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The St. Pius football team didn't need to waste a lot of time on conditioning when spring practice rolled around this year.
The Golden Lions had only about a three-week break between their season-ending loss to Buford in the Class AAA championship game and the early start to spring workouts, so the players were already in good shape.
St. Pius held its "spring" practice from Jan. 7-18, getting approval from the GHSA to start earlier than the state-allowed date of Feb. 1 because of a lack of field space on the Atlanta private school's campus.
"The advantage for us in having spring practice in January is that if you were to get somebody hurt, which we were thankful we didn't, you might get them back," Golden Lions coach Paul Standard said. "The other thing is that we were able to get most of our kids at spring practice. And we were not tired; they were still in football mode. We were fortunate enough to be playing until the middle of December, so it was really about three weeks from the day we got beat by Buford when we starting spring training."
St. Pius had one of the most successful seasons in school history in 2012, tying the record for victories with 12 and reaching the state final for the first time since winning its only championship in 1968. The Golden Lions also won the region championship for the third time in four seasons and the sixth time overall.
"We didn't have one scholarship kid on a team that played for a state championship," Standard said. "That doesn't mean that it was coaching, I don't mean that at all. It just means that the kids worked extremely hard together. Now they had some younger kids that helped them out, but they did a good job of leading. So I think that's the legacy that this group is leaving for every St. Pius team that follows them, is that it can be done without having the five-star athletes."
Perhaps it lacked scholarship and five-star athletes, but St. Pius had several top-quality players who must be replaced. That's particularly true on offense, where they will lose to graduation all-state running back Ryan Braswell, all-state lineman Phineas Andrews, all-region quarterback Jack Spear and all-region lineman David Marsau.
But the Golden Lions, who currently have about 90 players in the program, have what Standard called an outstanding rising senior class. Leading the way is Nick Ruffin, who was a first-team all-state selection last season as a defensive back. Ruffin will move to safety in 2013 and will see considerable time in the backfield on offense. Kicker Thomas O'Leary and linebacker Daniel Crochet, who were first-team all-state players, also will be back.
"We're done with spring, and we feel like we've got the kids that are going to be able to be plugged into those missing spots," Standard said. "Now we can just concentrate on trying to get stronger and work on our conditioning before we get to June."
St. Pius Golden Lions
2012 record: 12-3, 5-1 in Region 6-AAA, lost to Buford 10-3 in the Class AAA championship game.
Starters returning: 6 offense, 5 defense
Key players lost: QB Jack Spear, FB Ryan Braswell, OL Phineas Andrews, OL David Marsau, DT Quincy Nioporte, CB Michael Sikorski
Key players returning: DB/RB Nick Ruffin, PK Thomas O'Leary, LB Daniel Crochet, LB/FB Dalton Wilson, RB/DB Branden Mitchell
Spring practice dates: Jan. 7-18
Aug. 30 – Westminster
Sept. 6 – at North Oconee
Sept. 13 – Thomson
Sept. 20 – at Lovett
Sept. 27 – at Towers
Oct. 4 – McNair
Oct. 18 – at Cedar Grove
Oct. 25 – Woodward Academy
Nov. 1 – at Blessed Trinity
Nov. 8 – Decatur
Outlook: St. Pius loses six players who made the all-state or all-region team last season. But participation in the program is high, 11 starters return, and the rising senior and junior classes are strong. Nick Ruffin could be a star on both sides of the ball, and all-state linebacker Daniel Crochet should anchor another solid defense. Coach Paul Standard has not had a losing season in 12 years at the school, and this isn't likely to be his first.
April 16th, 2013
7:29 am
Wait a second…."we didn't have one scholarship kid on a team that played for a state championship"?????? He should have said we didn't have a senior scholarship player. Let's not forget that they HAD a UGA commit on that team. Sure, they had to kick him out of school before the championship game, but he sure did help get them there. Then there is Ruffin, with multiple D-1 offers as a junior. So, I wouldn't use that statement Coach Standard….it makes people wonder and think about it too much. You know…..
April 16th, 2013
8:44 am
Wow…what a sourpuss!!! Who ran over your dog today, Edward???
April 16th, 2013
10:22 am
M-A-C-H-I-N-E… One of the best programs in the state, and talk about having kids coached up. Standard is a class act, too.
April 16th, 2013
10:57 am
I agree that Pius is an outstanding program. no doubt Standard has them well coached. I do find it odd however, that he choose to point out the "scholarship kids…and 5 – Star players" considering they did have Glass and Ruffin. Now I don't know what happened with the Glass situation, but I know it's never a good thing when perhaps your top player leaves the team in the middle of the playoffs. And of course Ruffin is still there. So, even if they didn't have big time senior prospects last season…they had big time recruits. Now they are seniors I guess. So now the question is will the TEAM work together as well this season?
