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Difference between revisions of "Forensic Live CD issues"
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m (moved Forensic Linux Live CD issues to Forensic Live CD issues: No need for this article to be Linux specific.)
(No difference)
Revision as of 13:37, 28 July 2012
The problem
Forensic Linux Live CD distributions are widely used during computer forensic investigations. Currently, many vendors of such Live CD distributions spread false claims that their distributions "do not touch anything", "write protect everything" and so on. Community-developed distributions are no exception here, unfortunately. Finally, it turns out that many forensic Linux Live CD distributions are not tested properly and there are no suitable test cases developed.
Another side of the problem
Another side of the problem of insufficient testing of forensic Live CD distributions is that many users do not know what happens "under the hood" of such distributions and cannot adequately test them.
For example, Forensic Cop Journal (Volume 1(3), Oct 2009) describes a test case when an Ext3 file system was mounted using "-o ro" mount flag as a way to write protect the data. The article says that all tests were successful (i.e. no data modification was found after unmounting the file system), but it is known that damaged (i.e not properly unmounted) Ext3 file systems cannot be write protected using only "-o ro" mount flags (write access will be enabled during file system recovery).
And the question is: will many users test damaged Ext3 file system (together with testing the clean one) when validating their favourite forensic Live CD distribution? My answer is "no", because many users are unaware of such traits.
Each problem is followed by an up to date list of distributions affected.
Journaling file system updates
When mounting (and unmounting) several journaling file systems with only "-o ro" mount flag a different number of data writes may occur. Here is a list of such file systems:
|File system
|When data writes happen
|File system requires journal recovery
|To disable recovery: use "noload" flag, or use "ro,loop" flags, or use "ext2" file system type
|File system requires journal recovery
|To disable recovery: use "noload" flag, or use "ro,loop" flags, or use "ext2" file system type
|File system has unfinished transactions
|"nolog" flag does not work (see man mount). To disable journal updates: use "ro,loop" flags
|Always (when unmounting)
|"norecovery" flag does not help (fixed in recent 2.6 kernels). To disable data writes: use "ro,loop" flags.
Incorrect mount flags can be used to mount file systems on evidentiary media during the boot process or during the file system preview process. As described above, this may result in data writes to evidentiary media. For example, several Ubuntu-based forensic Live CD distributions mount and recover damaged Ext3/4 file systems on fixed media (e.g. hard drives) during execution of initrd scripts (these scripts mount every supported file system type on every supported media type using only "-o ro" flag in order to find a root file system image).
List of distributions that recover Ext3 (and sometimes Ext4) file systems during the boot:
|SMART Linux (Ubuntu)
|FCCU GNU/Linux Forensic Boot CD
Root file system spoofing
Most Ubuntu-based forensic Live CD distributions use Casper (a set of scripts used to complete initialization process during early stage of boot). Casper is responsible for searching for a root file system (typically, an image of live environment) on all supported devices (because a bootloader does not pass any information about device used for booting to the kernel), mounting it and executing /sbin/init program on a mounted root file system that will continue the boot process. Unfortunately, Casper was not designed to meet computer forensics requirements and is responsible for damaged Ext3/4 file systems recovery during the boot (see above) and root file system spoofing.
Currently, Casper may select fake root file system image on evidentiary media (e.g. HDD), because there are no authenticity checks performed (except optional UUID check for a possible live file system), and this fake root file system image may be used to execute malicious code during the boot with root privileges. Knoppix-based forensic Live CD distributions are vulnerable to the same attack.
List of Ubuntu-based distributions that allow root file system spoofing:
|Helix3 Pro
|DEFT Linux
|SMART Linux (Ubuntu)
|FCCU GNU/Linux Forensic Boot CD
Vulnerable Knoppix-based distributions include: SPADA, LinEn Boot CD, BitFlare.
Anti-Forensics.Ru project released several ISO 9660 images used to test various Linux Live CD distributions for root file system spoofing (description for all images is here).
Swap space activation
Feel free to add information about swap space activation during the boot in some distributions
Incorrect mount policy
rebuildfstab and scanpartitions scripts
Several forensic Linux Live CD distributions (Helix3 2009R1, Helix3 Pro 2009R3, old versions of CAINE, old versions of grml) use rebuildfstab and scanpartition scripts to create entries for attached devices in /etc/fstab. Some versions of these scripts use wrong wildcards while searching for available block devices (/dev/?d? instead of /dev/?d*), this results in missing several "exotic" devices (like /dev/sdad, /dev/sdad1, etc) and in data writes when mounting them (because fstab lacks of read-only mount options for these devices).
Incorrect write-blocking approach
Some forensic Linux Live CD distributions rely on hdparm and blockdev programs to mount file systems in read-only mode (by setting the underlying block device to read-only mode). Unfortunately, setting the block device to read-only mode does not guarantee that no write commands will be passed to the drive.


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It looks like the rumors we heard that Samsung may be bringing Jelly Bean to their flagship Galaxy S III device may turn out to be true. In fact, at their keynote speech during IFA Samsung shared that both the SGS3 and their new Galaxy Note 10.1 tablet should be getting the Android 4.1 update "very soon." While that isn't very specific, it is still very encouraging, and most of the industry intel suggests we should see it within a week or two. As always we will keep our eye on things and share just as soon as we hear anything.
Source: S3Forums via BGR

subset: commoncrawl


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PNY manufactures DDR2 memory upgrades rated at PC2-3200, PC2-4200, PC2-5300 and higher. They are compatible with desktop and notebook computers and processors including Intel's Pentium, Celeron, Centrino, AMD's Athlon and Sempron Socket AM2 processors, and others. PNY upgrade modules are compatible with systems from Apple, Compaq, DELL, Gateway, HP, IBM and over 5000 other systems.
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|800 MHz (PC2-6400)
|667MHz (PC2-5300), 533 (PC2-4300)
|Warranty (Years)
|10 Years


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Race PR Kit - AES vol 8.14
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Enhances energy production and decreases acid-induced fatigue
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Available in capsule and powder form, the Race Day Boost formula is supported by a wealth of research backing its positive effects on athletic performance. In one study, subjects loaded with sodium tribasic phosphate for four days (1 gram, four times daily). During a 40K time trial, their mean power output increased by 17% and oxygen uptake by 17%, netting an 8% improvement in performance time! An 8% improvement? That's huge!
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When you put an Energy Surge tablet beneath your tongue and allow it to dissolve, you get a quick boost of energy exactly when you need it. Take Energy Surge anytime you require that extra burst of energy, such as during your hard workout sessions and definitely during races. For more than two decades, thousands of athletes have attested to the effectiveness of Energy Surge. Now it's time for you to experience its powerful benefits.
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That's where Energy Surge comes in. It raises ATP levels enough in the blood stream to supply a "priming dose" when cellular ATP stores are becoming depleted and your body can't keep up with the demand. Energy Surge not only provides an energy boost on demand, but it also gets your body's energy production back on track when high-intensity or long-duration exercise have drained its ability to produce ATP normally and consistently. Pretty awesome benefits from such a small tablet!
Anti-Fatigue Caps
Reduces ammonia-induced fatigue for greater endurance
Whether you're doing short or long workouts and races, excess ammonia is considered a primary culprit - perhaps THE primary culprit - in premature fatigue. One supplements expert states, "Ammonia is toxic to all cells, reduces the formation of glycogen, and inhibits the energy cycle." A study that examined changes in blood ammonia levels in humans during exercise determined that the higher the blood ammonia level, the poorer performance will be.
Fortunately, there's an antidote to excess ammonia - Anti-Fatigue Caps, a truly unique product that combines potent amounts of two powerful, well-known ammonia-scavenging nutrients: potassium/magnesium aspartate and OKG. Taking Anti-Fatigue Caps before any workout or race, and every hour during prolonged bouts of exercise, minimizes or neutralizes the performance-inhibiting effects of excess ammonia. The result? Vastly enhanced exercise performance, no matter how long your workout or race.
For years, endurance athletes like you have been inundated with tons of "overpromised but under-delivered sports supplements." Not surprisingly, after wasting a lot of money on these ineffective products, many athletes never use them again, convinced that all ergogenic aids are little more than expensive snake oil. However, the products in Hammer Nutritions "Race PR Kit" - Race Day Boost, Energy Surge, and Anti-Fatigue Caps - have been in high demand by athletes for many years. If these products had not worked precisely as we said they would and athletes had stopped demanding them due to poor results, they too would have disappeared a long time ago.
The fact is, these three race-day performance enhancers flat-out work - especially when used in combination - regardless of the duration of your race. We are so sure that you will be pleased that we guarantee your satisfaction. Think of Race Day Boost, Energy Surge, and Anti-Fatigue Caps as the "icing on the cake" products in your supplement arsenal. They'll allow you to maximize your benefits from all of your hard workouts, your training aids and methods, and the Hammer Nutrition fuels and supplements you're already taking. If you're ready to achieve more personal records in your races (and who isn't?), it's time to put the Hammer Nutrition "Race PR Kit" to work for you. Order your supply of these three genuine, guaranteed-to-work, performance-enhancing products today, test them in training, then be prepared to experience the kind of race results you've been waiting for! HN


