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A proposal for a new school in east Loveland was revived on Wednesday when the Thompson School District Board of Education gave the go-ahead to look for a design team.
The school — which would be located in the High Plains area and partially funded by the tax incremental financing (TIF) in the Centerra metropolitan district — was discussed several years ago, with community forums held in 2008. It was shelved due to economic conditions.
The K-5 or K-8 school would draw on the High Plains Environmental Center in focusing on nature and sustainability concepts and the school could also have a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) component.
The board heard a presentation on the potential school last week and voted unanimously Wednesday to approve the drafting of a request for proposal. It's expected to be sent out in mid-January for design bids that would then have to be approved by the board.
The subject of school safety also played a large role in Wednesday's regular meeting, with board president Sharon Olson leading the meeting with a statement on the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy.
"We cannot begin to imagine the emptiness and pain felt by that community," Olson said. "We want parents, students and staff of the Thompson School District to know we have been and will continue to be vigilant to assure the safety of our students and staff."
That will likely mean auditing of each school's current policies, procedures and mechanisms, a series of community meetings to discuss school safety and a tasking a committee to oversee school safety information and bring that to the board, Superintendent Stan Scheer said.
"We cannot afford not to be very, very intense about school safety," he said.
During his tenure as superintendent of the Murrieta Unified School District in California, Scheer installed bank alarms in every elementary school. He used that as an example of an action that could be taken within the Thompson School District but said the community would have to come together to discuss options. He also stressed the importance of working with local law enforcement.
He met this week with Loveland Police Chief Luke Hecker and said the police department as well as the Larimer County Sheriff's Office have worked closely with the district over the past week.
"I think it's critical that we have a conversation with the community and that we do everything we can to work with our local law enforcement folks," Scheer said.
This week, the district has responded to a variety of rumors as well as concern that parents and students have expressed over Friday and the Mayan predictions, Scheer said, noting that all rumors have been investigated and unfounded.
Also on Wednesday:
— The board approved a variety of personnel recommendations, including Kim Young as principal of Mountain View High School. Young was appointed interim principal in August. Michael Hausmann was hired as the district's new public information officer, following restructuring in the communications department. He will start in January.
— School fees were set for the 2013-14 school year, unchanged over the current year. A new $150 fee for first-time high school football players was also approved. Officials said the new fee is due to increasing equipment costs.
— Monroe Elementary and Thompson Online held public hearings and presented improvement plans, as required by the state after being recommended for accredited with priority improvement plans based on performance.
— The board held an executive session for positions relative to matters subject to negotiation. Bargaining units have asked the board to consider reinstating cut positions based on the condition of the budget, Scheer said. Action was not expected.
Jessica Maher can be reached at 669-5050 ext. 516 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter: @JessicaMaherRH.

subset: commoncrawl


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Apple has just released the iOS 4.1 beta update for iPhone and iPod Touch users. The new iOS4.1 update aims at fixing the signal woes the iPhone 4 has been facing. In addition to this, the iOS 4.1 update also changes the wrong signal calculation algorithm being used in iOS 4 and adds in new Gaming modules.
However, the problem with iOS 4.1 is that iOS 4.1 jailbreak is only for iPhone 3G and iPod Touch 2G (Non-MC) models. So if you have updated to iOS 4.1 and now want to downgrade to iOS 4, then follow the steps given below. Read this if you are looking to downgrade from iOS 4 to iOS 3.1.3 or iOS 3.1.2.
How To Downgrade iOS 4.1 to iOS 4, iOS 3.1.3 or iOS 3.1.2
Step 1: First of all to downgrade from iOS 4.1 to iOS 4 you need the firmware (IPSW) file. After you have got hold of the required IPSW file, you need to put your iPhone/iPod Touch in DFU mode. Keep in mind that DFU mode is different than recovery mode.
Step 2: To put your iPhone/iPod Touch into DFU mode, first make sure that iTunes is running on your PC. After that switch off your iPhone/iPod Touch and press the Power and Home button on the device together to put your device in DFU mode.
Now connect your iPhone/iPod Touch to your PC using the USB cable. After 10 seconds or so, release the power button whilst holding the Home button. At this point, iTunes should recognize a new USB device, which will be identified as your device after a few seconds. If you have successfully put your phone in DFU mode, then your device screen will display a totally black screen.
Skip to step 4 if you own a iPhone 3G/iPod Touch 2G (Non-MC)
Step 3: This step is only iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod Touch 3G/2G (MC) owners. Now Users need to use the SHSH blobs of the iOS4 firmware. If you don't have an SHSH blob of the iOS 4/iOS 3.1.3/iOS 3.1.2 firmware, then you are out of luck. Read this tutorial on how to make a backup of iOS4 SHSH Blobs.
Now users need to edit the hostsfile on their PC by going to c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\. Open this hostsfile in Notepad and add the line below to the end of the document:
18.104.22.168 gs.apple.com
Now save the file and you are done. Keep in mind that you need to open the hostsfile in administrator mode to make changes to it.
Step 4: Now users need to restore the firmware they downloaded in Step 1 to their iPhone/iPod Touch. To do so, press the Alt key and click on the Restoreoption in iTunes. iTunes will then prompt you to point it to the IPSW file. Select the iOS 4 iPSW file and click on Open.
After this iTunes will do all the work for you. While restoring to the iOS 4 firmware, iTunes might throw in a 1011, 1013 or 1015 error. Just ignore these errors. At the end of the process, the firmware has been successfully restored to your iPhone/iPod Touch device.
5) Now all you need to do is to make your device exit from the Recovery Mode. To do so, users need to download a program called RecBoot. Run that program and just select the Exit Recovery Modeoption and you are done. Your iPhone/iPod Touch will restart on its own and it will now be running on iOS 4.


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RBC I Consumers say they will be out in full force on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday, to support the small businesses that fuel the U.S. economy, create jobs and keep communities thriving. Of the millions of Americans familiar with Small Business Saturday, 67 percent are planning to "shop small" on the day, Nov. 24 (44 percent said they shopped at small businesses on Small Business Saturday in 2011), according to the Small Business Saturday Consumer Insights Survey. The new research, released by the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and American Express, shows that of those consumers who shopped last year on Small Business Saturday, 70 percent plan to spend more or the same amount this year and will spend on average $100 on Small Business Saturday.
Thousands of small businesses around the country are planning special offers, partnering with neighboring businesses, and hosting events to support the small business shopping day. Small Business Saturday, which falls between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, was created in response to small business owners' most pressing need: more customers.
"Small Business Saturday has become the ceremonial kick-off to the holiday shopping season for small business owners across the country," said Susan Sobbott, President at American Express OPEN. "Small Business Saturday provides an opportunity to harness the nation's enthusiasm for small business and celebrate their impact on local communities and the national economy."
"America's small businesses contribute to their communities in innumerable ways—creating half of private sector jobs, generating the revenue that spurs continued growth, and supporting the families they employ; it's no surprise that American consumers have a deep trust in, and admiration for, the small-business community," said NFIB CEO Dan Danner. "Small Business Saturday gives us a chance to show our appreciation and to help America's job creators in a very real way, by patronizing small shops, restaurants and service providers. Anything that helps with sales is certainly appreciated by small-business owners, many of whom have struggled to stay afloat in a rough and uncertain economy."


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To celebrate The Avengers coming in theatres, Wieden + Kennedy's ad campaign for Target is featuring Avengers symbols made from items you can buy at Target. Captain America's shield is made with shoes, plastic spoons, balls and dr pepper cans!
|Iron Man made with pencils, headlight, trucks, cans and legos
|The Incredible Hulk's hands
|Hand's details
|Thor's hammer


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Garbage Pail Kids are among the more peculiar bits of '80s pop culture detritus to have resurfaced. A collection of trading card/stickers depicting a litany of disgusting children suffering the most revolting deformities. And they're coming soon to a theater near you! Again!
Former Disney head Michael Eisner bought the Kids' parent company, Topps (the baseball card folks), a few years back, and now he's developing a feature film based on them, reported Deadline.
Michael Vukadinovich, whose Black List script for the Pinocchio prequel "The Three Misfortunes of Geppetto" is being directed by Shawn Levy, will write the GPK film, with short-film impresario PES directing. Check out PES' "Fresh Guacamole," which we have to confess is pretty amazing:
U.S. & World
Art Spiegelman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of "Maus," was the creative force behind GPK back in the mid-eighties, conceiving them as a goof on the then popular Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. Spiegelman had previously invented Wacky Packages, which for our money (literally) were way funnier and hold up far better (please don't mistake that as us lobbying for a Wacky Packages movie).
The Kids were originally turned into a film in 1987, starring Mackenzie Astin as a boy who stumbles upon a pack of the disgusting critters living in a garbage can, with the Kids played by a troupe little people wearing bulky Kabuki-like costumes. The film was universally reviled and took in a meager $1.5 million. So the bar is low for showing an improvement--watch the trailer to understand just how low...