April 16th, 2013
2:00 pm
Spring practice 3 weeks after the season ends seens less than ideal, no matter how it is spun in the article. Kids will go 5-6 months without any contact and without running the offense/defense under the supervision of coaches. Part of the benefit of spring practice in March or April is to keep the kids dialed-in.
April 16th, 2013
3:54 pm
When you give an interview or write anything down it will be later left open for interpretation by all who read it.. Bible for one, US Constitution, Spread Offense vs Pro Set just to name a couple others. Fact is that yes Glass played well in 11 games last year he was slowed by injuries and continued to answer the bell much to his credit. He played great against WACO, but DIDN'T play against N.Hall in semi final. He played little in the other playoff games except WACO, these games were not that close.(see scores below)
11/16 7:30 pm Dawson County 28 St. Pius 72,
11/23 7:30 pm Hart County 15 St. Pius 31
11/30 7:30 pm Washington County 35 St. Pius 40
12/07 7:30 pm North Hall 6 St. Pius 31
12/14 5:30 pm Buford 10 St. Pius 3
Nick Glass has moved on and he did not get kicked out. @HASS you are misinformed. Wishing him the best and he will succeed at his new school.
You can take the"coach speak" on the scholarship thing like maybe all the colleges missed out on a fullback who gained 966 yards while not playing in many 4th quarters.
Is the "coach speak" about as the idea folks have that the private schools are out beating the bushes bringing in players that are stars that is why St. Pius wins. Look folks you are wrong about this school. Truth is 550 plus applications for 275 spots in freshman class and some kids who played on the feeder teams did not get in. No priorities given to athletes here.
Yes Nick Ruffin is a standout but he is one player and in football it takes many players working together to win otherwise Cedar Groves with QB Jonathan McCary would have played against Dawson County' with QB Tyler Dominy in the state final.
Whatever you think the result is that football is a team game the coach is elevating the whole team concept here. Praising the effort they gave as a team that had lost a lot of seniors from the previous season.
The 2013 season will be challenging once again because for the second year in a row a new QB will be taking over.
April 16th, 2013
4:39 pm
Too bad you didn't win the big one, had them on the ropes but Buford don't lose much. Ever. When Calhoun moves up, it will be like old times. (Well lets hope like last time, not old times)
April 16th, 2013
7:21 pm
2 Things: @what you saw and heard etc
Why does a kid decide to leave his team and school on his on free will DURING the state playoffs? Man, that is a strange one there.
I don't think too many people would say St Pius isn't a respectable school and program. It does just seem weird that Standard would even bring up that they didn't have scholarship kids. Clearly they had at least a few big time recruits. I guess he meant they didn't have big time seniors.
April 16th, 2013
7:27 pm
FootballTopFan would like to congratulate the St. Pius Golden Lions and Head Coach Paul Standard on a great season going to the Class AAA Championship game !!!
St. Pius has a strong football program and will again be a force in Class AAA.
We wish the Golden Lions good luck and success.
Football Top Fan loves high school football.
April 16th, 2013
9:17 pm
St Pius had, and has some star players, don't be misled. Stanard is a good coach that gets the most out of his players. I expect they'll make another deep run, probably final 4 depending on what their side of the bracket looks like. Carver and possibly Peach could be back. A Buford/St Pius rematch is very possible but Cartersville, Thomson, Wash Co and Carver might also have something to say about that. We shall see.
April 16th, 2013
10:53 pm
Looking for the usual suspects? I'll go out on a limb and say you might want to add North Oconee to that list of AAA contenders for 2013. From what I am hearing they should be stronger and more experienced than last season. St Pius' early game AT North Oconee will be interesting.
April 17th, 2013
2:33 pm
Outstanding group of coaches who coach these boys way up! Congrats CPS!!!
April 18th, 2013
6:55 am
Athens Fan : You are correct. N Oconee is going to have a strong team this year. The St Pius game at N. Oconee will be one to watch. Our team did lose some key players and it will be interesting to see how the young ones respond. See you in September.
April 18th, 2013
4:05 pm
Wait a minute, " scholarship", I thought you couldn't recruit players to give them a scholly in high schools, some one might need to check in to this.
April 18th, 2013
4:28 pm
He's talking about seniors from last year not getting college scholarship offers. Pretty darn impressive that you can play in the dome and that not happen. By the way, N. Oconee had a strong team last year.
April 19th, 2013
7:35 pm
I seen Pius the X play in the dome. Without a doubt, da best playa on dat team is #42. He's a freakin sophmore. What's his name?? Dalton Wilson is a BEAST! Why Coach Standard never wanna menchen the underclassman?