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LEXINGTON, Ky., May 6 (UPI) -- University of Kentucky football player Ashley Lowery survived a serious car accident with only scrapes and cuts, a family spokesman said.
Lowery, 20, crashed his car early Saturday near his hometown of Cleveland, Ga. The car flipped over several times and Lowery, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected, The (Louisville, Ky.) Courier-Journal reported Monday.
He was sedated in intensive care at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Gainesville, but his sedation was lifted and a neck brace and feeding tube were removed Sunday, family spokesman and sports editor of Cleveland's White County News Doug Stutsman said.
"Just a ton of scrapes all over his body," Stutsman said after visiting Lowery in the hospital. "Some of them are pretty bad cuts, but they think right now he came out of it pretty clean."
Stutsman said Lowery did not sustain internal or brain injuries, and no broken bones, adding doctors will wait until he is further recovered before he is asked about how the crash occurred.


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Pack of black youth terrorize city
Twin mob attacks strike on back-to-back nights
(Editor's note: Colin Flaherty has done more reporting than any other journalist on what appears to be a nationwide trend of skyrocketing black-on-white crime, violence and abuse. WND features these reports to counterbalance the virtual blackout by the rest of the media due to their concerns that reporting such incidents would be inflammatory or even racist. WND considers it racist not to report racial abuse solely because of the skin color of the perpetrators or victims.) Videos linked or embedded may contain foul language and violence.
Raleigh, N.C., citizens are on alert after two cases of black mob violence in two nights in their downtown.
The attacks are the latest in a series of episodes of racial violence in the area.
The local ABC affiliate was the only media outlet to report that last Tuesday, a group of at least 15 black people stalked and beat a homeless woman after she saw them coming and tried to get out of their way.
In contrast to most cases of black racial violence, local journalist Kelli O'Hara actually identified the mob the way victims and the police did: They were black.
O'Hara fills in the details:
On Tuesday night, Ardena Best was sleeping on a park bench when she said out of nowhere a mob of young men approached her.
"I happen to look across the street, I see a whole group of guys…like 15 of them," Best said.
She said the men crossed Fayetteville Street, and one stopped and yelled at her before the attack.
"'What, are you scared?' And the guy looked and punched me on the side of my face real fast," Best said. "He clutched his fist and slugged me above my eye."
The assault is part of a pattern of black mob violence – more than 500 cases in over 100 cities – documented in Black mobs routinely terrorize cities across the country, but the media and government are silent. Read the detailed account of rampant racial crime in "White Girl Bleed A Lot: The Return of Racial Violence to America and How the Media Ignore It." Many have happened in North Carolina.
This was the second such assault in Raleigh in two days.
The other happened in the same street in the evening: According to the 911 tapes obtained by O'Hara, a man was walking down the street when he came upon a group of black people.
One said, "Excuse me," and punched him in the face.
Quoth O'Hara: "Police said the two incidents sound similar. They describe the attackers as a group of African-American teens wearing gym clothes and traveling in a large group."
Black mobs routinely terrorize cities across the country, but the media and government are silent. Read the detailed account of rampant racial crime in "White Girl Bleed A Lot: The Return of Racial Violence to America and How the Media Ignore It."
Best said she was shaken by the attack and now fears for her life.
"This is the only place I have to sleep," she said.
Despite that, O'Hara confidently reports Best is "OK and suffered no damages."
That is not OK with Taleeb Starkes, author of "The Uncivil War."
"The bruises will heal," said Starkes. "The emotional damage will not. If you look at the news accounts of these kinds of crimes, the police and press tell us this was not a major crime. There was not much money involved. The victim lived. But one of the reasons these crimes happen so much is that we take them so lightly. This kind of violent crime is life-changing and traumatic to the victim. But we rarely treat the predators that way. If they lose a little money or no one gets hurt, it's no harm, no foul. These predators are domestic terrorists and should be treated as such."
Despite North Carolina's bucolic, Andy-of-Mayberry-like roots, black mob violence has become a regular fact of life in places like Greensboro, neighboring Durham, Charlotte and Asheville. But Raleigh often stays under the radar.
It does not have to: There are a number of recent video accounts of black mob violence in Raleigh. Several videos show late-night "let out" violence after the downtown clubs close.
Others document home invasion robberies, and of course, good old neighborhood fights involving lots of people.
In 2008, a Raleigh shopping center was the site of a full-scale "Mall Brawl" involving 300 black people. Six black people were arrested. Several residents reported this was not an uncommon occurrence.
One local resident pleaded guilty, with an explanation at the WRAL web site: "This is only because they build a mall right in the middle of two well-known gang areas – the Bloods and Crips. They have always been trying to fight over whose area it is. Why do you think so many of them sit at the front of the mall by the food court? There are so many hard-working blacks that are embarrassed by their youth. Get a job and work for what you get, and stop having us pay our taxes for your 16-year-old baby's mama. Grow up! And shut up about this racist B.S.! Statistics don't lie! Y'all are destroying our schools and our city!"
See a trailer for "White Girl Bleed a Lot":


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Hi. I'm Samantha.
I write about not getting stuck with your academic assignments.Trusted Academic Service
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Global poverty is decreasing, but billions of people still do not have the resources they need to survive and thrive. Economic growth can reduce poverty, but it can also drive inequality that generates social and economic problems. While reducing poverty and inequality cuts through all of CGD's topics of research, some of our work is especially focused on policies that serve those goals. You can find that work here.
The Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by the UN in September 2015, define the development agenda for the next 15 years. CGD contributed to the debate about the post-2015 development agenda and continue analyzing how best to reach the global goals and measure progress.
Greater access for the poor to financial services such as payments, deposits, credits, insurance and risk-management services can improve their opportunities and welfare. This CGD task force is working to identify the regulatory changes needed to increase financial inclusion while protecting consumers and financial stability.
Based on the analysis of CGD's substantial in-house expertise in Latin America, the initiative goal is to advance recommendations to policymakers in Latin America as well as those in developed countries and multilateral organizations to support the region's efforts to climb the development ladder and reach shared prosperity.
A growing middle class can play a crucial role in a country's development both through spurring (consumption-led) economic growth and through making governments more responsive and accountable to their citizens. CGD has contributed to improving the definition and measurement of the middle class in developing countries, and our research continues to identify policies that foster middle class growth and analyze the economic and political consequences.
Fields marked with * have to be filled.


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Designers: Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle of FunQuilts
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Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.
Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated. {C}