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Instead of following the well-worn paths to panel moderation, introduce creative themes and provocative questions to get your panelists off the beaten track and into creative discussions that will keep the audience buzzing for days to come:
- Instant hot seat, aka "better you than me:" Have each panelist ask the next panelist a question they'd hate (or love, or fear) to have to answer themselves. Make sure each has had the chance to hear the others speak, first.
- What ifs: Moderators can push envelopes with "what if" questions, taking panelists beyond their prepared remarks. "What if you had...." started sooner or later? Not doubted yourself? Won the lottery? Had no customers? Kept your job? Could only use one hand? Were trying to do this in 1985? Heard about a better option? Plenty of room here to get creative.
- Why nots? I sit through way too many panels where the speakers' broad statements aren't challenged--even gently. You can fix this by asking why, after a pronouncement, or even better, use "why not?" It's energizing and requires a good defense or explanation.
- Fill in the blanks: An antidote to long-winded, typical answers: Frame a moderator's question as a fill-in-the-blank that each panelist has to answer with one word, then make some remarks to tie them together or ask followup questions to draw them out. "Fill in the blank: Right now, I'm looking for ________________" or "My least favorite project is ____________" and similar constructs can add spice and insight.
- Do's and don'ts: Create a panel of tipsters. Ask each panelist to share one "do" and one "don't" when it comes to the topic of the panel. Your audience will walk away with a handful of focused tips. Make it even better and demand that they offer different do's and don'ts -- no "what she said" offerings.
- Instant advisory panel: Got a panel of experts, each talking about lessons learned in achieving what they've done? Let them go through it, then ask each panelist to turn to her right and share one piece of advice with the panelist next to her. A variation: Tell a questioner asking for advice that she just got an instant advisory panel, and ask each speaker to advise her as if she were a peer.
- I liked/I wish: A gentler way of examining what went wrong and right. Ask each speaker to evaluate an issue, event or lesson by sharing what "I liked" and what "I wish" had happened instead.
- My favorite mistake: Go ahead, play some Sheryl Crow to introduce this one. I love gathering panels of wise folks to discuss "my favorite mistake." The rules: It must be a mistake you've made, not one you think someone else made, and you must explain why it's your favorite. This takes guts, but it results in gripping stories and is the perfect antidote to long war stories and self-congratulatory speaking.
- Myth-tery: Take the time to do some myth-busting, particularly if your panel's covering complex, controversial or challenging territory. Ask each panelist to share a myth and bust it effectively; set a time limit if you want to make it more challenging.
- Probe origins: "What did you want to be when you started out in this field?" is a question that works well for both junior and senior practitioners in any profession, and might lead to intriguing perspectives. Ditto, "How much were you making when you first started out?" or "Who was your first customer ever?" or "What was your very first job?" And no, you needn't save these for career panels or job discussions.
- Little-known facts: Ask your panel to stick to the least-known, not the best-known, sources, gadgets, tools, tips and advice they use in their work. If you work this theme throughout the discussion, you've got a built-in set of self-introductions: Ask each speaker to begin by sharing a little-known fact about himself. Gets you and the audience right past the same old, same old.
- Ten-second rule: Ask each speaker to name as many items in one category as they can in ten seconds--and time them. You can ask them to name their inspirations, what they're grateful for, things they can't live without, what's on their wish list, and much more. If you want a concise panel, use this throughout, with breaks to let them expand.
- Tweetability: Give the people things they can tweet. Ask speakers to come up with a summary of the topic in 140 characters. Ask them to come up with a hashtag for their most difficult experience or for this panel, based on the questions they've received. Ask them how they use Twitter.
- Turn the tables: Let the panelists ask questions of the audience. A sure-fire attention getter--and one that will yield topics they can riff on. Or, start with the audience questions first, then have the panelists weigh in.
Want more on moderating panels? Buy my ebook, The Eloquent Woman's Guide to Moderating Panels. Just $3.99 in all ebook formats.


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NC Cardiovascular Update 2009
The Department of Medicine and Division of Cardiology present the NC Cardiovascular Update 2009, on Sept. 25-26 at the Friday Center.
This educational activity will provide:
- A refresher on optimal treatment of various cardiovascular diseases;
- New techniques and drug therapies will be discussed;
- Challenging cases will be reviewed to put current treatment recommendations into perspective,
- And a panel discussions will be held and questions solicited from the audience.
This course is designed for cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, internists, family practice and primary care physicians, emergency physicians, cardiac techs, nurses, radiologic techs and other health professionals involved in the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
For more information on this activity and for links to the brochure and registration form, please visit the following website
Filed under: Course, Cardiovascular


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Emerging from a closed-door meeting, three Republican senators said today they are more troubled than ever with comments made days after the deadly Sept. 11 raid in Libya by Susan Rice, the U.N. ambassador and President Barack Obama's possible choice for secretary of state.
WASHINGTON — Emerging from a closed-door meeting, three Republican senators said today they are more troubled than ever with comments made days after the deadly Sept. 11 raid in Libya by Susan Rice, the U.N. ambassador and President Barack Obama's possible choice for secretary of state.
Sens. John McCain, Lindsey Graham and Kelly Ayotte met privately with Rice and acting CIA Director Michael Morell for more than an hour on her much-maligned explanations of the attack on the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.
Ayotte said Rice told the lawmakers that her comments in a series of national television interviews five days after the attack were wrong. However, that failed to mollify the three lawmakers, who have talked about blocking her nomination if the president taps her to succeed Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
"We are significantly troubled by many of the answers that we got and some that we didn't get concerning evidence that was leading up to the attack on the consulate and the tragic death of four brave Americans and whether Ambassador Rice was prepared, or informed sufficiently, to give the American people the correct depiction of the events that took place," McCain told reporters.
Said Graham: "Bottom line I'm more disturbed now than I was before that 16 September explanation."
The three insisted that they need more information about the Libyan raid before they even consider Rice as a possible replacement for Clinton.
"I'm more troubled today," said Ayotte, who argued that it was clear in the days after the attack that it was terrorism and not a spontaneous demonstration prompted by an anti-Muslim video.
Despite lingering questions over her public comments after the Benghazi attack, Rice has emerged as the front-runner on a short list of candidates to succeed Clinton, with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., seen as her closest alternative.
The strong statements from the three senators clouded Rice's prospects only two days after Republican opposition seem to be softening. Rice planned meetings on Wednesday with Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, who is in line to become the top Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, and Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.
Corker said today that he had concerns with a possible nomination.
"When I hear Susan talk she seems to me like she'd be a great chairman of the Democratic National Committee," Corker said. "There is nobody who is more staff supportive of what the administration does. That concerns me in a secretary of state."
Rice's series of meetings on Capitol Hill will be a critical test both for Republicans, who will decide whether they can support her, and the administration, which must gauge whether Rice has enough support to merit a nomination.
A senior Senate aide said the administration was sounding out moderate members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, such as Corker and Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga. Assessing the prospects for Rice before Obama makes any announcement would avoid the embarrassment of a protracted fight with the Senate early in the president's second term and the possible failure of the nominee.
Rice is scheduled to meet with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., her most vocal critic on Capitol Hill, and Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H. McCain and Ayotte are members of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
On talk shows the weekend following the attack, which took place on the 11th anniversary of 9/11, Rice was given talking points that described the attack as a spontaneous protest of the film, even though the Obama administration had known for days that it was a militant assault.
Republicans called her nomination doomed, leading to a vigorous defense of her by Obama in his first postelection news conference. Since then, GOP lawmakers have appeared to soften their views. McCain, who said earlier this month that would he do everything in his power to scuttle a Rice nomination, said Sunday that he was willing to hear Rice out before making a decision.
Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had issued a statement highly critical of Rice on the day of Obama's news conference. He indicated Monday that perhaps she didn't know what had transpired in Benghazi on the day of the attack.
"I assumed she had full knowledge of everything that went on. I'm not at all convinced of that now. She very well could have been thrown under the bus," Inhofe said in an interview. He said she hadn't requested a meeting but he would be glad to meet with her.
White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday that the administration appreciated McCain's latest comments about Rice, but wouldn't say whether the president saw them as an opening to make the nomination. "Ambassador Rice has done an excellent job at the United Nations and is highly qualified for any number of positions," Carney said.
Several diplomats currently serving with Rice said that what she lacked in Clinton's star power, she could make up with a blunter approach that demands attention and has marked her tenure thus far at the United Nations.
Rice, who at 48 is relatively young, has been known to covet the job for years, but was passed over for Clinton in 2009. Since arriving in New York, she can point to a series of diplomatic achievements — most notably the NATO-led air campaign that toppled Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and tougher sanctions against Iran and North Korea over their nuclear programs.
But Rice has also been criticized — along with other Security Council leaders — for the failure of the U.N.'s most powerful body to take action to end the 19-month civil war in Syria.