April 20th, 2013
5:11 am
No need to mention him or anybody else individually. It's a team. Dalton's gotta a lot of fun ahead of him.
April 23rd, 2013
8:16 am
Hey Big Fan, No need to mention Coach Standard then. He's a great motivator for sure, but the kids are the ones making plays. Dalton is a class act too.


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Tony Wright Google+
Tony Wright is the National Affairs Editor of The Age. He has been based in the Canberra Press Gallery for 20 years, working for The Canberra Times, The Sydney Morning Herald and The Bulletin before joining The Age in 2007. He has written two plays and two best-selling books, was named Magazine Feature Writer of the Year twice, has won several UN Media Peace Prizes and has been a Walkley Awards finalist five times.
Honour in pedalling for all you're worth
Tony Wright Of all the sporting events splashed across our screens these days, the most mesmerising is the Tour de France.

subset: commoncrawl


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Quote: Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but by how we react to what happens; not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst...a spark that creates extraordinary results.
Attitude Lightning Mousepad
Attitude Lightning 15oz Ceramic Mug
Service Path Mini Motivational Poster


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Anastasia's secret
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Anastasia Romanov
Daughter of RussiaâÂÂs last tsar; exiled with her family to Siberia; falls in love with a guard.


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This Underdog Smartphone Maker Still Showing It Can Compete
Tedra is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Something remarkable happened on Thursday that gives further credence to the notion that the underdogs in the mobile phone business shouldn't be counted out yet. Nokia (NYSE: NOK) reported fourth quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates.
While Nokia still has a ways to go to turn around its ailing company and stock, I disagree with those who don't give the company credit for the strides it has made. Yes, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and its iOS and devices powered by Android, the OS from Google (NASDAQ: GOOG), dominate the market. However, players like Nokia must be applauded for increasing their sales in an environment that is this competitive.
Nokia's better than expected earnings news sent its stock higher by 16% during premarket trading on Thursday, as investors learned that Nokia's flagship Lumia smartphone has been widely successful. That smartphones' strong sales, as well as several steps the Finnish company has taken, have significantly impacted the company's financial bottom line.
Pundits still pounced, however, with some saying the earnings increase was an anomaly, and that the company is all but finished. However, I take another view, and that stems from Nokia being able to make strides in an industry whose darlings were thought to be running away with the market.
For the fourth quarter, sales of Nokia's flagship Lumia smartphone increased to 4.4 million from 2.9 million. Net sales from its devices and services segment totaled about $5.1 billion on the sale of a total of roughly 86 million devices.
The company's operating profit for its handsets accounted for 2% of sales. This is far better than the operating loss of roughly 6% that the company said in October that it expected for the fourth quarter.
It seems Nokia's decision to partner with Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to power its flagship Lumia 920 was not such a bad idea as that smartphone has grown to be one of the most popular Windows Phone 8 handsets. This puts Nokia in competition with Apple's iPhones that run on its iOS, and the dozens of Samsung and HTC smartphones that run on Google's Android operating system. And let's not forget Research In Motion's (NASDAQ: BBRY) upcoming release of its BlackBerry 10 at the end of the month.
Below is a chart of the most recent shipment data on smartphones. You'll see how Nokia's shipments were trumped by Samsung this year and last. Nokia once dominated the smartphone and cell phone markets globally, but it has found it difficult to maintain its market share by making smartphones that were more attractive than its competitors.
You can also see that Nokia has fallen behind in the OS arena, too, from the chart below.
The steps I mentioned that could help Nokia regain customers and attract new ones deal with it entering more markets. For example, it is launching various versions of the Lumia in India this month, and next. What could be very lucrative is Nokia's unveiling of a version of the Lumia for China Mobile, which is that country's largest wireless carrier. That's a feat that even Apple has not been able to pull off – yet. Apple's CEO is in China now trying to strike an iPhone deal with the carrier.
Consider this about China. Some estimates show that almost 30% of global smartphone shipments went to that country last year, which is a roughly 14% increase from 2011 numbers. On that same note, the U.S. share of the market fell to about 15% from 23%.
So don't count Nokia out. I think even more light will be shed on how it is managing to hold its own over the next few quarters; I'm most curious about how well, or badly, it does against Apple's iPhone 5.
TwillyD has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Apple and Google. The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Google, and Microsoft. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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With the launch of our Cheese'wich App, we've been staring at so many photos of grilled cheese sandwiches that it left us hungry for the real thing. We experimented with making grilled cheese sandwiches on a Cuisinart sandwich grill. On the cheese list: Tillamook Medium Cheddar, Monterey Jack and Pepper Jack cheese. Let's get grillin'.
The first sandwich we made was with Medium Cheddar. First we spread butter onto each slice of bread, then placed a generous slice of Medium Cheddar between the bread.