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Note: This item is more than five years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.
Print – Plain Text – Permalink
News Release
Media Contact: TPWD News, email@example.com, 512-389-8030
March 13, 2014
Public Hearing Set for Proposed 160 Acre Public Artificial Reef Site
AUSTIN— The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is proposing to create a new 160 acre public artificial reef site south of the Galveston Jetties. The proposed site is six and a half miles from the shoreline in about 48 feet of water.
A public hearing to discuss the proposal is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2 at the Galveston Yacht Basin, 715 North Holiday Dr., Galveston, TX, 77550. For directions, call 409-765-3000.
The public may also provide input online at tpwd.texas.gov or by contacting Dale Shively at 512-389-4686 or email@example.com .
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Department of Revenue News Release
May 24, 2010Ryker Enterprises Awarded Creve Coeur License Office
JEFFERSON CITY - A St. Louis County corporation has been awarded the contract to operate the Creve Coeur License Office. The winning proposal was chosen as part of a reformed, competitive bidding process for all of Missouri's local license offices.
Ryker Enterprises, Inc. will be the new agent for the office, which is located at 12943 Olive Street Rd. Danah Lewis of Eureka is the president of the corporation, and she is the former contract agent of the West County License Office. Ryker Enterprises has also been awarded the Des Peres and Chesterfield license offices.
The winning bid for the Creve Coeur office was one of five submitted. The contract with the state is good for one year, and the state has the right to renew the contract for three additional one-year periods. According to figures from Fiscal Year 2009, an estimated 85,822 transactions were conducted at the office during that year, and $296,552 in contract agent processing fees were generated.
The Creve Coeur office is one of 10 offices initially awarded in 2009 that are being re-bid at the request of the Missouri Department of Revenue because of incomplete information provided by the winning bidder during the first round of bidding.
Bidders have the option of returning a portion of an office's revenues to the state. Ryker Enterprises' winning bid included a 3 percent ($8,896) annual return to the state. More than $1 million is estimated to be returned to the state in the first full year of operations from the 181 license offices that have been awarded so far under the reformed bidding process. There are 183 offices statewide.
Details about changes in office operations, if any, will be announced by the new agent.
Although Gov. Jay Nixon authorized the Department of Revenue to implement the new bidding system in January of 2009, it didn't become part of state law until legislation was signed by the Governor last summer. The new law was overwhelmingly approved by both Republican and Democratic members of the Missouri Legislature.
Alana M. Barragán-Scott, director of the Department of Revenue, noted the high quality of the bids for the office.
"All of the submitted proposals for the Creve Coeur office were solid," she said. "Four of the five bidders had experience operating local license offices. The competitive nature of the process compels the bidders to submit quality bids, and the beneficiaries of these reforms will be the customers that receive enhanced service."
All local license offices provide services that are overseen by the Department of Revenue, but each office is operated by an independent contractor. Transactions that are conducted at these offices include the issuance and renewal of driver licenses, issuance of titles for motor vehicles, and the issuance and renewal of registration for motor vehicles, boats and outboard motors.
To follow the Missouri Department of Revenue on Twitter, go to http://twitter.com/MoRevenue. If you don't already have a Twitter account, you'll have to create one before you can follow the Missouri Department of Revenue.


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Multisector partnerships
World Heart Federation (WHF)
The WHF works closely WHO CVD Programme. Joint activities include: the WHO/WHF/UNESCO Campaign for the Prevention of CVD; health promotion in school-age children in developing countries; projects on rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease; the Monica project; and development of health education materials, and norms and standards in CVD. The WHF supports WHO efforts to control and prevent risk factors for NCDs, such as tobacco smoking. WHO supports the WHF International Ten-day Teaching Seminar on CVD Epidemiology and Prevention.
The WHF organizes the annual World Heart Day to increase awareness about the global impact of heart disease and stroke. On 24 September 2000, the first World Heart Day was organized by WHF and co-sponsored by WHO and 77 countries participated. The 2001 World Heart Day will take place on 30 September with the theme: A heart for life.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
International Society of Hypertension (ISH)
ISH collaboration on the WHO Cardiovascular Diseases Programme began in 1974 and has produced four versions of the WHO/ISH guidelines on managing mild hypertension (1983, 1986, 1989, 1993).
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com
Heart Friends Around the World (HFATW)
HFATW is an international non-governmental organization and an affiliated member of the WHF that promotes CVD prevention worldwide through a membership network of over 1000 cardiologists in more than 100 countries. A WHO/HFATW joint project is being established for the continuing medical education of health personnel in low- and middle-income countries.
Contact: email@example.com
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have included cardiopulmonary resuscitation and CVD awareness as a major component in First Aid Training Courses. In collaboration with WHO, an initiative has also been launched to improve awareness of CVDs in poor and marginalized populations.
Contact: firstname.lastname@example.com


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1 OF 10 PROPERTIES IN DELIGHTFUL COURTYARD SETTINGS The cottages lie in the leafy hamlet of Abbots Lench one of the five picturesque Lench villages well known for their natural beauty and black and white Tudor cottages. Nestling in tranquil glorious Worcestershire countryside in a tucked away location and next to a working dairy farm each property retains much of its original charm and character with beams and flagstone floors. These properties are perfectly placed for enjoying the many attractions the area has to offer. Ideally situated for exploring the beautiful villages and historic towns of the Cotswolds Shakespeare s Stratford-upon-Avon Worcester Warwick and more. Within easy reach of numerous National Trust properties including Croome Landscape Park and English heritage properties. The area offers a vast range of activities for all ages with numerous footpaths accessible direct from the cottages tennis courts in Church Lench (0.75 mile away) fishing in nearby trout lakes and rivers Avon and Severn. The countryside is pure magic and the lanes and bridleways are quiet and ideal for walking and bike riding. Other attractions in the area include first class golf courses horse riding wildlife fishing tennis and rowing. Warwick Castle Blenheim Palace Cadbury World the Wye Valley Forest of Dean Oxford Bath and Cheltenham are all just a leisurely drive away. In the evenings visit one of many local pubs the closest being less than 1 mile away. Outside: BBQ cycle shed and fenced feature pond. Amenities: ample off-road parking. Bed linen towels electric and night storage heating included. 2 dogs welcome. Communal laundry room with washing machine and tumble dryer. Location: pub and shop 2 miles. The accommodation offers ONE four-poster double bedroom. Bathroom: with shower over bath and WC. Lounge/kitchen/diner: open-plan and spacious with TV DVD and electric woodburner effect fire. Kitchen area with electric cooker fridge/freezer dishwasher and microwave.Outside: lawn area courtyard and unfenced pond. Amenities: Wi-Fi available.
Heart of England
Map and Directions
Heart of England
Map and Directions
Pets Allowed
295 to 585
Sleeps 2 Persons.
- Arrival time: 14:30
- Bathrooms: 1
- Changeover Day: Saturday
- Complex of properties
- Downstairs bathroom
- Downstairs bedroom
- Enclosed garden / patio
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- Highchair available
- Internet access
- Property type: Cottage
- Pub nearby
- Romantic
- Short breaks
- Tennis Court
- Towels included
- Travel cot available


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Even before the terrible earthquake/tsunami disaster in Japan, Honda seemed to be losing its way. I wrote a story in May of last year about that.
More recently our estimable tgriffith told you about Consumer Reports' slam of the new Civic (above)—for bad brakes and handling, a choppy ride and, yes, an inferior interior. CR rated the Civic 11th out of 12 small sedans, and that made big news in the car world.
Now the company is getting slammed again, this time with a recall of 1.5 million U.S. cars and another million in China and Canada for an automatic transmission problem affecting 2005-2010 Accords, Elements and CR-Vs.
The UK's Financial Times (subscription required) noted it was one of Honda's largest recalls ever, "equivalent in size to 70 per cent of the 3.5m vehicles that Honda sold last year."
Why is this happening to the "once proud" leader in small cars? For years, Honda (and the Civic in particular) was the one to beat, the best-engineered, best-made, best-selling. Now it's being seriously challenged by, of all companies, Hyundai, formerly producer of some of the world's worst-made cars.
Now, cars like the Elantra (right) are nipping at the Civic's heels, because Hyundai is on a roll and Honda appears to be the victim of cost-cutting. And/or it's gotten lazy and arrogant.
The company has also been producing some of the ugliest cars on the street, like the Odyssey and the Crosstour. The Accord has become a big tank.
Honda is rapidly becoming the old-style GM of Japan and may be on the way to losing its brand equity. Yet it still has enormous marketing clout in the U.S. and around the world, with legions of fans.
Recalls in and of themselves don't signify poor quality, but they can illustrate a pattern. Ford last week recalled some 1.2 million F-Series pickups and has been taking heat for a transmission problem in Mustangs.
Whether and how quickly Honda responds to the strong signals of deteriorating quality and value will tell the tale. So far, in the last two years, it has been squandering its reputation.
Will Honda emerge from its recent troubles and regain its position as world leader in small cars?
Find Used Cars in Your Area at CarGurus
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|Home > States & Groups of States > The State & Its Organs
|As defined, a state is a group of individuals with common laws and a common government who reside in a particular fixed geographic area. A state may have representatives who work in a variety of ways to both represent the state and to gather intelligence for the state. These representatives are also referred to as organs of the states. Two significant areas of State activities in the international realm are those concerned with diplomacy and espionage. Resources in this category deal with the state and organs of the state.
Primary Documents
Research Resources
State Responsibility v. Individual Responsibility for International Crimes: Tertium Non Datur?
More Information


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Luol Deng scored 22 points, Richard Hamilton added 19 and the Chicago Bulls held off a fourth-quarter rally to beat the Dallas Mavericks 93-83 on Saturday night.
The victory by the Bulls (48-16) gave them a 2 1-2 game lead over Miami for the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Chicago has two regular-season games left, against Indiana and Cleveland.
Bulls star guard Derrick Rose returned to the lineup after sitting out three games with a right foot/ankle injury and he had 11 points with eight assists in 32 minutes.
Defending NBA champion Dallas, which clinched a playoff berth on Thursday night when Houston lost, was playing the second game of a back-to-back, so veteran guards Jason Kidd and Jason Terry sat out to rest.
Dirk Nowitzki scored 17 points and Rodrigue Beaubois, starting in place of Kidd, added 16 - 10 in the final quarter.


text:
Property Is A Developed Bare Lot With Underground Utilities Available, And Metered L.P. From Central Location. Conveniently Located. Minimum Of 1200 Ft Construction And No Moblie Homes Allowed. Modulars Are Acceptable.
M-20 East Approx 1 1/2 Miles To Sign On South Side Of Road.
The approximate monthly Principal & Interest payment for this property would be $68. This payment is based on a 30-year loan at a fixed rate of 3.49 % with a down payment of $1,690. Actual lender interest rates and loan programs may vary.
Use our Mortgage Payment Calculator to determine a more exact payment estimate.