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Dutch TV reporter Roozbeh Kaboly and the Nieuwsuur team have put together this report, with English subtitles, based on a video said to show Iranian troops training militia in Syria, using a village school as a base. The man being interviewed has been identified as Revolutionary Guards Commander Esmail Heydari, who reportedly died in Syria a few weeks ago, and was later given a public funeral in his hometown of Amol, about 180km north of Iran's capital, Tehran. He describes the mission, working with teams which are on 25-day rotation, adding that some were previously trained in Iran. Part of the mission's objective appears to be securing access for Hezbollah to deliver weapons and supplies.
Followers of human rights abuses in Iran, used to reading about the indescribable torture and cruelty dispensed to prisoners in the "special" IRGC detention centres and isolation wards, may be surprised by the smiling, relaxed, countenance of this commander. Heydari reveals the secret of his team's success on their training mission is that they treat fighters with respect, "We haven't paid them or anything," he comments. Respect is a sentiment Heydari claims to extend to the local people: for example, by driving military vehicles slowly in civilian areas to avoid raising dust. While driving through a village Heydari says was deserted until his unit came to the area and cleaned up, he greets children warmly, offering candy. "When we came, there was no human being," says Heydari. One of his team responds, "There are still no humans now, just Arabs." The Nieuwsuur translation then relates the cameraman suggesting the Iranians also offer candy to the women they are passing on the road, but misses what I consider to be an implied threat in the reply: "We'll give them some(thing), and you can film." This is more typical of the IRGC behaviour I am familiar with.
The regime in Iran celebrated his death by burying Commander Heydari with honor, as a martyr who died defending the Shrine of Syeda Zainab, granddaughter of the prophet Mohammed.
At least 6 more videos were posted to YouTube by the admin of a rebel group's Facebook page, and were later verified by France24 journalists working with translators, who helped to produce a detailed analysis. The links to the original videos were shared on Twitter, but were either shared only with selected contacts, or the settings were later changed to prevent public access. Copies of the videos, which seem to show Iranian military officers working with soldiers from Syria's regular army, giving them advice and instructions for combat, can be seen here.
The film appears to have been recorded by Hadi Baghbani, a young Iranian documentary maker, who reportedly died during an incident on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, where he is said to have been on a 10-day assignment, his second such visit. A second group of Iranians reportedly died while on the road in Syria, either because of a traffic accident or because their driver was killed by a sniper. The rebels believed to have found Baghbani's video camera, the Idblib-based Dawood Brigade, which released the video, claimed responsibility for "most" of the deaths in an interview with al-Aan TV. The group's spokesperson, Hosam Alsermene, told Al-Jazeera that they killed about 15-20 members of an Iranian team after hearing about their Syrian operations. Their identities and operational details were confirmed after taking possession of mobile phones and the video camera of an independent journalist who just happened to be there. The 30-year-old filmmaker received a burial ceremony in his hometown of Babolsar, Iran.
It's not completely clear, from the available accounts, how the bodies were returned to Iran. Can we assume that this happened with the help of Syrian authorities or the militia which were being trained? Alternatively, other Iranians still present in Syria might have been able to repatriate the dead themselves.
Defending the Shrine of Syeda Zainab
In July 2012, it was reported that about 5,000 Shiite Muslims were living in the neighbourhood of the shrine, including some who fled there to seek refuge from sectarian violence. Local youths armed with sticks were said to be defending the site, with Iran alleging clerics in Saudi Arabia had issued a fatwa demanding its destruction. A group of 48 Iranians, including members of the IRGC who claimed they were in retirement and making a pilgrimage to the shrine, was taken hostage in August 2012, before being traded in exchange for 2,130 prisoners of the Syrian regime in January 2013. Abdel Nasser Shmeir, interviewed by Al Arabiya and presented as the commander of Al-Baraa Brigade, claimed the hostages, plus their Afghan interpreter, were members of a 150-strong group sent to Syria by Iran for reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering. Shia news organisations claim that the shrine is now being protected by hundreds of Shia militants from Iraq and the Lebanese Hezbollah group. Recent reports say a custodian of the site, Anas Romani, was killed, and the building damaged, when it was attacked by mortar shells in July 2013. The Syrian government accused militants of the attacks.


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War Horse Exhibition at NAM
The National Army Museum are planning a brand new exhibition exploring the true story behind the epic stage production and novel called 'War Horse'. The touching real life stories of the horses, and the men who depended on them will be illustrated throughout the collection, encouraging visitors to think about the 'patient heroes' who supported the British Army in their time of need.
The exhibition will open on October 22nd and entry to the museum is free! Why not visit www.nam.ac.uk to find out more?
I will definitely be going – might see you there!
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Trout Season Opening Day
Bennett Spring
Jason Jenkins
There's little question where you'll find Steve Riney at 6:30 a.m. on March 1. He'll be in the same place he always is on that day — standing hip deep and elbow to elbow with other anglers waiting for the siren to signal the start of catch-and-keep trout season at Bennett Spring State Park west of Lebanon.
This year marks the 30th consecutive year for the Missouri Rural Electric Cooperative employee to make the trek from his northeast Missouri hometown of Palmyra to Bennett to enjoy the camaraderie of Opening Day. The tradition is as much about spending time with family and friends as it is catching fish, although in 2009, Steve landed the 3-pound, 10-ounce rainbow trout he proudly displays on this month's cover. He caught the fish on a homemade fly he tied using white down from a snow goose. While the trout was certainly a lunker, it wasn't the largest Steve has pulled from Bennett's waters. He once caught a rainbow that tipped the scales at 6-pounds, 4-ounces.
Partnering with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources and the James Foundation, the Missouri Department of Conservation manages hatcheries and stocks trout at Bennett, Montauk State Park near Salem, Roaring River State Park near Cassville and Maramec Spring Park near St. James. The regular season at these parks begins March 1 and runs through Oct. 31.
Anglers are required to possess both a state fishing permit (residents 65 and older and younger than 16 are exempt) and a daily trout tag purchased at the park. Regulations vary in the four parks. Daily creel limit is four trout with an overall possession limit of eight trout.
To learn more about Missouri's trout parks and trout fishing in general, visit www.mdc.mo.gov/7248.


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Maryville College Transfer Pathways
If you're planning on transferring to Maryville College from a two-year community college in Tennessee, these transfer pathways will help you plan your coursework at the community college so that you can be sure that the coursework will transfer successfully and you will be making the most rapid progress possible toward your four-year bachelor's degree.
If you've already been pursuing the two-year associate's degree by following one of the Tennessee Transfer Pathways developed for the four-year colleges and universities of the public system (the Tennessee Board of Regents and University of Tennessee systems), you'll want to know that Maryville College accepts the public universities' Tennessee Transfer Pathways. You can complete that pathway and still earn a Maryville College degree within the same four-year time-frame as if you had begun your studies at Maryville. In any detail, though, where a Maryville College transfer pathway differs from that of the public universities, you will maximize the speed of your progress toward a Maryville College degree by following the Maryville College pathway.


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In many ways, Chemnitz is one of Germany's most modern cities. It flourished during the industrial revolution, and business and research continues to thrive here, while at the same time its architecture and culture show strong modernist influences.
The GDR government never fully rebuilt the centre of Chemnitz following its near total destruction in 1945, but that didn't stop them renaming the city Karl-Marx-Stadt. An enormous monument to Karl Marx, weighing 40 tonnes and standing over seven metres tall in the city centre, is virtually the only remnant of those days. Though the larger-than-life bust of the 'Das Kapital' author attracts many visitors, the city values it at only one euro – which might explain the scowling expression on his face. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, large-scale construction resumed in the heart of the city – including projects by renowned architects such as Helmut Jahn, Christoph Ingenhoven and Hans Kollhoff. A modernist approach and a process of continuous improvement and innovation has given the new centre its distinctive look. Chemnitz's main shopping street has a particular urban charm and blends the historical and the modern to great effect. The High Tower of the Old Town Hall offers the best views over the market square and the rooftops beyond. The tower watchman – dressed in his historical uniform – has served as protector and timekeeper for the city's people since 1488, and today takes visitors on a journey back in time through centuries of Chemnitz history. A captivating contrast to the functional office blocks and residential buildings is provided by the old city centre with its baroque Siegert'sches Haus, the ornamental market hall and the modernist town baths. Thrown into the mix are shopping arcades, restaurants and cafés, leisure attractions and cultural venues. Chemnitz is a destination of international class, and won the DIFA award for Europe's best urban quarter thanks to its blend of industrial heritage, entertainment and nightlife.
However, it's not just the many cathedrals of industry that point to Chemnitz's prosperous past. There are also grand residential properties from the late 19th century, art nouveau villas and an abundance of public and private buildings from the Bauhaus period. The Kassberg district is one of the largest and most beautiful Gründerzeit quarters in Europe. Visitors to Chemnitz can also look forward to a wide choice of culture, with theatres, museums, galleries and the civic hall plus a packed programme of festivals and events, not to mention the much-loved variety theatres of Sachsenmeyer Kabarett and Chemnitzer Kabarett. The distinctive Gunzenhauser Museum, with its fabulous collection of classical modernist works, is worth visiting for its architecture alone. Erected between 1928 and 1930, the building formerly housed the headquarters of the local savings bank, and remains one of the best examples of the New Objectivity style: plain and simple with clean lines. Another attraction notable for its architecture alone is the Tietz arts centre. Once a department store, it is now the city's leading destination for culture and education as the home of the Natural History Museum, the municipal library and the New Saxony Gallery. Just around the corner are numerous restaurants, cafés and clubs that offer a range of entertaining options day or night. Whatever you see or do in Chemnitz, you're guaranteed to have a good time. And along the way you're sure to pass the giant head of Karl Marx. Long may he watch over the city.
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Failover Management Database
|1. A structured electronic repository that resides in a computer's Random Access Memory (RAM) or on physical storage media, such as a file system, and that is intended to store Failover related data and metadata, where such information is organized for the purpose of computer driven storage, search, retrieval, manipulation and calculation.
Read More
|1) The Semantic Root Noun for this term is: Failover
2) Semantically Related Terms: The "Failover Management Glossary"
3) The Failover Management Home Page covers much more about other related terms and concepts associated with this term or phrase.