Each sandwich took about 2-3 minutes in the grill.
Next we made a sandwich with Monterey Jack.
Last we made a Pepper Jack grilled cheese.
In the end, we still liked the classic cheddar grilled cheese sandwich on white bread best. What kind of cheese do you like on your grilled cheese sandwiches?


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Interview by Natalie Shukur
How did you get involved with the Reformation?
It was around for about a year before I started working for the company. I was really good friends with [brand founder] Yael, but I was doing styling and I was not happy. I like clothes, but I don't like shopping, so she said "Come work with me and see if you like it."
What were some of the first pieces you designed?
When I very first started I was only doing designs for our [first] collaboration with Urban Outfitters, and then after a month I started designing for the rest of [the brand]. I was doing a lot of jumpsuits. It was a really amazing time, because we were small enough that I could do completely one-of-a-kind dresses, but it was literally me and a seamstress in a little office in the back of a small store when it started.
What items of clothing would be your desert island essentials?
Oh, I know this because I always help people pack! And I also don't own a lot of clothing. Desert island is very specific because you'd want all warm-weather clothing, like good shorts. But basically, whenever I'm packing, it's two skirts—a really good leather miniskirt and some other kind of miniskirt—a good black skinny pant, a good leather pant, a good jean...those basics. Mainly, I own a lot of dresses of every kind. That's my favorite thing to wear.
Do you shop a lot of vintage?
Recently I realized that I own almost exclusively all vintage or Reformation. I'm at a point where I also have a few coats, fur coats, but they're all vintage.
Can you share your vintage sources?
Well, I'm not going to give up anything for us, but I love to shop vintage and my favorite store is—well there's two—Malin Vintage, which is in Williamsburg. I think she used to be a stylist. She's this amazing Swedish woman, and there's gorgeous, gorgeous stuff. The other place is called Ritual Vintage [in New York]. They have the most beautiful Victorian stuff I've ever seen. I always try to get them to give up their sources to me and they never will! I have no idea how they find it. They have beautiful furs as well, but any time you want like, a 1920s pajama set that's hand-embroidered, they have that.
The Reformation is known for its sustainable approach. How does that translate for you?
For me, Reformation—not just the sustainable aspect of it but the whole way they approach fashion in the company—is really lovely to me. It's not really like a cult company, it's not about being obsessed with the latest trend; it's very much organic and just who we want to dress, who our girls are.
And who would you say the Reformation girl is?
Someone the other day said my favorite thing...an interviewer called it "It Girl" clothing, which I thought was really great. It's just clothes for cool girls. And the way people wear it is completely different. All my friends wear it in different ways. They never look like they're wearing the same styles, even though they're wearing the same pieces. We want the end result to be sexy.
The best party in New York is whenever and wherever Bad Girlfriend DJs. When I go out dancing I like to wear comfortable shoes: lately I really love long backless dresses with sneakers. I'm a happy girl if the DJ plays Bo Diddley, The Source remix of Candi Staton's You Got the Love. A good sound system always gets the party started. My ultimate party outfit consists of showing off your best assets, without sacrificing comfort. Oh and currently I am really into wearing suits at night. When I go out I always carry keys, id, credit card and lipstick. I would love to party with Prince, but in the era when he was wearing ass-less pants. If I was born in another era, you would find me dancing the night away at Studio 54 or the Mudd Club. My party partners in crime are my band. Trouble makers the whole lot of them. It takes me sooo long to get ready. My idea of a good time is seeing live music and dancing, if that can't happen karaoke is my next best thing.
What was the starting point behind your latest collection for Urban Outfitters?
I was looking at a lot of pictures of Warhol's factory. A lot of Edie Sedgwick, but also Candy Darling. It's really funny when you look at them, because Edie's this great, cool mod thing and then Candy is like this beautiful 1940s girl [so it was about] mixing the two things. And then it was just a tangent off that stuff, because I was also looking at a lot of Nan Goldin's photos. I love the way that everyone looks kind of smeared.
Your pieces have such a great dynamic between this very feminine sensibility and a little badass edge...
Yeah. We want to make sustainable clothing and we want to make it in a responsible way, but we don't want it to look granola. You wanna be hot. Sexy clothes for sexy girls. And that's who our very first customers were, just babes around the Lower East Side.
When did you first come to New York?
I came to New York for Parson's 11 years ago. I love living here. It's a really inspiring place.
What are some of your favorite things to do in the neighborhood?
I really love going to eat Mexican food, which I wish I did less. I go to Cake Shop a lot for coffee. I love going to see shows at Mercury Lounge. I love that venue—I think they do a really good job with sound. We play there sometimes [with Brianna's band Bad Girlfriend]. Good sound is important.
