wounds to the chin and back, News Affairs Officer Ron Gaines said. The 32-year-old is in critical condition and transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital. He told police he had been shot in the 7000 block of South Wolcott Avenue in West Englewood.
A 23-year-old woman was shot about 5:45 a.m and was dropped off at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. She had been wounded in the buttocks and is in serious condition but isn't cooperating with investigators, police said. The location of the shooting was unknown, police said.
firstname.lastname@example.com | Twitter: @ChicagoBreaking


text:
HTML5/CSS3 survey wizard with progress bar that send the result to your email. It's responsive, can be used of other types of forms like registration process, you can add how many steps you need. It comes with a standalone version and a full version with more features.
Main features
- Valid and clean HTML5/CSS3 code
- Bootstrap 3 Based: looks nice on all devices
- Wizard with progress bar
- Wizard with branch support: user see different steps depending on the answer.
- Tweet Feed Rotator
- PHP page that send the survey data via email
- Jquery validation
- Jquery Switch input field (ON/OFF- YES/NO)
- 360 Font Awesome Icons Retina Ready
- SEO Friendly
- Supported By all major Browsers – IE8 INCLUDED
- Google Web Fonts
- Standalone and Full version version
- Jquery Tweet Feed that support the new API V1.1
- Add a confirmation email (plus optional a survey summary)
- Images Carousel
- Fancy jQuery Lightbox
- Retina ready
- PSD of the radio and checkboxes (shapes/resizable)
Images are not included, you can buy them from Photodune.
Top Selling Form Wizard Items by Ansonika
- Fixed an Issue related the Checkbox and Radio buttons used in the questions: on last IOS13 Ipad only they are not clickable.V1.7 – 8 Oct 2016
- Documentation update.V1.6 – 30 September 2014
- Incorporating an anti-spam honeypot plus another trick.V1.7 – 13 May 2015
- Fixed empty value results for "Branch survey" version.V1.6 – 30 September 2014
- Incorporating an anti-spam honeypot plus another trick.V1.5 – 17 September 2014
- Fixed Firebug Error (Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'settings' of undefined) that affect on ie8 when focus on the input fields.V1.4 – 24 April 2014
- Fix Backward issue with validation: disable the validation on backward - Add a confirmation email (plus optional a survey summary) - New Jquery Tweet Feed that support the new API V1.1V1.3 – 31 January 2014
- New CSS Input Style Switcher IOs StyleV1.2 – 18 December 2013
- Minor css js updateV1.1 – 12 December 2013
- Branching support added - Fixed incrementer input field: move to top the plus button.V1.0
- Initial Release


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bummer guys. 2/3 of some americans think us people in advertising caused the Economic Meltdown. that's harsh. according to this study, people think we tricked them into buying things they can't afford. sheesh. i guess we did / do. oops.sorry! but we didn't think y'ulle would believe us about everything. this study also says that 55% of normal people – that non-advertising types – think that advertising is 'glamourous'. at least we have that. we'll always have glamour, darlings.
anyways don't you think we should be doing some damage control, as an industry? we need to convince people that they can trust us, and more importantly, that we are not responsible for the recession. let's have a quick brainstorm here.
– how about we donate a bunch of money / free studio time to a charity and then publicise it (trade exchange)
– how about we petition to pass a bylaw that says anyone who complains about an advert has to have a go at making a new one from scratch (outcomes based problem-solving)
– how about we make a TV ad about how all the ad agencies got together to get a fake leg made for Lucky the Cheetah in the VW ad (be seen as 'giving back', eco-friendly, green, community-upliftment, etc)
– how about we make a 'fun, tongue-in-cheek reality show' about a creative team (copywriter and art director) who are always drunk, and call it 'Ad Fab'.
– Shall we 'set up a twitter account' for the advertising industry in general. The username could be 'Advertising'. We could twitter quotes about great ads all day, interspersed with quotes about family, and the pursuit of happiness and virtue. (ambient branding – in the background, kind of annoying but then sometimes really makes you think).
Shall we make a facebook application that gives a 'Quote for the Day' from the Ad Fab Show. Stuff like,
'Sweetie darling, just do it, darling, just do it, sweetie.'
– Shall we set up a Fan Page on facebook and suggest it to all our friends. I'll bet they'll just love advertising by then, since it's pretty much embedded itself into their whole lives. Yay.
Do you have suggestions or ideas you have to improve the perception 'normal people' have of us? Are there any agencies out there who would like to take this on as a pro-bono 'opportunity'. Am quite partial to this reality vibe. I think it makes advertising more accessible to the public, and that the characters would be 'likeable'. What yos thank?


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Bergama Travel Guide
Although possible as a day-trip destination from Ayvalık, BERGAMA, site of the ancient city of Pergamon, rates an overnight stop in its own right. Towering over modern Bergama, the stunning acropolis of the Pergamene dynasty is the main attraction, but two lesser sights, the Asklepion and Kızıl Avlu, as well as the town's medieval quarter, are well worth exploring. Bear in mind that the two parts of ancient Pergamon, unshaded and extremely hot at midday in summer, are some distance from each other.
Brief history
Pergamon rose to prominence as the base of Lysimakhos, a successor to Alexander the Great who died in 281 BC. He left considerable treasure to his eunuch-steward Philetaeros who passed it on to his nephew Eumenes I, founder of the Pergamene dynasty. The city only achieved true greatness under Eumenes II (197–159 BC), who built its gymnasium, the Altar of Zeus, library, theatre and acropolis wall. Eumenes' brother Attalos II ruled until 138 BC, followed by the five-year reign of the cruel but scholarly Attalos III, who perversely left the kingdom to the Romans. Under them Pergamon became an artistic and commercial centre of 150,000 people, but after the arrival of the Goths in 262 AD, it declined and fell into ruin.
The German engineer Carl Humann rediscovered ancient Pergamon in 1871, when some locals showed him a strange mosaic that turned out to be part of the relief from the Altar of Zeus. Humann bought the mosaic, and began excavating the acropolis. Work was completed by 1886, but unfortunately most of the finds were carted off to Germany, including the Altar of Zeus reliefs, now in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.
In 1998 a second significant archeological site, the Roman spa and asklepion of Allianoi, was discovered 19km east of Pergamon. However, it had only been partly excavated before the Yortanlı irrigation dam flooded the site in 2011 despite domestic and international protest (see wallianoi.org). The site was first "re-buried" under a protective layer of clay so that future generations may be able to excavate it once the dam's tenure (only 50 years say some experts) is complete.
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