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Center for Freudian Analysis to Study iPhone Envy, iPhone Retraction Syndrome
There's a 33% chance that if you haven't already purchased an iPhone, you really would like to. This according to a new survey from Lightspeed Research that suggests interest in Apple's latest play-pretty is actually larger than what the market had anticipated. Thirty-two percent of 39,000 survey respondents who do not currently own an iPhone said they intend to purchase one, with 8% planning to do so in the next three months and 22% at "some time in the future."
Interesting survey, this. Unsettling too, I'd imagine, if you're a wireless carrier. Because it follows reports that 25% of the mobile-phone users who purchased an iPhone switched carriers to do so–in many cases shouldering a nasty early termination fee. "Our sources indicate that around 25% of iPhone-AT&T customers are 'switchers' from other carriers," American Technology Research analyst Shaw Wu explained. "We find these numbers impressive, showing that a fair amount of customers are willing to pay high early cancellation fees (between $125 and $200) to get out of their existing service contracts for an iPhone. … The only other product we are aware of in recent history that commanded a similar type of respect (at least in the beginning) was the Motorola RAZR in mid- to late 2004, priced at $500 with a service contract and $800 without."


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Hi everyone, Bryan here….
'The Warriors' has always been one of my favorite films. It still holds up after all these years – well since Walter Hill's cult classic 1979 film of Richard Price's novel. I've watched it recently and I still love as much as the first time I saw it. This last time I watched it, I actually wondered, "hmmm, I wonder why there hasn't been a remake of this yet." Well, someone must have been listening to my inner dialogue, because 'The Warriors' is getting a remake in the form of an hour-long TV series with Paramount and Hulu.
Read the rest of this entry »


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The Black Mirror is a British television program that premiered last night. Charlie Brooker, creater of the series, a media critic and host of the shows Screenwipe and How Television Ruined Your Life, was inspired by The Twilight Zone. Rod Serling's "quasi-fictional world" allowed for more political and provocative television scripts to go uncensored by networks and corporate sponsers, Brooker argues in the Guardian.
The first episode of The Black Mirror is provocative but with unambitious targets —the 24 hour newscycle, omnipresent social media— the disgusting premise is unmerited. One gets the sense it was written mostly to test television's limits; which may be a worthwhile demand itself. Nevertheless, upcoming episodes sound much more promising.
Trailer for The Black Mirror
Episode descriptions via The Guardian:
1. The National Anthem
Set slap-bang in the present, The National Anthem, starring Rory Kinnear and Lindsay Duncan, recounts what happens when fictional royal Princess Susannah is kidnapped and prime minister Michael Callow is presented with an unusual – and obscene – ransom request. The traditional media finds itself unable to even discuss what the demand is, while the Twittersphere foams with speculation and cruel jokes. As the ransom deadline nears, events start to gain a surreal momentum of their own. This was inspired partly by the kerfuffle over superinjunctions, and partly by the strange out-of-control sensation that takes grip on certain news days – such as the day Gordon Brown was virtually commanded to apologise to Gillian Duffy in front of the rolling news networks. Who was in charge that day? No one and everyone.
2. Fifteen Million Merits
In 1984, Apple ran a famous advert that implied the Mac might save mankind from a nightmarish Orwellian future. But what would a nightmarish Orwellian future that ran on Apple software actually look like? Probably a ...


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"The news managers here in Canada have trouble understanding the Afghan story. . ."
But you really need to listen to this interview with Matthew Fisher on the subject, towards the end of an conversation that provides a rare overview of Canada's engagements in Afghanistan in their proper context. I awaited Matthew's verdict on the "detainee issue" with some trepidation, because there is no Canadian reporter who knows these subjects better than Matthew does. As it turns out, Matthew was even more full-throated about it all than I was.
I happen to be convinced that Matthew holds certain views about Afghanistan's potential that are rather too pessimistic, a consequence of the amount of time he's spent in the damnedest and most dangerous parts of the country, and the sorts of savagery he's seen, up close. But nevermind all that. Here's what Matthew had to say about the Great Detainee Rumpus of 2009:
"It is preposterous," Mathew begins. I especially noticed this: "People trying to compare this to Somalia . . . the cavalier use of the term war crimes. . . we are not even within a million miles of reaching any of these points. It is a tremendous slur to ever invoke words like these. These are words that were used, and with reason, for the holocaust, for the genocide in Cambodia, for the horrible things that happened with tens of thousands of people being slaughtered in Rwanda. . ."
This caused me to be reminded of something that has gone completely unnoticed, perhaps because it would be inconvenient to notice just how much of an embarrassment it would cause to the We Are All War Criminals Now crowd and to the journalists who have done such a fine public service in bringing along the microphones and the megaphones to make it all so thrilling.
It's not just that William Schabas and Michael Byers started all this and got nothing for their 2007 war-crimes complaint to the International Criminal Court apart from a whack of uncritical press and a pat on the head from the ICC along with a fancy 'don't call us, we'll call you' letter. It's not just that Byers and Schabas teamed up with Stephen Staples and got another free pass recently by calling a press conference to announce that they were reviving the effort, only this time they'd appended to their pleadings a sheaf of newspaper clippings with Richard Colvin's name in the headlines.
It was Matthew's reference to the Cambodian genocide that reminded me that the William Schabas who loudly proclaims Canadian war crimes in Afghanistan is the same William Schabas who has loudly objected to the genocide findings against the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. Stalin's atrocities in the Ukraine? Not genocide, says Schabas. Rwanda? Yes, the crime of genocide, a war crime. Bosnia? Nope, not a righteous bust - it was just ethnic cleansing. Darfur? Why no, Your Honour, the International Criminal Court is legally wrong to prosecute Sudan for genocide, because while the Khartoum regime may well have slaughtered hundreds of thousands of non-Arabs, it didn't mean to. And the ICC was wrong about Srebrenica, too.
I confess to finding these claims just as arcane and weird as I find claims about Canadian "war crimes" in the Afghan detainee imbroglio, but back to Matthew:
"I do not understand at all why this is such a huge debate. It must only be because the government gave the appearance of trying to hide something, but to the best of my knowledge, there is nothing to hide. . . Canadians have not been at war for decades, and there were some problems with the rules at the beginning. The Liberal government - and it was a Liberal government, not a Conservative government - put in place rules that perhaps were not as a effective as they could have been, but Canada responded at a very early stage to this, and new rules were put in place.
"If the International Committee of the Red Cross had complaints, right within the Geneva Conventions it says they must act without delay to prosecute to move forward on these cases. These allegations concern things that happened in 2006 and early 2007. If there is any substance to any of these charges, something would have happened by now. 'Without delay' means a few weeks or a few months. It doesn't mean a few years.
"I've spoken at great length to the Red Cross - I believe I'm the only Canadian journalist who has - in Kabul, with someone who has had a lot to do with this file. He said the Red Cross has no issues with Canada, or any other country for that matter, at this time.
"This person was also highly critical of the whistleblower Richard Colvin, who has been lionized in Canada, because he violated every rule that every government has with the Red Cross, which is to allow it to do its work freely, and to protect prisoners. It never discusses its affairs publicly, period, and they are extremely distressed, and they believe that Colvin harmed the prisoners and put them at risk by going public with these things.
"They have mechanisms to deal with this. I was told quite clearly, 'We do not deal with junior diplomats,' and despite the fact that he's described here as a senior diplomat, Richard Colvin is a very junior diplomat. They deal with either the chiefs of armed forces, with prime ministers and ministers of justice. When there are serious allegations they go to the highest level of authority in any government they can. All of this has been lost in the minutiae of emails.
"I believe it's because the news managers here in Canada have trouble understanding the Afghan story. We don't have a history of war correspondence, or covering wars, and somehow, if the war is political at home, it's manageable. . . most of the coverage for the past few months has been devoted to covering emails at a time when there are several thousand Canadian soldiers out walking point every day, and at extreme risk, in Afghanistan."