How and when did your band Bad Girlfriend start?
One of the girls and I had been playing music together in some form or another for nine years. I think we just got focused and serious about it like a year ago. We were like, Okay, let's actually do this.
How would you describe the band's vibe?
Oh, we're all insane. We're all crazy people. We're all complete crazy people, but it's really fun.
Do you strive to hit a particular sound or mood?
We just finished our first full-length album and it's pretty lush. We wanted it to sound like 2013 Phil Spector. That was really our goal. It's really like, loud. It's full.
When does it come out?
To be determined. We just finished mixing it, and I think we're happy with the mixes, but then we have to get it mastered. And we have to get the artwork. So probably the beginning of next year.
The best party in New York is I'm more of a sleeper than a partier, but the best party is anywhere my friends are. When I go out dancing I like to wear my Nikes. I'm a happy girl if the DJ plays Solange, Beyoncé, old Lauren Hill... Oh and Blood Orange, duh! My ultimate party outfit consists of a blazer day or night, clean face and dark lips. When I go out at night I always carry the lipstick I'm wearing and a perfume roll-on. I would love to party with Tom Ford and Stevie Nicks. It takes me 15 minutes to get ready. My idea of a good time is all my friends under one roof with a lot of snacks. At the bar, I always order tequila on the rocks, two limes. Chips and salsa Is my favorite midnight snack. The best hangover cure is coconut water, Midol and peppermint tea.
What are you obsessed with at the moment?
Sneakers. For my birthday my friend and I were like, Let's go get sneakers, because I haven't owned a pair in probably ten years. Like, I don't even do exercise in sneakers, it'll just be barefoot exercise. I was really obsessed with Birkenstocks. Those and sneakers are the easiest way to wear a scandalous, backless dress. If you put on a sneaker or a Birkenstock, it's like, It's fine that I have my entire back out!
Do you think the Birkenstock trend will carry through to next summer?
I hope so. It was really hard to say goodbye. I had a friend who yelled at me for it. It was freezing outside and I was still wearing my Birkenstocks and she yelled at me from across the street and said "No more! You have to put those away!"
Your Instagram is great and you have a pretty big following...
Well, I'm really OCD, and so a lot of it comes from the fact that I have an image search problem. I have all these images and no place to put them. And then during the day, I'll be like, Let's take a break and do something stupid for ten minutes, so a lot of it is stupid moments.
You have perfected the art of the Selfie. Any tips you can share?
Natural light is very important. I can tell you what people like: Natural light and a lot of good backgrounds. Clear photos--no blurry photos. Even though I do blurry photos all the time because I don't care. And for me, too, I've noticed people don't want photos of men on there, but I do it anyway.
The best party in New York happens on Bad Girlfriend DJ nights at Niagara. When I go out dancing I like to wear my red suede boots. I'm a happy girl if the DJ plays soul! "Real Wild Child" by Iggy Pop always gets the party started. My ultimate party outfit consists of tie-dye everything or a little black dress with piles of jewelry. When I go out at night I always carry Ruby Woo by MAC (it's the ultimate red lipstick). I would love to party with Marc Bolan. If I was born in another era, you would find me dancing the night away at Max's Kansas City. It takes me 20 minutes to get ready. My idea of a good time is playing music with my girls. At the bar, I always order a Paloma! Tacos are my favorite midnight snack.


text:
-- Robert Preidt
TUESDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Breakdowns in brain
connections may be the reason why your physical response times slow
as you age, a new study has found.
The decline occurs in an area of the brain called the corpus
callosum, which helps regulate "cross-talk" between the two sides
of the brain, said lead author Rachael Seidler, an associate
professor in the School of Kinesiology and psychology department at
the University of Michigan.
Normally, one side of the brain controls movement on the
opposite side of the body. For example, the left side of the brain
controls movement on the right side of the body.
But when regulation of cross-talk between the two sides of the
brain starts to break down with age, both sides of the brain talk
simultaneously while one side of the body tries to move, resulting
in slower response times, the researchers explained.
Seidler and colleagues studied the response times and brain
activity of adults aged 65 to 75 as they used computer joysticks,
and compared them to a group of 20-25 year olds.
They also used a functional MRI to image the blood-oxygen levels
in different parts of the brain, as a measurement of brain activity
in the older group.
"The more they recruited the other side of the brain, the slower they responded," Seidler said in a University of Michigan news release.
The study was published online recently in the journal
Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tips
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Copyright © EBSCO Publishing. All rights reserved.


text:
Genomics & Health Weekly Update
This weekly update provides information about the impact of human genomic research on disease prevention & population health. Learn more about the Genomics & Health Weekly Update.