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How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Joe, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.
Find the Answer
"Here is a photo at the front door of a Mexican restaurant in Houston," says Paul Diverter, a reader of EC&M. "The place is relatively new, maybe open now for six or seven years. The door is metal. It is relatively dry in this photo, but everything gets covered with water when it rains. I wonder how many more people are going to step on the metal tread plate before the insulation finally goes."
First, this flexible metal conduit (FMC) has no fittings to ensure its electrical continuity as an equipment grounding conductor. In addition, FMC is not permitted to be installed in wet locations or where subject to physical damage (348.12).
The insulation on these conductors could easily become exposed and lead to an electrical shock.


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Thursday, March 28
Good morning, TexMessagers! Do you think our border is secure?
President Obama spoke confidently about immigration reform this week, saying he believes he could sign a bipartisan immigration reform plan by the end of the summer. One thing (among many) that could stand in the way of an immigration deal is an agreed-upon assessment of the border. It seems that no one can qualify just how secure our border is.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano examined the border for herself this week. She said it is as "secure as it's ever been," rejecting demands from some in the GOP that border security must precede citizenship.
But with Border Patrol Agents being furloughed due to the sequester, Republicans say the border is still a danger, and aren't relenting in their efforts to push for more security. In response to the reported cuts with the following statement:
"The Obama administration's actions amount to nothing short of a calculated, willful neglect of what should be a President's top priority: protecting the homeland and keeping Americans safe. The fact that the administration would needlessly jeopardize the safety of American citizens as part of a continued misinformation campaign surrounding the effects of sequestration is outrageous and reprehensible," Cornyn said.
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., was on the border with fellow 'gang of eight' immigration reform members this week. During a tour guided by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol McCain witnessed firsthand a woman scaling the border fence, and shared it on his twitter.
Just witnessed a woman successfully climb an 18-ft bollard fence a few yards from us in #Nogales twitter.com/SenJohnMcCain/…
— John McCain (@SenJohnMcCain) March 27, 2013
McCain tweeted shortly after that the woman was apprehended quickly, but that the event serves as a reminder that threats to border security are real.
Republicans might not be far off in their assessment. Yesterday, the Associated Press reported that Texas publicly safety officials say Mexican drug cartels are the greatest crime threat to Texas. DPS believes six major drug cartels are operating in the state, including Los Zetas and the Gulf Cartel.
The White House has yet to release their assessment of the situation. In response to Napolitano's assessment, White House press secretary Jay Carney said there are a variety of metrics with which to measure progress on border security, but the administration doesn't see the job complete yet.
Headlines from TxPotomac's top articles
★ Poll support for legal status for undocumented immigrants crosses partisan, religious lines
★ Watchdog group files ethics complaint against Gohmert after parking ticket incident
★ Ted Cruz says he wouldn't be in the Senate without 'Mama Bear' Palin
★ Analysis: Economic ties, immigration, border issues top agenda for Obama's upcoming trip to Mexico
Reader Comment of the Day
In response to our post, wrote in the comments forum,
"That was almost 20 years ago.
Here's a headline – a lot changes in 20 years.
Can you imagine how many people would support interracial marriage 20 years before the Loving v. Virginia decision that banned miscegenation laws in the United States? I would suspect almost none."
★ Economic indicators: Bureau of economic analysis will release data on personal income and outlays at 8:30 a.m.
★ Economic indicators: Federal Reserve System will release data on the assets and liabilities of commercial banks at 4:14 p.m.
★ Brookings Institution will hold a discussion titled "China's Rise: Assessing Views from East Asia and the United States" at 9 a.m.
★ Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the U.S. Institute of Peace will hold a discussion titled "Arab Uprisings and Mass Politics: Constraints, Change, Uncertainty" at 10 a.m.
Tomorrow and beyond:
★ April 5 The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases monthly employment information.
★ April 9 The Senate Energy and Commerce Committee has a hearing on the nomination for the Department of Energy.
★ April 15 The Senate Judiciary Committee has a hearing on the targeted killing by drones
★ April 16 The Senate Armed Services Committee has a hearing on Afghanistan
★ April 16 Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on the proposed fiscal 2014 budget request for the U.S. Coast Guard and related marine transportation programs.
Today in Texas History
On this date in 1955, Earl Campbell, pro football hall of famer and Heisman Trophy winner, was born in Tyler, Texas. More>>>


text: Natural and Man made disasters make people stop and leave. I learn more from a disaster like a nuclear disaster or Pompeii in Italy. Sometimes while we feel for the people there at the time being forced from your city allows me to understand their life better than if their mill closes.