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Oh Amber Portwood, even in jail she continues to make headlines over and over and over – well you get the point!
The latest is a report by TMZ, which states the real reason the Teen Mom star was evicted from her Indiana home last month was because she was scamming the government. Which definitely makes sense as money couldn't have been the reason, since MTV pays Amber A LOT.
See Amber, 21, was living in a subsidized apartment courtesy of the state's "Low Income Rental Housing Tax Credit Program." In the lease agreement, Amber claimed she made $10,000 a year, except she earned a lot more, as in $280,000 in the year 2010 alone.
Sources reveal Amber's little white lie was the reason for her eviction as her MTV income obviously made her ineligible for the apartment.
The good news for Amber is she won't need to find a new apartment anytime soon as she has been finally accepted into a drug program.
If you recall, Amber was given the option last month of either doing five years in prison, or going to a court ordered rehab program for drug possession and a probation violation. For once in her life, Amber made the right decision by choosing rehab over hard time.
Amber was back in court yesterday, after being officially accepted into Sister 2 Sister Ministries, a live-in halfway house for women exiting jail.
The Herald Bulletin reports that while Amber had hoped she could live with her grandparents before entering the program, the judge decided against it. "I understand you've been in jail for awhile, and you're frustrated," Judge David Happe said. "But the last thing we want to do is release you and have you commit another offense."
So for now, Amber remains in jail as she is scheduled to be evaluated by the Sister 2 Sister Ministries sometime early next week. The judge stated that the amount of time Amber spends in the program will be based on how well she does. He also added that Amber will be able to come and go as she pleases, as long as staff knows where she is. She will also have a 10 p.m. curfew.
While doing the drug program, Amber will undergo daily screenings, fulfill treatment obligations, and attend drug court each week.
The judge made it clear that if Amber fails the program, she will serve five years in prison, no questions asked. Yikes. Good luck to Amber, here's to hoping she can finally clean up her act and be there for 2-year-old daughter Leah.
[Photo Credit: INF Photos]


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CASE62387: Nativity for an Anonymous (PERSON40314)
Question asked by Mr Richard Napier [Sandy] [Richard Napier [Senior]] (PERSON5218) on 20 May 1626 between 08:38 and 09:20
RN My Godson. borne ♄ 3 weekes before Alhallouday being ♄ h. 6. 30 p m. 1626
Transcribed excerpt from MS Ashmole 224, f. 213r (middle left part of page)