Thursday, January 13, 2011 Volume 26 Number 2
New EGAPP™ Recommendation on Genetic Testing for Idiopathic Venous Thromboembolism
This month the independent Evaluation of Genomic Applications in Practice and Prevention (EGAPP) Working Group has released a new evidence-based recommendation on commonly-used genetic tests for Factor V Leiden (FVL) and prothrombin (PT) mutations for idiopathic venous thromboembolism (VTE). VTE includes deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism. In this recommendation, idiopathic VTE refers to thrombotic events in which no underlying cause is apparent. The EGAPP Working Group found enough evidence to recommend against routine testing for FVL and PT gene variants in the following specific scenarios: adults with thrombotic events in which no underlying cause is apparent, and in their adult family members with no history or symptoms of thrombotic events, for medical decision making on preventive use of anticoagulants. Access the EGAPP recommendation. Read more about the EGAPP recommendation.
- The next meeting of the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be held on January 27-28, in Washington, DC. Members of the public may submit comments by January 25 to 202-785-3083 (fax) or firstname.lastname@example.com.
- Applications are now being accepted for the Advocates Partnership Program, which is offered by the Genetic Alliance and American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG). Participants will attend the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting on March 16-20, in Vancouver, and will engage with Genetic Alliance staff, ACMG leadership, and genetics professionals in intimate, collaborative forums throughout the meeting. Learn more about the program and apply. Application deadline: February 4.
- Call for abstracts is now open for the 2011 American Public Health Association conference in Washington, DC. Submit an abstract to the Genomics Forum. Deadline: February 9.
Genomics In The News
- The following are headlines from on-line news articles published during the past week.
- The headlines and lead sentence are exactly as they appear in the popular press & do not necessarily reflect the opinions or recommendations of CDC.
- Free registration required for some articles.
Cancer can develop in catastrophic burst, The New York Times, January 11
Brain-tumor development promoted by loss of gene, leading to reduced survival, Medical News Today, January 8
Patients are focus of new cancer care plan, guelphmercury.com, January 8
MicroRNA-TP53 circuit connected to chronic lymphocytic leukemia, Medical News Today, January 8
Punctuated evolution in cancer genomes, EurekAlert, January 6
Cardiovascular Disease
Genetic loci associated with abnormal heart rhythms, PHG Foundation, January 7
Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI)
NEJM releases findings about behavioral impact of personal genetic testing, News-Medical.Net, January 13
New law prohibits genetic screening for jobs, MSNBC, January 12
Post-GINA, consumers still worry about genetic privacy, Genome Web, January 10 [by free subscription only]
Letting family members know about genetic conditions; how and when, Bio News, January 10
Exploring the genetic jungle can be fraught with danger, The Syndey Morning Herald, January 8
Genetic Testing
First genetic test for predicting IVF success, Medical News Today, January 13
Consumer genetic tests have little impact, Technology Review, January 12
Genetic tests: No anxiety, no gain, Los Angeles Times, January 12
Gene test finds disease risk in parents, Yahoo News, January 12
Researchers create 'scoring system' for PTEN mutation testing, EurekAlert. January 10
Researchers develop prenatal genetics test, CBS Pittsburgh, January 9
Utah company wants to expand use of genetic test for autism, The Salt Lake Tribune, January 9
Vanderbilt genetic test cuts risk of drug reactions, Tennessean.com, January 9
Test lets genome out of the bottle, The Sydney Morning Herald, January 8
Most consumers want predictive tests to learn if a disease is in their future, EurekAlert, January 7
Neurologic Conditions
New hope in fight against Huntington's disease, Medical News Today, January 11
Progress in non-invasive testing for Down's Syndrome, PHG Foundation, January 10
On autism's cause, researchers just 'scratching the surface', CNN Health, January 6
Personalized Medicine
Cleveland Clinic to open personalized medicine center, Med City News, January 10
New user-friendly resource connects human genes to biological functions, Medical News Today, January 12
5AM Solutions releases SNPTips personal genomics web browser extension, San Francisco Chronicle, January 11
Nanodisk gene therapy, EurekAlert, January 11
NHGRI seeks genomics community resources, Genome Web, January 7 [by free subscription only]
Extracting cellular 'engines' may aid in understanding mitochondrial diseases, Science Daily, January 6
Genes of an 18th century 'giant' could change the lives of 21st century patients, Physorg,com, January 6
Genomics in the Scientific Literature
Topics in the Scientific Literature
A Primer on a Hepatocellular Carcinoma Bioresource Bank Using the Cancer Genome Atlas Guidelines: Practical Issues and Pitfalls
Nguyen NT, et al.
World J Surg 2011 Jan
X-Ray Repair Cross-Complementing Group 1 (XRCC1) Genetic Polymorphisms and Gastric Cancer Risk: A HuGE Review and Meta-Analysis
Xue H, et al.