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Mobile plans - Rude staff
Who is your issue with?
How does Resolver work?
Free forever
Resolver is free. No adverts, no hidden costs. Just raise a case and leave feedback after. Simple! We've helped millions of people find a resolution. Get started now and let's get this sorted.
Know your rights
There's no jargon in our rights guides. Instead, they're full of the info you need to get things sorted. We'll always be on hand with guidance and support to help you get the results you're looking for.
Get your voice heard
You can be certain that you're talking to the right person at the right time. We automatically connect you to contacts at thousands of household names, ombudsmen and regulators to find a resolution.
- You shouldn't have to deal with poor customer service.
- If you do encounter a rude member of staff, you should give the service provider a chance to fix things first.
- Get in touch with them via Resolver.
- While they might not be able to fix the problem right away, they should use your feedback to try and make things right.
- If they can't, you should escalate your case to the next level – whether that's to a manager or (if all else fails) to your province's consumer affairs office.
The Wireless Code
The Wireless Code was made by the CRTC to help make it easier for Canadian consumers to navigate the telecoms market. It applies to any mobile wireless voice and data services and sets out the rules for dealing with a number of issues relating to your contract, including cancellation fees (allowing you to cancel your contract after 2 years with no cancellation fees even if you've agreed a longer term), a limit on data and roaming charges, unlocked cell phones, trial periods and clear language.
PAD – Pre-Authorized Debit
If you're paying via PAD, you'll have some protection from unauthorized transactions. Anyone taking money via PAD has to have a reimbursement statement in their agreement, giving you the right to receive reimbursement for any unauthorized debit or debit that isn't consistent with the PAD (for example, a payment for an incorrect amount).
Generally speaking, you've got 90 days from the date of the withdrawal to report an incorrect or unauthorized PAD.
CCTS – Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services
The CCTS is an independent organization that handles complaints about telecoms and television services in Canada.
If the service provider you're raising a complaint about can't resolve the matter for you, you can escalate your case to the CCTS. If the CCTS accepts your complaint, they'll consider your case and issue a recommendation.
Either you or the service provider can reject the recommendation if you aren't happy with it. The CCTS will then consider your reasons for rejecting the recommendation and issue a final decision on the matter.
The final decision is binding on the service provider but not on you – meaning you can still reject it at any point.
CRTC – Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications
The CRTC is the independent public authority that's in charge of regulating and supervising Canadian telecoms and TV services. Generally speaking, the CRTC makes high level decisions about the sector.
The majority of complaints should go through the CCTS, who can make recommendations and decisions on specific cases. The CRTC will take note of broader issues and come up with new rules to promote a fairer environment for consumers.
Find the best rights for you
We have 1,264 pages of rights advice for you covering 0 companies and organisations across 6 public & private sectors. Feel free to browse companies for this specific issue - they're all listed below - but the quickest way to find the best rights for you is by using our unique Rights Finder to access our extensive database of advice.
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September 2008
Research Methodology
The research approach used to develop this guide is a combination of case study methodology and benchmarking of best practices. Used in businesses worldwide as they seek to continuously improve their operations, benchmarking has more recently been applied to education. Benchmarking is a structured, efficient process that targets key operations and identifies the following: promising practices in relationship to traditional practice, previous practice at the selected sites (lessons learned), and local outcome data. The methodology used here is further explained in a background document,26 which lays out the justification for identifying promising practices based on four sources of rigor in the approach:
Theory and research base;
Expert review;
Site evidence of effectiveness; and
Systematic field research and cross-site analysis.
The steps of the research process were: defining a study scope, seeking input from experts to refine the scope and inform site selection criteria, screening potential sites, selecting sites to study, conducting site visits, collecting and analyzing data to write case reports, and writing a user-friendly guide.
Study Framework and Data Collection
A conceptual framework was developed to guide the study of the selected sites. While there is a lot of daily activity at any school, each case study needed to focus on those practices most likely to contribute to a school's success and sustainability. The framework for this study was an adaptation of that used in a previous guide, Creating and Sustaining Successful K-8 Magnet Schools, published in 2008, derived from the research literature on magnet schools, organizational effectiveness, and sustainability of school reform. Components were added from the research literature on secondary school reform. The dimensions of the conceptual framework were academic excellence through a theme-based program, commitment to equity and diversity, building school capacity, and strategic partnerships. A site visit was conducted at each school to gather the information for this guide, each visit lasting for two days and including informal observations throughout the school, attendance at events, and interviews. The primary source of data was interviews with a variety of key groups, including parents, teachers, administrators, district leaders, and school partners. An interview protocol was developed based on the study framework and adapted to each role group. Interviews were digitally recorded with key interviews and later transcribed for more detailed analysis.
Documents from each school served as an additional source of information. Collected during the site visit, these documents included such items as school schedules, sample assessments, curriculum plans, newsletters, application forms, brochures, and report cards. Principals and district magnet office staff also completed a standard form to facilitate consistent compiling of school demographic and outcome information.
Site Selection Process
Consideration for this guide, a school had to be a dedicated magnet, not a school-within-a-school program, although some had a schoolwide theme and others had more than one strand within the same school. Each school had to show evidence of strong academic achievement as well as success in reducing minority-group isolation. Each had to have graduated at least one class of students.
Strong academic achievement meant that student proficiency rates were above 50 percent in reading and math on state standardized tests. All schools in this guide made adequate yearly progress (AYP) for at least three years. Reducing minority-group isolation was measured in reference to the demographic characteristics of the district as a whole, and selected schools closely mirrored the district composition or further reduced minority-group isolation.
The process of identifying sites began with a broad scan of possible sites. A list of 52 districts with strong magnet programs had been developed for the earlier guide, and this was one starting point. Additionally, researchers drew from the abstracts of 1998 and 2002 Magnet Schools Assistance program (MSAP) grantees, lists of current and former Magnet Schools of America award winners (MSA Schools of Excellence and Schools of Distinction), and individual nominations by the magnet school researchers, practitioners, and board members of the Magnet Schools of America who served as the guide's external advisory group.
Based on screening of schools' achievement data and minority-group isolation data (see "Reducing Minority-group Isolation Criteria" below), the initial list of 84 schools was narrowed down to 12 schools. Additional information about specific program features and updated data were collected using phone interviews with school administrators to fill gaps in information.
From this group of 12 schools, eight schools were ultimately chosen as case study sites, based on the compiled information and criteria ratings on a screening matrix. Demographic variation, a range of promising practices, geographic location, and achievement data were all considered in the final site selection.
Selection Criteria
A cross-section of schools were selected to highlight magnet high schools successfully meeting the integration and achievement needs of their particular districts. Considerations included districts with a high number of traditionally underserved populations (e.g., low income, special education, African--American, and Latino students); variation in academic programming and magnet themes; both schoolwide and multiple-strand programs; inclusion of inter-district and feeder-pattern arrangements; and a range of geographic locations. All schools met the following criteria, prioritized by the advisory group as key issues for consideration.
Achievement Criteria
Schools selected met AYP targets for at least three consecutive years, including the most recent year for which data were available. Researchers looked for schools that scored at least at the 50th percentile in math or reading on state standardized tests with demonstrated evidence of continued improvement over several years, or for schools that were consistently high achieving in the 90th-percentile range annually. Data from state departments of education Web sites and the Web site SchoolMatters.com provided achievement information. Researchers looked for additional evidence that the schools were demonstrating higher achievement for low-income, minority, or students receiving special education services in comparison with a similar population of students in its local district public schools.
Reducing Minority-group Isolation Criteria
Compared to district demographics or interdistrict targets, these schools are maintaining representative student populations with regard to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background, or are demonstrating more pronounced reduction in minority-group isolation.
Analysis and Reporting
A case report was written about each site, and reviewed by site administrators for accuracy. From these case reports, artifacts, and transcripts of interviews, the project team identified common themes that contributed to success across the sites. This cross-site analysis was built using both the research literature as reflected in the study scope as well as emerging patterns in the data.
This descriptive research process suggests promising practices, including ways to do things that other educators have found helpful and lessons they have learned, as well as practical "how-to" guidance. This is not the kind of experimental research that can yield valid causal claims about what works. Readers should judge for themselves the merits of these practices. Also, readers should understand that these descriptions do not constitute an endorsement of specific practices or products.
Using the Guide
Ultimately, readers of this guide will need to select, adapt, and implement practices that meet their individual needs and contexts. Schools and districts coming together in learning communities may continue to study, using the ideas and practices from these sites as a springboard for their own action research. In this way, a pool of promising practices will grow, and educators can support each other in implementation and learning.


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SNGF – Make Your Own Posters
August 28, 2010 by © Joan Miller - Luxegen Genealogy.
Filed under genealogy, humour
Randy Seaver over at Geneamusings has challenged us to Saturday Night Genealogy Fun. We are to create our own posters at ImageChef.com.
I got sidetracked with the slideshow and enjoyed seeing my Headliner Blog
ImageChef.com I Am Awesome
The Big Question for my gg-grandfather, James Kerr
Another narcissistic one - To My Kids….someday, perhaps?
Thanks Randy for the SNGF!
More fun:


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- Home
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- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
75 years ago
Dec. 4, 1936
Dedication of school
Bradfordsville's new $70,000 school building will be formally dedicated next Friday afternoon, Dec. 11, with a program of addresses, included on which will be Thomas J. Nolan, Louisville architect, who designed the structure, and a number of prominent figures in educational circles of the state.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Lebanon Enterprise, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
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|Fresh Pita Dough click on the link to get the recipe for fresh pita's! So versatile your can make so many things with this!
|Add your favorite toppings, a salad and you will have a full meal!
|Fresh Pita Dough is easier than you think!
This was one of the first times I made this Fresh Pita Dough into Garlic Pizza just add olive oil, minced garlic, brush with melted butter, salt, pepper, parsley and basil, oregano. Top with shredded mozzarella and bake! Delicious garlic pizza!
Some suggestions other than making pizza, this makes awesome sandwiches. Fill your pita's with any filling, tuna, egg salad, chicken. I love it toasted with butter. Great for grilled cheese. You will find many uses for this bread. Just click on the highlighted links above for the homemade dough recipe.