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Apparatus and method for preparing box cuts in a distal femur with a cutting guide attached to an intramedullary stem
Improved bone cutting guides enable a surgeon to better gauge required resection characteristics. In one embodiment at least a portion of the guide is transparent, thereby enabling the user to optimize cut estimates and to visualize the resection as it is being performed. In another embodiment, at least a portion of the outer surface of the body is shaped to interact with another bone or prosthetic element associated with a joint, thereby enabling the device to function both as a trial and as a cutting guide. In this embodiment as well the guide may be at least partially transparent to improve visualization. Although primarily intended for use in femoral-side knee arthroplasty, the invention is applicable to any procedure which might benefit from improved bone-cutting accuracy.
Latest Medldea, LLC Patents:
1. This invention concerns arthroplasty, and, more particularly, resides in improved cutting guides having features to better assist a surgeon in preparing a bone, for example, to receive an implant.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
2. Whether for primary or revision arthroplasty, cutting guides are typically employed to ensure that the bone saw performs resections corresponding to mating surfaces of the prosthetic component. For example, in a femoral knee replacement, cutting guides or blocks are temporarily secured to the distal end of the femoral shaft, and include slots into which the blade of an oscillating saw is inserted to shape the end of the bone in accordance with corresponding surfaces of the prosthetic element.
3. In the case of a revision, the procedure is usually more elaborate due to deterioration of the previously prepared surfaces resulting from decomposition of the bone/prosthesis interface, necrosis, and other factors. Cutting blocks are also typically used in revision procedures, though bone deficiency often renders stabilization of the block impossible. In addition, if the cutting block includes a stem, the positioning of the stemmed implant can alter the fit of the final prothesis relative to the bone. More recently introduced techniques attempt to base the cuts on an intramedullary guide to which additional cutting blocks are mounted. Though such approaches improve bone cutting accuracy, there remains an unacceptable margin of error, the correction of which in some cases requiring a freehand shaping of the bone.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
4. The present invention accordingly provides improved cutting guides which enable one performing a resection to better predict and execute required cut characteristics. Broadly, at least a portion of the body comprising the cutting guide is transparent, thereby enabling the practitioner to better estimate cut depth and/or visualize the resection as it is being performed. Preferably one or more slots are used to guide a cutting saw, with the volume of the body surrounding the slots being transparent.
5. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the outer surface of the body is further shaped to interact with another bone or prosthetic element as part of a joint, thereby enabling the device to function both as a trial and as a cutting guide. For example, if adapted for use in femoral knee arthroplasty, the outer shape of the body may include condylar protrusions which cooperate with corresponding tibial surfaces or prosthetic inserts. In this combination trial/cutting-guide embodiment the device may likewise advantageously be at least partially transparent to assist in estimating cut orientation or depth, and to visualize a particular resection in progress. Although primarily intended for use in conjunction with preparing a bone surface to receive a prosthetic component, the invention is applicable to any bone-cutting procedure which might benefit from improved accuracy.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
6. FIG. 1 is an oblique drawing of the distal end of a femur, showing some of the resections typically used in conjunction with prosthetic implantation;
7. FIG. 2 is an oblique drawing of a cutting guide adapted for primary femoral knee arthroplasty which, according to the invention, is constructed of transparent material;
8. FIG. 3 is an oblique drawing of an existing prosthetic component adapted for mounting on the distal end of the femoral shaft including an intercondylar box structure;
9. FIG. 4 is an improved cutting guide according to the invention, which includes outer surfaces appropriate to trial testing combined with cutting guides to facilitate efficient resection;
10. FIG. 5 illustrates from an oblique perspective an alternative embodiment of the invention which facilitates box cuts if not already present;
11. FIG. 6 is a top view of yet a further alternative embodiment of the invention involving the use of a box-cutting implement which may be removed from an implanted stem onto which a combination trial and cutting guide may subsequently be installed;
12. FIG. 7 is a top view drawing of the combination trial/cutting guide referenced above with regard to FIG. 6, now in position on the implanted stem; and
13. FIG. 8 is yet a further alternative embodiment of the invention including a stem configuration which facilitates at least partial box cut formation along with guides for other resections in a femoral knee application.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
14. In FIG. 1 there is depicted a distal end portion 104 of a femur 102, which terminates in two bulbous protrusions 105 termed the medial and lateral condyles, which mate and engage with corresponding surfaces in the proximal end of the tibia. As a result of disease or injury, these mating surfaces, ordinarily smooth and cushioned by an intervening cartilage layer, disintegrate and/or become misshapen, resulting in restricted movement and pain.
15. To ameliorate these conditions, the orthopedic surgeon removes the unhealthy bone stock and replaces it with one or more metallic components which adhere to appropriately prepared bone surfaces and approximate the outer, cortical layer of a healthy bone. To prepare the existing damaged or diseased bone to accept the implant components, various resections are made in a predetermined manner in correspondence with the inner surfaces of the implant. Using the femoral example of FIG. 1, a saw guide is used to form resected surfaces resulting from an anterior chamfer cut 106, distal femoral articular surface cut 108, posterior chamfer cut 110, posterior-articular surface cut 112, and/or anterior articular surface cut, which is typically performed prior to the articular chamfer cut. Although these cuts represent resections made in conjunction with a standard implant technique, more, fewer or different surfaces may be required, depending upon the level of deterioration or other circumstances.
16. Depending upon the saw guide used, either the cuts associated with only one of the condyles may be resected, or, alternatively, a guide having a dual set of slots may be utilized to trim both condyles simultaneously. A singular type fixture is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,144, whereas guides having double sets of slots are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,129,909 and 5,364,401. Numerous other examples are evident in the prior art, some of which are in commercial usage. The cuts associated with revision arthroplasty of the femoral component in a knee replacement are similar to those depicted in FIG. 1, though now additional bone stock must be removed, and additional cuts closer to the central axis of the bone are typically made to accommodate a one-piece replacement unit having a intercondylar strengthening structure and posts extending therefrom for intramedullary implantation. Such a revision knee prosthesis is shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,847.
17. Whether for primary or revision arthroplasty, the saw guides involved are without exception now constructed of metal, and they are therefore visually opaque. This results in a substantial piece of hardware which may be washed, sterilized and used repeatedly in numerous procedures, but, being opaque, the orthopedic surgeon is simply unable to see what he or she is doing while making the various bony cuts. As a result, it is often standard practice to make one or more cuts with the guide in place, then move the guide aside in order to view the interface, to ensure that sufficient bone has been removed to facilitate the most ideal cement interface between the resected bone and implant component. This trial-and-error process not only consumes valuable time during the operation, but may lead to the removal of more bone stock than necessary to achieve fixation.
18. During revision arthroplasty, such trial-and-error is that much more complicated and arduous, owing to the increased number of resected surfaced involved, and the need to ensure that these surfaces and the medullary stem are all properly aligned during the testing of trial implants and the attachment of the final prosthetic device. In the event of a misalignment, the surgeon may choose to use a final implant having a smaller than optimal diameter stem, for example, to take up the slack upon discovering a slight misalignment with respect to the stem and the resected surfaces. This, in turn, may lead to an undesirable "play" between the stem of the prosthesis and the reamed medullary canal, and/or the need for medullary cementation which might otherwise be unnecessary.
19. According to this invention, then, improved cutting guides are provided to better assist the surgeon in performing accurate resections in an efficient manner. For example, guides adapted for use with primary arthroplasty have transparent features according to this invention, at least in the vicinity of the saw-receiving slots, thus enabling the surgeon to visualize the way in which the existing bone makes contact with the inner surfaces of the guide, and therefore facilitates a much more exacting initial set of cuts, in most cases, ideally eliminating trial-and-error entirely. In the case of revision work, the cutting guide itself contains condylar and other outer surfaces enabling it to function both as a cutting guide and as a trial. Accordingly, once an initial trial procedure is carried out, the various resections may be performed, with a greater likelihood that they will be properly located, thereby increasing accuracy. Although a revision guide according to this invention need not be transparent, the combination of a combined trial/cutting guide constructed of a transparent material is preferred to realize the advantages set forth above.
20. FIG. 2 illustrates one version of a cutting block constructed in accordance with the invention, in this case a guide for use in making initial articular surface and chamfer cuts. Positioning of the block assumes the surgeon has first made a distal femoral articular surface cut against which the backside (not shown) of block 204 is seated while making these further resections, the chamfer cuts being angular with respect thereto. This block 204 may be held against the bone through any attachment or stabilization means, including screws, pins, braces or other fixtures so long as the guide is appropriately secured. Importantly, and unlike all existing guides of this type, at least the right and left portions 208 and 210 are composed of a transparent material, and, preferably, the entire unit is clear and constructed of acrylic, polycarbonate or any other plastic or material substantial enough to withstand the oscillations of a bone saw or other cutting tool, yet sufficiently transparent to enable a surgeon to visualize the surfaces to be resected in conjunction with a particular procedure. Preferably, this unit and others to be described of a cast plastic material such as acrylic or Lucite, having polished surfaces, where necessary, to improve visualization.
21. In the case of primary arthroplasty, a cutting guide according to the invention need not assume the characteristics of that shown in FIG. 2, but may assume any suitable form and may be used for any bone-forming purpose, whether or not resulting from trauma. For example, the unit may resemble that shown in FIG. 20 of Pat. No. 5,234,433, which further includes a guide slot to accommodate not only the cuts just described, but, in addition, the distal femoral articular surface cut creating surface 108 in FIG. 1. For that matter, the broad principles of this invention are applicable to any type of cutting fixture, whether slotted or otherwise, adapted for use for prosthetic resection which might benefit from having any transparent portions or panels to assist the surgeon in better visualizing the bone preparation process. This embodiment and those discussed below may also be adapted for use with cutting tools other than saw blades, including osteotomes, router bits, etc.
22. Reference will now be made to FIGS. 3-8, which represent embodiments of the invention more suitable to revision arthroplasty. Before discussing the improved devices and methods made possible through the invention, however, existing approaches will first be discussed with particular regard to femoral knee surgery. In preparing the femur for a revision implant, the procedure may typically first include a drilling and reaming of the medullary canal to accept a sleeve and rod which extends outward and past the distal tip of the femoral shaft, and onto which various components are temporarily secured and stabilized to facilitate the various resections. For example, to perform the distal revision resection, an outrigger may be secured to the protruding stem and onto this placed a revision distal femoral cutting block, typically further secured with pins, screws, or other means engaged with the anterior cortex. Such a distal cutting guide typically includes various slots on either side to accommodate the lateral and medial resections at different depths according to the level of bone loss on either side.
23. Having prepared the distal surfaces, this first cutting block is removed and an anterior/posterior cutting block is installed onto the stem along with spacers in the event of different depths of the lateral and medial distal resections. With the anterior/posterior cutting block secured in place, again with pins or screws, the anterior and posterolateral lateral cuts are made. Although the anterior cut is typically easily visualized as this region of the femoral shaft is fully exposed during the procedure, as with the lateral resection(s), the posterolateral and posteromedial cuts are almost entirely hidden from view. Once the anterior and posterior resections are carried out, the cutting guide associated therewith is typically removed, and onto the medullary stem there is placed yet another guide used to perform notch and chamfer resections.
24. FIG. 3 illustrates a typical prior-art revision implant, and additionally shows the orientation of the notch or "box" cuts to accommodate the intercondylar structure 302, which includes a transverse surface 304 and side surfaces 306 and 308 (not visible). The structure is box-shaped so that flat saw blades may be used to resect the bone and provide a more intimate and stable interface. As discussed above, this box-like structure 302 provides strengthening between the two condylar halves, and allows room for superior post protrusion in posterior-stabilized designs. The structure 302 also supports the stem 310, which is threadingly or compress-fit thereinto. A notch and chamfer cutting guide is typically used for the chamfer cuts and the cuts associated with the sides 306 and 308 of the intercondylar box, although the stem is typically removed to perform proximal anterior chamfer resections. The stem of the fixture must also be removed in order to make the transverse cut corresponding to the surface 304.
25. Once all such guides or their equivalents have been used for the various cuts, the orthopedic surgeon typically must further progress through a trial reduction procedure which has matching inner surfaces, but varying thicknesses between the inner surfaces and the outer joint surfaces, which are each tested, in turn, to ensure a correct joint line and femur-to-tibia orientation. Trial polyethylene inserts are also selected to provide maximum range of motion and stability, at which point the femoral component may be implanted, in some cases utilizing spacers to accommodate the depth of cut determined as a function of bone loss. Such spacers typically clip into place, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,936,847.
26. It should be evident from the steps just described, that numerous guides must be resorted to as part of a lengthy trial-and-error procedure which, even when carried out in a comprehensive manner, may lead to slight or even gross misalignments upon fixation of the final implant components. The present invention solves many of these problems by providing cutting guides having transparent sections enabling the surgeon to visualize the underlying bone stock before, during and after each resection. In the case of the revision situation, or as part of a primary procedure wherein cutting blocks have been used, the invention further eliminates the need for a protracted trial reduction procedure by providing a cutting guide in the shape of the final implant component, thereby ensuring that once the guide is removed, the final implant component will inherently match the executed resections, thereby saving considerable time while improving accuracy.
27. One version of a cutting block according to the invention for femoral knee revision work is depicted in FIG. 4. In this particular embodiment, a combination trial and cutting guide is provided under the assumption that box cuts have previously been made to accept the intercondylar structure 404. Broadly, in this case, the device includes one or more inner surfaces which are configured for correspondence with the resections carried out during the primary procedure, but, according to the invention, the device also includes outer surfaces which approximate the trial prosthesis or final implant shape, including outer condyle surface protrusions, only one side of which is partially visible as 404 in the figure. The device also includes a femoral stem 450, which may be detachable, as well as means for temporarily securing the device to the distal end of the femoral shaft, such as thumb screws 408, which are adapted for engagement with anterior cortical regions, or, as an alternative, stabilization pin holes 410 associated with securing the device laterally or posteriorly. Any type of temporary securement means may be substituted for this optional feature, including tightening bands, outriggers, braces, or any combination of manually operated fasteners or pin-receiving holes or guides, so long as the unit is held in position throughout the procedure.
28. To simultaneously function as a cutting guide, the device of FIG. 4 also includes one or more slots such as 412 into which a conventional, oscillating saw blade may be inserted to perform a required resection. - In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 4, the device is preferably somewhat wider than the final implant, by an amount depicted as "W" shown in the figure, to provide additional material beyond the slotted areas for greater structural stability. Inner surfaces of the device are proportioned, where necessary, by an amount "d" representative of the thickness of the cutting tool used to ensure that, once the combination trial/cutting guide is removed, the final implant mates accurately against the surfaces resected. Preferably the device accommodates sufficient slots and/or surfaces to perform all of the cuts necessary before the installation of a conventional revision prosthetic component, though alternative embodiments may include more or fewer such slots to accommodate a particular or specialized procedure. Depending upon the particular resection to be performed, multiple slots may also be provided to shape a particular surface, the depth of the slot finally relied upon being a function of bone deterioration in a particular region. For example, FIG. 4 shows a set of two slots 416 for the distal condylar cuts and two slots 418 associated with trimming the bottom of the box resections. Preferably, such multiple slots, which may be two or more, are separated by an amount related to existing spacers, for example, 4 mm.
29. It should already be apparent that the invention is suitable to femoral knee revision arthroplasty whether or not box cuts have been provided as part of a primary procedure. If provided, the device of FIG. 4 may be used directly; if not, the device of FIGS. 5-8 may alternatively be used. The structure shown in FIG. 5 is quite similar to that depicted in FIG. 4, except the box structure 404 has been replaced with a passageway 506. The device still includes outer condylar surfaces, however, enabling the device to be used as both a trial and a cutting guide. This figure also shows an oscillating saw blade being placed in different slots or against different surfaces to provide the requisite cuts. For example, saw blades 514 and 515 inserted through slots 512 or 513, may be used to form transverse intercondyle cuts, whereas, blades in positions 520 and 522 may be inserted for the chamfer cuts, and so on. In addition, although slots are not shown, by placing the blade against the surfaces 530 (not visible) and 532, cuts corresponding to the sides of the box structure may be performed. Blades in positions 540 and 542 may be used to make the bottom cuts associated with the box. In the case of position 540, the blade could rest against a surface (not shown) provided on the device, whereas a slot 543 may be provided for a deeper box bottom cut using blade 542.
30. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a further alternative embodiment for accurately providing box cuts in the event that such cuts were not performed previously. In FIG. 6, there is shown a block 604 removably attached to an implanted intermedullar stem 602. Once in place, a saw blade at position 608 may be moved along the left surface of the block 604 to make a side box cut 606, and a blade in position 610 may be moved along a right surface of the block 604 to make a box cut 612. As an alternative to the use of outer surfaces of a cutting block such as 604, a guide with slots may also be removably attached to the stem 602. To make the bottom cut of the box, a blade may be moved straight down into the page, riding against a rearward surface 618.
31. Now making reference to FIG. 7, a device similar to that depicted in FIG. 5 is shown generally at 702. Instead of providing a passageway 506 against which a flat saw may be placed to provide the box cuts, separate slots 705 are provided specifically for this purpose. This particular device may include a stem 706, but since the box cuts are not yet available, a trial is carried out in conjunction with a specialized tibial spacer 710 not having superior post protrusions should the joint configuration be stabilized in this manner. Once the cuts 705 are performed, the overall device may be removed from the stem 706, and, assuming the stem connection is sufficiently deep in the bone, the cut corresponding to the bottom of the box may be completed. Then a device such as that shown in FIG. 4 may be inserted, as required, to carry out any necessary subsequent resections.
32. FIG. 8 shows yet another further alternative embodiment of the invention. In this particular design, a stem 804 is provided, which is removably attachable to the bulk of the trial/cutting guide assembly 810 at an interface 812. As a compromise between the passageway 506 shown in FIG. 5 and the complete box structure 404 shown in FIG. 4, the stem 804 connects to a smaller box-shaped element 820, enabling a saw to be placed on either side to perform the side box cuts, as shown in phantom at 824 for the one side, or used from above to form the bottom surface of the box with a saw shown at position 830. Having carried out at least this partial bottom surface cut, the bulk of the element may be removed from the stem 804 at interface 812 and the saw in position 830 extending downwardly to finish off the bottom box surface cut. With the box cuts having been performed and with the stem 804 remaining in place, a device such as that shown in FIG. 4, with the stem 450 being removable from the box 404 at the interface 460, may then be installed and the remaining resections performed.
33. In use, then, the invention affords a procedure which, in at least one respect, is essentially opposite to steps now being performed. That is, rather than making the various cuts (including the use of different saw guides), then performing a trial reduction, by using the present invention, in essence, a trial reduction is performed first with a trial having saw guide slots or surfaces. Once the various cuts have been made, the inventive combined trial/saw guide is removed, at which point the surgeon realizes precisely which final implant to choose for permanent affixation. Not only will the surgeon know which final prosthetic component to select, but he or she will also know which spacers to use based upon the depth of slot used for the cut, and, since the combined trial/saw guide of this invention may be constructed with prior knowledge of the final implant configuration, misalignments of the type discussed earlier with regard to the implant stem are minimized. Due to the fact that a single guide may be used to perform numerous, accurate cuts, the invention should save considerable time while increasing the precision of both primary and revision arthroplasty in a wide variety of joint replacement and other orthopaedic situations including the tibial side of a knee replacement.
1. A bone saw guide comprising a shaped body, at least a portion of the body being transparent, thereby enabling a user to visualize a bone resection as it is being performed with the saw using the guide.
2. The guide of
- claim 1, including one or more slots to guide the saw, the volume of the body surrounding the slots being transparent.
3. The guide of
- claim 1, the shape of the body being configured to co-act in a joint.
4. The guide of
- claim 3, the shape of the body being configured for use in femoral knee arthroplasty.
5. The guide of
- claim 4, the shape of the body including outer, condylar protrusions enabling the guide to further function as a trial.
6. The guide of
- claim 1, further including means to position the guide relative to the bone to be resected.
7. The guide of
- claim 6, the means to position the guide relative to the bone to be resected including a projection which enters into the bone.
8. A combination trial and bone cutting guide, comprising:
- an inner surface shaped to mate with one or more resections made to the bone;
- an outer surface shaped to interact with another component forming part of a joint; and
- one or more cutting guides enabling additional resections to be performed.
9. The combination trial and bone cutting guide of
- claim 8, wherein the additional resections are associated with the implantation of a prosthetic component.
10. The cutting guide of
- claim 9, wherein the prosthetic component is associated with femoral knee arthroplasty.
11. The cutting guide of
- claim 8, wherein the guides are in the form of slots.
12. The cutting guide -of
- claim 8, wherein the least a portion of the combination trial and bone cutting guide is transparent, thereby enabling a user to visualize the additional bone resection as it is being performed.
13. The method of resecting a bone, comprising the steps of:
- providing a transparent saw guide;
- mounting the saw guide relative to the bone to be resected in the vicinity of a resection to be performed;
- viewing bone surfaces through the transparent portions of the guide to determine the proper approach to the resection to be performed; and
- performing the resection with the guide remaining in place.
14. The method of resecting a bone to receive a joint-related implant, comprising the steps of:
- providing and installing a combination trial and cutting guide onto the end of the bone to receive the implant;
- reducing the installed device to test the joint; and
- upon a satisfactory reduction, resecting the end of the bone using the cutting guide.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 21, 2000
Publication Date: May 10, 2001
Patent Grant number: 6503254
Applicant: Medldea, LLC
Inventor: Michael A. Masini (Ann Arbor, MI)
Application Number: 09747087
International Classification: A61B017/56;