Am J Epidemiol 2011 Jan
Chronic Disease
Genome-wide association studies of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis suggest candidate susceptibility genes
Sharma S, et al.
Hum Mol Genet 2011 Jan
Dorothy Hodgkin Lecture 2010. From hype to hope? A journey through the genetics of Type 2 diabetes
McCarthy MI
Diabet Med 2011 Feb;28(2):132-40
Colorectal Cancer Epigenetics: Complex Simplicity
van Engeland M, et al.
J Clin Oncol 2011 Jan
Family History
Familial aggregation of dementia with lewy bodies
Nervi A, et al.
Arch Neurol 2011 Jan;68(1):90-3
Genetic Testing
Comparison of the prognostic and predictive utilities of the 21-gene Recurrence Score assay and Adjuvant for women with node-negative, ER-positive breast cancer: results from NSABP B-14 and NSABP B-20
Tang G, et al.
Breast Cancer Res Treat 2011 Jan
Effect of Direct-to-Consumer Genomewide Profiling to Assess Disease Risk
Bloss CS, et al.
NEJM 2011 Jan
Infectious Disease
The Search for Host Genetic Factors of HIV/AIDS Pathogenesis in the Post-Genome Era: Progress to Date and New Avenues for Discovery
Aouizerat BE, et al.
Curr HIV/AIDS Rep 2011 Jan
Maternal and Child Health
Cardiac ion channel mutations in the sudden infant death syndrome
Klaver EC, et al.
Int J Cardiol 2011 Jan
Neurologic Conditions
Blinders, phenotype, and fashionable genetic analysis: A critical examination of the current state of epilepsy genetic studies
Greenberg DA & Subaran R
Epilepsia 2011 Jan;52(1):1-9
Newborn Screening
Parental Understanding of Newborn Screening for Cystic Fibrosis After a Negative Sweat-Test
Lang CW, et al.
Pediatrics 2011 Jan
Personalized Medicine
The Promise of a Personalized Genomic Approach to Pancreatic Cancer and Why Targeted Therapies Have Missed the Mark
Fisher WE
World J Surg 2011 Jan
For this week's human genome epidemiology articles, please visit the HuGE Navigator.
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STEVENS POINT, Wisc (WSAU) A Stevens Point woman could face jail time for running an illegal daycare center from her home. 48-year-old Pamela Novak isn't allowed to care for children because she assaulted a daycare inspector in 1995.
She's been fined twice since then for watching children without a license.
Prosecutors say the last time inspectors visited her home in July of 2011 she refused to let them in. The inspectors later found her at a nearby campground watching six children.
If convicted Novak could face up to a year in jail and a fine of $500. She's entered a 'not guilty' plea and is due in court for a pre-trial conference on November 12th.


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Pictured L-R are: Provost and VP for Academic Affairs Alan Artibise, President Juliet V. Garcia, Khan Academy Founder and Executive Director Sal Kahn, UT System Executive Director of the Institute for Transformational Learning Steven Mintz, Associate Provost Janna Arney.
As we continue to develop the new UT Brownsville as model for a 21st Century university, we are mining the best ideas in education throughout the nation. This week we met with Sal Kahn, Founder & Executive Director of the Kahn Academy, whose goal is to change "education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere." We began exploratory discussions to see if we could discover more affordable and effective pathways for students to prepare for success at UT Brownsville. We plan to develop a pilot program that could begin as early as fall 2013.
Submitted Feb. 21, 2013 at 4:45 p.m.
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Top Picks of Odey Asset Management
Piyush is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Odey Asset Management Group, which was founded in 1991, manages a portfolio of over $6.7 billion. Odey Group has been one of the most successful funds on the street, and according to its recent filings, it has huge positions in the following stocks.
KB Home (NYSE: KBH) is a US based residential construction company, and its shares are up by 99.3% over the last 6 months. Despite the run up, analysts believe there's still 17%-20% upside left. The company had reported a 16% increase in revenues with net income of $0.04 per share and ended the quarter with $467 million in cash and cash equivalents. Analysts estimate the Q4 net income to be $0.06 per share, which is a massive 50% increase on a sequential basis.
On Dec. 13, the management announced its plans to develop more than 100 luxury homes in its coastal community "Playa Vista." The management also told that it has already purchased the required land from Brookfield Residential Properties, and plans to develop three story detached luxury homes and condominiums, with an area of up to 2,800 sq. ft. The company ended Q3 with a backlog of $744.7 million and the Playa Vista project would only fatten its order book. Its construction is expected to begin in early 2013, and since Playa Vista is located in a prime locality, we can safely expect heavy pre-launch bookings.