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|Bay Area Division---San Rafael Station
|Job Code:
|# of Openings:
Job Title: EMT-B
Department: Field Operations
Reports To: Field Supervisor
FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Prepared By: HR Department
Approved By: Administrative Director
Date: 10/25/2012
Basic Function
To care for and transport patients via ambulance.
Responsibilities- include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
1. Perform routine maintenance checks on vehicles and equipment at the beginning of each shift; and record and submit lists to Field Supervisor.
2. Document and report vehicle and equipment malfunctions to Field Supervisor/ Supervisor on duty.
3. Receive "call" information from dispatch center, and drive ambulance to the scene.
4. Assist patients by providing proper medical care and treatment.
5. Assess patient conditions to include obtaining patient histories, vital signs and providing shock treatments; maintain proficiency in applying dressings and bandages, oxygen therapy, splinting, backboarding and suctioning.
6. Maintain cleanliness of equipment and ambulances, and restock supplies used after each "call."
7. Complete "trip information" form and/or Patient Care Report to include patient information, location and treatments administered for all calls during shift. Complete and submit billing forms accurately.
8. Attend in-house training and staff meetings as required to learn new techniques and maintain current skills.
9. Maintain crew areas in a neat and orderly fashion as needed.
10. Follow company Standard Operating Procedures, radio communication procedures, established Department of Transportation guidelines, state regulations, 'sponsor' hospital guidelines and company policies as required.
11. Maintain all required state and county certifications/license that pertain to the position of EMT-B as listed in certifications and licenses below.
12. Perform other related duties as assigned.
* Essential Job Duty
Oral Communication
Written Communication
Technical Communication
Customer Relations
Customer Service
Math Aptitude
Time Management
Computer Literacy
Lifting up to 250 lb
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
High school diploma or general education degree (GED); and completion of certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program.
Language Ability:
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
Reasoning Ability:
Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
Certificates and Licenses:
State/County Certifications:
County issued EMT certification card, CPR for BLS Provider Certification, Valid California Driver's License, Medical Examiner's Certification, Ambulance Drivers Certification, DMV Driving Record in good standing in accordance to insurance company standards.
To perform this job successfully, an individual must use a variety of equipment including gurney, ambulance, patient moniters and other equipment associated with the job.
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to toxic or caustic chemicals; risk of electrical shock and risk of radiation.
The noise level in the work environment is usually loud.
Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Degree: High School Diploma or Equivalent
Prior work related experience required.
Emergency Medical Technician certification required.
Are you a returning applicant?
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text:
Gopher Genealogy by Susan LeBlanc provides information about research, lectures, published articles and book reviews, and Serendipity Moments that are the results of searching for ancestors both personally and for clients. The objective of the blog is for others to receive insight and inspiration in doing their family history research. It is an evolving method of communication and input from reviewers is welcome.
Thursday, April 25, 2019
Happy Blogiversary
Happy blogiversary to my blog at gophergenealogy.blogspot.com. Eight years and it continues to server others. More posts to come.
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A resource for informing patients and caregivers about Multiple Sclerosis, its possible causes, effects, and treatments. Get the most current information on new developments, clinical trials and other important matters for anyone dealing with MS.
Monday, September 22, 2008
ATL/TV1102 Trial Results Presented at World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis
MELBOURNE, Australia and CARLSBAD, Calif., Sept 22, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Antisense Therapeutics Ltd. (ASX: ANP) and Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: ISIS) are pleased to advise that the results from the ATL/TV1102 Phase IIa clinical trial in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) were presented Saturday at the World Congress on Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis in Montreal, Canada by the Principal Investigator for the trial, Volker Limmroth, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of the Department of Neurology, Cologne City Hospitals, Germany.
As previously reported, ATL/TV1102 significantly reduced disease activity in patients with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (RRMS) in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase II study designed to obtain evidence of ATL/TV1102's effectiveness in reducing MS-related brain lesions as detected by magnetic resonance images (MRI). The study met its primary endpoint showing a significant reduction by 54.4% (p=0.01) in cumulative number of new active lesions in the ATL/TV1102 treated patients compared to placebo. Further details on the study design and outcomes are provided in the conference abstract which follows this document.
Dr. Limmroth said, "As VLA-4 is a clinically validated target in MS, there is high interest in the potential application of treatment modalities directed against this target. In our study we were able to demonstrate, for the first time, that a second-generation antisense drug designed to specifically inhibit the production of VLA-4 could significantly reduce disease activity in RRMS patients as early as 8 weeks. The level of efficacy achieved by ATL/TV1102 is very promising particularly when considering the short duration of dosing within the trial. As an antisense drug ATL/TV1102 will have a different, potentially preferable, safety profile to other drugs that target VLA-4 and therefore presents an exciting future treatment option for RRMS patients."
Mark Diamond, Chief Executive Officer of Antisense Therapeutics, said, "We are delighted to have our ATL/TV1102 Phase IIa trial results presented at such an important scientific meeting on MS. The development of ATL/TV1102 as an MS treatment continues with our partner Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Teva) and we look forward to the prospect of Teva reporting on ATL/TV1102's future clinical progress. Importantly, the demonstration of significant disease activity with ATL/TV1102 in MS points to the potential of ATL/TV1102 in other disease settings such as autoimmune, inflammation and cancer. It also provides important validation for the application of second-generation antisense drugs outside of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases such as high cholesterol and diabetes where there has been success to date. We believe our results provide important substantiation for the broader clinical application of the second-generation technology."
"We are very encouraged by the data. Not only do they represent promising results for patients with MS, but they also evidence the significant progress we are making in demonstrating the effectiveness, efficiency and the breadth of opportunity of our antisense platform. It's another disease and another tissue where we have great proof-of-concept for antisense drugs," said Stanley Crooke, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Isis. "ATL/TV1102 and ATL's strategic relationship with Teva to move the drug forward further validates our business strategy. ATL has successfully moved the drug forward and now has established a very experienced partner to complete development and commercialization of the drug. This strategy benefits patients as well as Isis' pipeline, platform and balance sheet."
The presentation has been webcasted and will be available on http://www.msmontreal.org/home/default_e.asp in the coming weeks. The Company will provide login details on its website http://www.antisense.com.au once these are confirmed.
Conference abstract follows:
VLA-4 Antisense - An Oligonucleotide targeting VLA-4 mRNA (ATL1102) significantly reduces new active lesions in patients with RR-MS
Volker Limmroth(1), Frederik Barkhof(2), Nuket Desem(3)
(1) Department of Neurology, Cologne City Hospitals, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany, (2) Department of Radiology, MS Center Amsterdam, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, Netherlands, (3) Antisense Therapeutics Ltd, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Background: Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are an innovative new class of drugs that inhibit the expression of proteins by sequence-specific binding to the protein's mRNA. ATL1102 is a 2nd generation antisense inhibitor of CD49d, a subunit of Very Late Antigen 4 (VLA-4) which plays a key role in cell adhesion to vessel walls. VLA-4 blockade, as shown by monoclonal antibodies such as natalizumab, prevents activated lymphocytes from migrating into the CNS and significantly reduces disease activity in MS.
Objective: To evaluate VLA-4 Antisense (ATL1102) in the treatment of RR-MS
Methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter Phase-IIa trial. 77 patients with RR-MS were treated for 8 weeks with either 200mg of ATL1102 or placebo subcutaneously twice weekly and evaluated for 16 weeks. MRI scans were performed at screening, and then monthly over 16 weeks. Primary efficacy variable: cumulative number of new active lesions (CNNAL; new gadolinium-enhancing T1 lesions (T1-Gd), new or enlarging T2 lesions) on MRIs taken at weeks 4, 8 and 12. Secondary efficacy variable: cumulative volume of T1-Gd lesions (CVT1L) on MRIs taken at weeks 4, 8 and 12.
Results: ITT population: 74 patients with a valid baseline MRI and at least one post-baseline MRI scan after first injection of study medication (n=39 placebo, n=35 ATL1102). ATL1102 showed a significant reduction, 54.4%, in CNNAL (6.2 placebo, 3.0 ATL1102; p=0.01). A reduction of 66.7% (p=0.002) was observed in the cumulative number (weeks 4,8,12) of new T1-Gd lesions with ATL1102. A reduction in CVT1L was also observed under ATL1102 but did not reach significance (589.4 mm3 placebo, 358.0 mm3 ATL1102; p=0.1068). Adverse events that were more frequent under ATL1102 included mild to moderate injection site reactions and a tendency for decreased platelet counts which were reversible after treatment interruption.
Conclusions: This proof-of-concept study of a drug designed to inhibit VLA-4 mRNA showed a significant reduction of the cumulative number of new active lesions in RR-MS patients following 8 weeks of treatment. These promising results warrant further investigation.
Background Information
ATL/TV1102 Phase IIa trial is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of ATL/TV1102. Patients received either ATL/TV1102 or placebo injections over 8 weeks, and were monitored with monthly MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) brain scans during treatment, and for the 8 weeks following treatment. 77 patients were enrolled in the trial, which was conducted at multiple trial sites across six European countries.
Multiple sclerosis is a lifelong chronic disease of the central nervous system which is believed to affect as many as 2.5 million people worldwide. Global drug sales for MS are in excess of $US 6 billion and are expected to grow with the introduction of novel treatment options. There remains a high demand for more effective and better tolerated treatments.
About ATL/TV1102 for MS: ATL/TV1102 is an antisense drug discovered by Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and licensed to ANP. Antisense drugs specifically block disease-causing proteins from being produced by interacting with their intended target based on information in the genetic code. ATL/TV1102 is a second-generation antisense inhibitor of CD49d, a subunit of VLA-4 (Very Late Antigen-4). In inflammation, white blood cells (leukocytes) move out of the bloodstream into the inflamed tissue, for example, the CNS in MS, and the lung airways in asthma. The inhibition of VLA-4 may prevent white blood cells from entering sites of inflammation, thereby halting progression of the disease. VLA-4 is a clinically validated target in the treatment of MS. Antisense inhibition of VLA-4 has demonstrated positive effects in a number of animal models of inflammatory disease including MS (Myers et al. J Neuroimmunol 160, p12-24, 2005).
About Antisense Therapeutics Limited: Antisense Therapeutics Limited (ASX: ANP) is an Australian publicly listed biopharmaceutical drug discovery and development company. Its mission is to create, develop and commercialize antisense pharmaceuticals for large unmet markets. ANP has two drugs in development and two drugs in pre-clinical research. ATL/TV1102 (injection) has completed a Phase IIa trial as a potential treatment of multiple sclerosis. ATL1103 is a second-generation antisense drug designed to lower blood IGF-I levels and is entering pre-clinical development as a potential treatment for acromegaly and vision disorders. ATL/TV1102 (inhaled) is at the pre-clinical research stage as a potential treatment for asthma. ATL1101 is a second-generation antisense drug at the pre-clinical research stage being investigated as a potential treatment for prostate cancer. ATL/TV1102 has been licensed to Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.
About Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Isis is exploiting its expertise in RNA to discover and develop novel drugs for its product pipeline and for its partners. The Company has successfully commercialized the world's first antisense drug and has 19 drugs in development. Isis' drug development programs are focused on treating cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Isis' partners are developing antisense drugs invented by Isis to treat a wide variety of diseases. Ibis Biosciences, Inc., Isis' majority-owned subsidiary, is developing and commercializing the Ibis T5000(TM) Biosensor System, a revolutionary system to identify infectious organisms. Isis is a joint owner of Regulus Therapeutics LLC, a joint venture focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of microRNA therapeutics. As an innovator in RNA-based drug discovery and development, Isis is the owner or exclusive licensee of over 1,500 issued patents worldwide. Additional information about Isis is available at http://www.isispharm.com.
Isis Forward-Looking Statement
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding Isis' business, its drug discovery and development pipeline, and the therapeutic potential of ATL/TV1102 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. Any statement describing Isis' goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement, including those statements that are described as Isis' goals. Such statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, particularly those inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such products. Isis' forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Isis' forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Isis. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Isis' programs are described in additional detail in Isis' annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007, and its most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q, which are on file with the SEC. Copies of these and other documents are available from Isis.
Isis Pharmaceuticals is a registered trademark of Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Ibis Biosciences and Ibis T5000 are trademarks of Ibis Biosciences, Inc. Regulus Therapeutics is a trademark of Regulus Therapeutics LLC.
SOURCE Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Antisense Therapeutics Ltd.