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What is Shalom House?
Shalom House provides community-based support services and safe, affordable housing for people with serious mental illness. When it opened in 1972, the organization operated one halfway house in Portland. Today, it offers nearly two-dozen housing choices, from independent apartments to group homes and rooming houses throughout southern Maine.
Every year, Shalom House presents two Hope Awards to people who are making a difference in the lives of people living with mental illness. One of the Hope Awards is the Joseph Brannigan Community Excellence Award, named after longtime executive director Joseph Brannigan and given to an individual or organization that contributes to the community by being socially aware and sensitive to the housing and support needs of people living with mental illness. This year's recipient is Cheryl Ramsay.
Why Shalom House chose Cheryl Ramsay for an award
"Cheryl Ramsay, a family member and advocate, will receive the 2013 Joseph Brannigan Award for her willingness to share the story of her two sons. Both face the challenges of a mental health diagnosis, but each has taken a different path in hopes of recovery.
Cheryl Ramsay, a family member and advocate, will receive the 2013 Joseph Brannigan Award for her willingness to share the story of her two sons. Both face the challenges of a mental health diagnosis, but each has taken a different path in hopes of recovery.
"Cheryl's willingness to share her own family's journey, as well as use her voice to advocate and educate, is awe inspiring," says Mary Haynes-Rodgers, Shalom House's current executive director. "Cheryl is a role model for how we can take our own experiences and use them to make the world a better place for all. Her passion to fight stigma and support individuals on their journey to recovery as well as support family members continues to offer hope to all who hear her message. Her actions exemplify what the Joseph Brannigan Community Excellence Award was created to honor."
A conversation with Cheryl about mental illness Cheryl Ramsay welcomes and encourages conversations about her sons' mental illnesses. "There is such a stigma with mental illness," she says. "We need to start having the conversations and open and honest dialogues because it's that very thing that stops people from getting the services and treatment they need. Sometimes they don't even know they're out there and that's such a shame — for the person with a diagnosis and the family members."
Cheryl has three children, a daughter and identical twin sons. Each of her sons, now in their late 20s, has mental illness.One son struggles with substance abuse and while he also exhibits signs of mental illness, has never been officially diagnosed. Cheryl says, "His journey presently includes the criminal justice system, like so many who face the challenges of a dual diagnosis."
Her other son, Scott, has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and lives in a group home run by Shalom House.
In the story of her sons, the chapters on mental illness began when they were 13 years old and started experimenting with substances. By the time he was 15, Scott was showing signs of distress. "We just kept telling him stop using the substances and you'll be fine, not really knowing what we were heading into," Cheryl explains. "My husband is a police officer, so he certainly had his own connection with people who have a mental illness, but I think it's a totally different way of looking at things when it's happening in your own family. I had no experience with mental illness so I didn't know what I was looking at either."
During his sophomore year of high school, Scott began cutting himself and was hospitalized. Over the next few years, the cutting got worse. "He probably had about nine hospitalizations and we probably made 20 trips to the emergency room," describes Cheryl. "In the meantime, he was seeing a counselor. We were doing all the right things, but he continued to get worse."
When he was a senior, he attended a program in Massachusetts and became substance-free. "That's when his mental illness really took hold, says Cheryl. "He had actually been self-medicating and that's when the delusions and auditory hallucinations — all those kinds of things — really started showing themselves."
Family members began to educate themselves about mental illness and took a Family to Family class offered by the Maine Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Cheryl now teaches the class and works full-time for NAMI as its Walk Manager.
The family also found out about Shalom House. When he returned home from Massachusetts, Scott participated in Shalom's transitional program and moved into one of its houses, where he lived for a couple of years. As his mental illness progressed, he would be hospitalized two more times, the last time in 2010, at Riverview for one year. Scott now lives in a group home run by Shalom House, where he has his own bedroom, but receives 24/7 staff support for everything from taking his medications to being prompted to take a shower.
Even with medication, Scott no longer engages with his family. "Our engagement has come to probably 10 seconds," says Cheryl. "Literally. If you were to see him, he paces back and forth. He's always talking outwardly, always having an ongoing dialogue with whatever stimulation is happening. He was an engaging young adult before his illness. It's been heartbreaking."
Letting other people, no matter how well-qualified, take over the care of her son was also heartbreaking says Cheryl, but she believes it was the right decision. "What Shalom House is doing for my son and our family is huge because they're taking care of him, something that I know I can't do when I step outside of the situation. It means that Scott has a safe and supportive environment to live in and I'm really grateful." As for her other son, Cheryl says she doesn't know what his future holds. What helps her most is being able to talk openly about how her family has been affected by mental illness. "I think it's important to have the conversations. Through sharing my story, people have come up to me for the first time and said, 'I had no idea.' It makes sharing the story worthwhile because it gets somebody else talking about it and getting outside of their pain and seeking help and resources and support."
Congratulations to Cheryl Ramsay, for having the courage to speak openly about her family's experiences with mental illness and helping other people get the help they need.
Shalom House will present its second Hope Award, the Johnson & Korda Innovation Award, to Mary Allen Lindemann and Alan Spear, who own Coffee by Design. I'll write about their contributions later this week.
You're invited to the 2013 Hope Awards If you'd like to attend the Hope Awards, it will be held Thursday, October 3, 2013 from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Ocean Gateway Terminal in Portland. Tickets are $35. For more information or to purchase a ticket, visit the Shalom House website or send them an email.
Sign up for the monthly Catching Health eNewsletter. Browse the Catching Health calendar for health events across the entire state of Maine or post your own event.