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Andrew Downing is a double bass player, composer, bandleader and cellist living and working in the creative music community in Toronto. Called a "21st Century Voyageur" (Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star), Andrew finds himself in some of the more interesting cross-genre musical situations in the Canadian music scene.
His most recent musical project is a seven-piece chamber ensemble in which Andrew's cello is joined by Aleksandar Gajic (violin), Joe Phillips (double bass), Kevin Turcotte (trumpet), William Carn (trombone), Peter Lutek (bassoon and clarinet) and David Occhipinti (guitar). The group will be releasing a CD in April of 2010 called Silents which features music written to accompany the silent films The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Impossible Voyage. The album also enlists the help of Quinsin Nachoff (clarinet), Jesse Zubot (violin), Tania Gill (celeste, pump organ) and Mark Duggan. The group recently performed the score to Caligari as part of the NUMUS concert series in Waterloo, and will be performing at The Tranzac in Toronto in April to officially release the recording. His former group, Great Uncles of the Revolution, won him two West Coast Music Awards, The Grand Prix de Jazz from the Montreal Jazz Festival and a Juno Award for their second album Blow The House Down.
As a composer, Andrew's style is influenced by artists such as Igor Stravinsky, Duke Ellington, Olivier Messiaen, Bill Frisell and Charlie Haden with a healthy dose of country music, Turkish music, Jazz and The Blues. In addition to writing for his own group, he has composed or arranged music for The Prince George Symphony, The Art of Time Ensemble, Toca Loca, The Urban Arts Brass Ensemble and Runcible Spoon.
Andrew's double bass playing can be heard on over 200 recordings with jazz, folk, and world music ensembles such as David Occhipinti, Jim Lewis, Jean Martin, Zubot and Dawson, Kelly Joe Phelps, Ryan Driver, John Southworth, The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, Kiran Ahluwalia, Adrean Farrugia, The Wailin' Jennys and Patria O'Callaghan. He has performed live with such artists as Moe Koffman, Bob Moses, Mike Murley, David Tronzo and Jim Byrnes. He practices the unusual craft of tuning his double bass in fifths.
Andrew is currently teaching double bass, composition and improvisation at the University of Toronto, and also leads a unique student ensemble of jazz and classical students there. He has also taught at Wilfred Laurier University and The Banff Centre, and has done workshops and clinics at St. Francis Xavier University, Brandon University and Capilano College.
On the horizon, Andrew is planning to arrange music for his group to accompany some of his favourite singers in a wide variety of styles – John Southworth, Martin Tielli, Chris Coole, Patricia O'Callaghan, Christin Duncan and Ryan Driver – to be recorded and performed sometime in 2011.
No dates announced
Click on an image to download a hi-res version
Click on a video to see a performance by this artist


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How You'll Fly to the MOON (Mar, 1947)
How You'll Fly to the MOON
THE days of dreaming about a trip to the moon are over. The research destined to make that trip an actuality is already well under way.
Next May the first step on the long, long trail into space may be made: Man hopes to send something up that will never come down again (see "Going Up for Keeps," p. 66). In the words of Dr. Fritz Zwicky, the California Institute of Technology physicist who suggested the May satellite-making experiment, "We first throw a little something into the skies. Then a little more, then a shipload of instruments—then ourselves."
And other scientists agree. Dr. James A. Van Allen, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, anticipates sending a rocket to the moon (one way, no crew) within 15 years. "A conservative estimate," he says. Maj. P. C. Calhoun, chief of the AAF's guided-missile branch, expects to travel to the moon and back in his lifetime. And the University of California at Los Angeles already offers a course in rocket navigation!
How the journey will be made is even now known in considerable detail. Rocket experts at Johns Hopkins and Caltech report that the space ship will look like this: A number of separate rocket motors (probably between three and five), each with its own fuel tanks. and controls, make up the power plant. The first motor, or stage, pushes the ship up a few hundred miles, when, its fuel exhausted, it is dropped off. The second stage then starts automatically and accelerates the ship until it uses up its fuel and is jettisoned. This process continues, each stage adding more speed, until the last stage completes the job of getting the 22,000-m.p.h. velocity needed to escape from the earth's gravitational pull. Once free of the earth, the space ship can coast to the moon (there would be no air resistance). Only a little power would be needed for steering.
The multistage system eliminates the dead weight of big, almost-empty fuel tanks and seems to offer the most economical method of securing extremely long range. Tests of one of the first practical rockets of this type have already been made.
This rocket, the Tiamat, developed by the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics, has two stages. One of its most important features is an accurate control system that permits it to be flown through fairly complicated maneuvers. Although quite small—less than 15 feet long and weighing about 600 pounds—it is probably a good indication of the design of the moon rocket of the future.
The jump from the Tiamat's 600-m.p.h. speed to the 22,000 m.p.h. needed for a trip to the moon is a big one, but not impossible. Twenty-two thousand miles an hour is not as fantastic a speed as it seems. The single-stage V-2 already gives 3,500 m.p.h., and succeeding stages would have the big advantages of reduced gravitation and complete absence of air resistance— both important factors.
Not that you can ride to the moon by hitching three V-2s together. If a multistage rocket uses a V-2 for the first stage (that, essentially, is the satellite-making rocket to be fired during May) the pay load in the final stage is a steel fragment smaller than a dime. Engineers can also calculate how big a ship able to reach the moon would be if its final stage were a V-2. Alfred Africano, pioneer in rocket development and now project engineer for the Curtiss-Wright Corporation, did the arithmetic. The answer is 5,500,000 tons.
But these calculations are based on the motor and fuels employed in the V-2. Although this power plant is the most efficient now known to be in use, it still needs nine tons of liquid oxygen and alcohol and four tons of motor and airframe to lift a one-ton pay load. Much higher efficiencies are re-, ported to be possible with fuel and motor combinations already being tested by the rocket researchers.
Better fuels—that is, hotter fuels—have been available for a long time. Rockets run on heat. The hotter the gases in the combustion chamber, the greater their pressure, the higher their speed as they shoot out the nozzle, and the faster the rocket is pushed ahead.
On that basis, hydrogen and oxygen would make the most effective fuels. When these two elements combine to form water, the reaction releases more heat per pound than any other now known. The best rocket would actually be a steam engine! Using hydrogen and oxygen as fuels, a moon rocket would need only five stages, according to the calculations of Martin Summerfield, of California Institute of Technology, a leading American authority on rockets. It would be 72 feet long and would weigh about 25 tons, about twice the size of the V-2.
Yet the tremendous heat available in oxygen and hydrogen—the characteristic that makes them so desirable—is the very reason they are not used. No lightweight motor can stand that temperature.
Present rocket motors are cooled by double-walled jackets through which one of the fuels is pumped. The fuel takes heat away from the motor and at the same time is warmed up itself for easier burning in the chamber. Ethyl alcohol, the V-2 fuel, works very well; its rate of burning (which determines how fast it is pumped through the cooling jacket) is about the same as its rate of heat absorption. For hydrogen, this is not true. It absorbs less heat per pound and must therefore be pumped through the cooling jacket, and burned, faster. The result is an inefficient flame—or else the motor burns out.
If hotter fuels are to be used, new heat-defying motors must be made. Research in that direction has already been quite successful.
One group of materials that can withstand almost any temperature is ceramics—basically the same thing as dinner china. A ceramic motor, or motor lining, would never burn up. The problem is to make it strong enough. And recent advances in the ancient art of pottery making promise ceramics that will hold together under thousands of pounds of gas pressure.
Another possibility is powdered metal-finely ground metal dust that is solidified under terrific heat and pressure. Powdered-metal parts are hard, strong and porous. In a powdered-metal rocket motor, the tiny holes would permit much of the heat to escape outside to empty space.
A rocket with a ceramic or powdered-metal motor, using the most powerful chemical fuels and constructed with extremely light, strong materials, seems certain to be able to make a one-way trip to the moon. This is the feat scientists foresee before 1962—and maybe in 1948. But a one-way rocket could carry no men.
Building a true space ship—one that could take a crew up and back—is far more difficult because the pay load necessary is many times greater. To the weight of the men themselves must be added the weight of the things needed to keep them alive: a strong, airtight cabin; air, food and water supplies; some kind of cooling system to keep them from baking to death under the direct blaze of the sun, which would no longer be impeded by the blanket of air protecting the earth; and perhaps equipment to safeguard them against cosmic rays, too. Most important, however, is the weight of fuel for the return flight and braking during landings. Even with the best chemical fuels, operating at 100 percent efficiency, a round-trip rocket would be unreasonably large.
The fuel that can do the job is plutonium or uranium. About five pounds of uranium are enough for a round trip to the moon with a one-ton pay load. Only one stage is necessary.
In an atomic rocket a new feature, the "working fluid," would be added. The fuel —uranium—would not be ejected itself, as in a chemical rocket, but would heat up the working fluid which would then be shot out of the base of the rocket to furnish the propelling power. The working fluid is required because a nuclear motor gives off energy in all directions—half the fission particles would fire out of the nozzles to push the space ship up, but the other half of the radioactive fragments would fly forward and heat up the fuselage. In fact, they would heat it up to about 28 million degrees! The working fluid traps all this energy, more than doubling the efficiency of the rocket, as well as preventing the passengers from burning up. Hydrogen, the lightest element, promises to be the best working fluid. Few scientific obstacles stand in the way of an atomic-powered space ship. The one big task remaining is the design of a small, lightweight "pile" capable of releasing large, controllable amounts of power.
And recent statements by leading physicists associated with the atomic-energy project indicate that such a power plant can be expected soon, perhaps within 10 years. Then the Buck Rogers boys will really take over.
To the first crew, the ride would be uncomfortable, at the very least. The cabin would have to be small, with food and water supplies extremely limited. The acceleration during the start would push the men down into their seats with a force equal to five times the pull of gravity—about the same thing the pilot of a fast fighter plane feels in a tight turn.
As for danger, there would be plenty of it. The foreseeable risks—such as running out of fuel, getting lost, breakdown of the air-conditioning system, etc.—are probably minor compared to the hazards we won't know anything about until after a trip is actually made. The harm to be expected from cosmic rays, those high-speed particles so plentiful in the upper atmosphere, is already being measured by instruments carried in V-2s. The danger of running into a stray meteor can be forgotten; the chances are a million to one against it.
These first space travelers will find their itinerary all set, and complete with road maps. The astronomers, already well acquainted with at least one side of the moon, want to know what lies under the dense clouds that completely obscure the planet Venus; what is on Saturn, always hidden by its big rings of satellites; and what is the meaning of those strange lines on Mars— the so-called "canals."
But our old, friendly moon would probably be the first stop on any space route. First of all, it's close. The 240,000-mile trip could be made in about 12 hours by a rocket traveling 22,000 m.p.h., the final speed needed to shake free from the earth.
And we already know a great deal about the moon—more than we know about some parts of the earth, in fact. Its geography has been fairly accurately mapped (but only on the side facing the earth; the other side is a complete mystery). Its temperature has been recorded. It has little or no atmosphere.
The moon's small size, which gives it a gravitational pull one-fifth that of the earth, is another advantage. Less power would be needed to get away for the return trip.
But all these plans must wait for the two basic elements: more powerful, lighter fuels; and motors to withstand their heat and pressure. So don't rush to your travel agent. You won't be able to buy a ticket for the moon tomorrow, or even the next day. But the day after that…


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Rock Band, when played with a room full of people, is one of the best multiplayer experiences on the market, and it's a natural choice for New Year's gatherings. Getting the equipment together, though, and keeping track of the mess of guitars and controllers and drums, can be a pain in the butt. Mad Catz has released two pieces of hardware that were designed to make gaming on the go a little easier, and we put both to the test.
M.I.C. (Microphone with integrated controller)
I've always been annoyed by the necessity of bringing a controller to the party when Rock Band is going to be played; it's usually the first thing to be misplaced. The M.I.C. beats this problem by simply putting the controller into the microphone, as that way you'll only need to remember one thing to get the singer into the game.
The buttons looked like they might prove uncomfortable when you hold the microphone to sing, but a switch at the bottom of the microphone locks everything down so you don't accidentally hit a button during play, and the soft plastic of the microphone feels good in the hand. The 9.9 foot USB cable should be adequate for most rooms, and the buttons allow you to make adjustments on the vocal levels or choose a song without reaching for a 360 controller.
Whether playing with a group of people or just practicing on your own, the combination of controller and microphone is a good one. It removes a piece of hardware you have to take with you, and it's much more convenient.
My three complaints? It would have been great if the microphone were wireless, but that would impact my second complaint: the price. The product is a good buy at $59.99, but only the hardcore Rock Band players will be willing to spend the price of a game to buy a bit of convenience. The other nitpick is that the d-pad built into the microphone is a little touchy, it often sees up and down movements as left and right, and vice versa.
Portable Drum Kit
In contrast to the M.I.C., the Portable Drum Kit was a product that let us down in testing. The idea is a sound one: remove the pads from any kind of structure so that you can pack them up in a small bag and have your drums anywhere. Just plug all the pads into the little controller, plug in the pedal, and hook it up to your system. Yes, the Portable Drum Kit is wired.
First, the good news. The pedal sits low to the ground and folds up for easy storage, but once hooked up it feels very comfortable; this is a pedal that won't tire your feet. The pads themselves feel great and you can give them a good whacking without any problem. Since the pads aren't connected to anything, you can adjust them to fit your playing style. Basically, any hard surface can become your own custom drum kit. It's very nice.
Sadly, the yellow pad for my review kit didn't work. Well, it worked, but you had to hit it with all your might. Yes, I'm sure Mad Catz will be happy to send me a new one, but it's fairly annoying that I can't actually finish a song with it since one-fourth of my hits don't register.
Is this a production issue that others should worry about, or was I unlucky? Hard to tell, but apart from the problem, I liked how everything felt and played. I can see the draw of the Portable Drum Kit, but I'd make sure you can easily exchange it for a working one at the store if you get a bum pad like I did. Very disappointing for a $60 product.
In conclusion
The M.I.C. is a great product, and makes singing duties much more convenient. The d-pad issue is problematic, but since you're not exactly doing jumping puzzles when selecting tracks it's not a deal breaker. What does break our heart is the Portable Drum Kit: that had a ton of promise, but dead pads make it hard to recommend.
It has been quite a ride to see what different companies have released for Rock Band in 2008, and we can only expect even more outlandish accessories in the new year.