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Teens may face sports disciplinary actions after Sudbury beer bash
49 teens names given to Lincoln-Sudbury High after party
A teen who threw an underage drinking party in Sudbury last weekend may face charges, and some of the teens at the party may face disciplinary actions from their school sports teams.
Police were called to the Easy Street party at about 10 p.m. on Jan. 24. When they arrived, police found "dozens of 14- to 18-year-old" at the home, according to Sudbury police Lt. Scott Nix.
"It was readily apparent from the foyer that alcohol was present," he said. "(Officers) observed Solo cups with liquid, beer cans, liquor bottles and could smell marijuana."
Some of the teens ran off when police arrived, but officers took the names of 49 teens who remained. Their parents were contacted to pick them up from the party.
Under the Middlesex County's community based justice, police can share this information with the school department and gave the names to Lincoln-Sudbury High School.
Police said they have heard from some parents who "indicate their son or daughter got ramifications under the (Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association) contract they signed."
Several hockey players and at least one female on the junior varsity basketball team who were at the party were disciplined.
On Wednesday, School Superintendent Scott Carpenter told the MetroWest Daily News that he couldn't discuss whether any of those students were suspended or subjected to other disciplinary action.
He added the school was looking into whether any students' activities at the party violated MIAA rules.
Several parents have questioned why students who ran off don't face sanctions.
Nix says police were "trying to control" many teens at once and safety was the key issue.
Nix said the teen host's parents have not been charged because they had no knowledge the party was happening. According to Nix, parents can be charged when they knowingly provide alcohol or a place for alcohol for teens.


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Sweet Friday
I often write for a wonderful magazine called Real Food. It is not available on newsstands but instead can be found in some of the best upscale supermarkets across the county. In the summer 2012 issue, out now, I created a cover story based on our trip to the Amalfi coast last summer. Included in the story are recipes for a white bean, mussel and red onion salad made with a dressing fashioned from sliced lemons, another salad of grilled romaine with Roma tomatoes, chicken breasts with black olives, lemon and fennel, and little potatoes with sun-dried tomatoes baked al cartoccio. The final touch is a a famous cake from Capri called Torta Caprese (adapted from Arthur Schwartz's wonderful book, Naples at Table.) My version has added espresso powder and a hint of almond extract added to the chocolate-ground almond batter. I gild the experience with an unorthodox helping of mascarpone (Italian cream cheese) whipped and flecked with bits of lemon zest. Limoncello, anyone?
2 sticks (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter
8 ounces semisweet chocolate
12 ounces almonds
6 extra-large eggs, separated
1 tablespoon espresso powder
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
8 ounces mascarpone
1 large lemon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using 1 tablespoon butter, butter bottom and sides of a 10-inch removable bottom cake pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper. Melt the remaining butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth, stirring often. Process the almonds in two batches, each with 2 tablespoons sugar, until very fine and powdery. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in espresso powder. Set aside.
Beat yolks until light and thick, about 3 minutes. Add ½ cup sugar and beat 2 minutes longer. Add the melted chocolate and the almond extract to the yolks. Stir well. Stir in the ground almonds until thoroughly mixed. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt and ¼ cup remaining sugar until very stiff. Add beaten whites to the batter in 2 batches until incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake on a rack placed in the bottom third of the oven for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until the cake is just firm. Cool and invert. Remove paper. Dust with 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar pushed through a sieve. Serve with lemon mascarpone: Beat mascarpone with 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar. Grate the lemon zest and add to mascarpone with 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice and a large pinch of salt. Serve with cake. Serves 10 to 12


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Red River Crest Prediction In ND Lowered Again
FARGO, N.D. (AP) — Preparations for a major Red River flood may be all for naught.
The National Weather Service on Monday lowered the expected crest forecast in Fargo and Moorhead, Minn., to 35.5 feet on Wednesday. That's down from the 37-foot prediction issued Sunday.
A 35.5-foot crest would be the ninth-highest, but would cause little damage after recent efforts to build permanent levees and buy out homes in low-lying areas.
Residents have spent the last week building clay levees and sandbag dikes to protect Fargo to 40 feet after an earlier weather service prediction took into account the possibility of rapid snowmelt and steady precipitation. Instead, forecasters say the conditions are ideal for a gradual melt cycle.
The river topped the 30-foot mark Sunday night.


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The Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library will be presenting its monthly staff development workshop next week. Here is the information:
- What: Staff Development workshop on "library ethics"
- When: Tuesday, May 18, 2010
- Time: 2:00 pm.
- Where: HSEB 5100-C
- Who: Dr. Jean Preer, Professor of Library and Information Science at the School of Library and Information Science, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN. Degrees: Ph.D., George Washington University, 1980; J.D., George Washington University, 1974 .
- How: her presentation will be via the polycom setup in the 5100-C classroom.
- Additional information: Dr. Preer is the author of the book Library Ethics, published in 2008 by Libraries Unlimited. Also (full disclosure here), she was this author's Collection Development class instructor in library school.
Questions? Post a comment or contact Todd Vandenbark, Web Services Librarian.