CF Industries (NYSE: CF) is poised to grow in 2013, as the new corn plantation would require nitrogen based fertilizers. YTD its shares are up by nearly 35%, but its P/E is still below 7.5x. This is mainly due to solid financial performance in the previous quarters. It's P/FCF equates to a healthy 7.9x and with a decent quick ratio of 2.53x, the company wouldn't be having any problems with its short term unplanned expenditures. CF Industries retains 94.3% of its earnings, has a debt/equity ratio of 0.29x and enjoys a net profit margin of 31.77%, which altogether indicate sound fundamentals.
The company recently announced a share repurchase program worth $3 billion, which would further bolster its earnings per share. Additionally its board recently approved a $3.8 billion expansion plan which would allow two of its facilities to produce up to 2.6 million tonnes of granular ammonia per year. According to several polls, the average price target for CF Industries is $239, which means its shares could still appreciate by 20%.
Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), one of the conservative banks, also boasts of attractive fundamentals. Trading at a forward P/E of 9.63x with a PEG just over 1x, its shares appear to be undervalued. YTD is shares have risen by 22% but its trailing P/E is still below 11x. This indicates that the earnings growth was not matched by its stock appreciation (despite the 22% rally). The average price target set by analysts is still 15% higher than the current price.
However I believe that Wells Fargo can go beyond the median price estimates, as the bank's portfolio is more inclined towards residential real estate. These estimates do not weigh the recent housing sector boom, which is why we can safely expect stronger earnings in the coming quarters. Additionally, the shares of Wells Fargo yield a decent 2.52% with a modest payout of 24.21%. Also its debt equity ratio of 85%, is significantly lower than the industry average. In my opinion, investors should look to buy Wells Fargo as it makes a great fundamental pick.
PiyushArora has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. The Motley Fool owns shares of CF Industries Holdings and Wells Fargo & Company. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Wells Fargo & Company. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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Ovarian Cancer Study Could Speed Early Detection
Can a simple blood test detect early signs of ovarian cancer? This question has been asked repeatedly over the last decade, and an answer may finally come this summer.
In a closely watched study, five research groups are validating their most promising ovarian cancer markers using high-quality blood samples from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian (PLCO) cancer screening trial, including some prediagnostic samples from women who developed ovarian cancer during the trial.
The validation study, coordinated by NCI's Early Detection Research Network (EDRN), could show whether panels of markers can detect ovarian cancer in blood collected 6 months or more before cancer was discovered. If markers do predict ovarian cancer, the question then becomes: How long before a clinical diagnosis are the markers informative?
Earlier is always better, and for this disease in particular. Ovarian cancer has been called a "silent killer" because the vast majority of cases go undetected until the later stages, when women have few treatment options. The hope now is that a blood test for early detection is within reach.
"Everybody has a real sense of urgency now," said Dr. Daniel Cramer of Brigham and Women's Hospital, who leads one group. "We've been saying for years that we'll get a marker for ovarian cancer, but it hasn't happened yet. This is the first good test to see if we can come up with a panel of markers for ovarian cancer from PLCO samples."
The PLCO is one of several large, randomized studies that have been making limited samples available for biomarker research based on proposals from investigators. These studies have rare prediagnostic samples that were collected before anyone knew that a person had a particular cancer. Such samples are considered "more pure" and may more accurately reflect the biology of ovarian cancer than other specimens.
The vast majority of prediagnostic blood samples for ovarian cancer are collected from women just prior to surgery for a suspected ovarian tumor. But impending surgery and anesthesia, for example, might alter at least some potential markers in women with the cancer but perhaps not in a comparison group.
Similarly, in the validation study, great care was taken to eliminate factors that, in the end, could mislead investigators.
"If the biomarkers do not detect ovarian cancer in these samples, it will be because of the biology of ovarian cancer and not because of how the study was designed or implemented," said Dr. Christine D. Berg of NCI's Division of Cancer Prevention and the leader of PLCO.
The validation study is being managed by Dr. Christos Patriotis of NCI's Cancer Biomarkers Research Group with Dr. Sudhir Srivastava, who heads the EDRN program.
The study could yield a variety of markers, including some that improve the sensitivity of the protein CA-125 test. This marker is routinely evaluated when diagnosing ovarian cancer, but it cannot be used alone because only some women with ovarian cancer develop elevated levels, and levels can be elevated for reasons other than cancer.
"Many potential biomarkers have been proposed to be added to CA-125 for the early detection of ovarian cancer, and the PLCO samples will help us select the most promising of those markers," said Dr. Robert Bast, Jr., of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, who discovered CA-125 and is an investigator in the study.
Beyond early detection and diagnosis, markers are needed to assess risk and guide difficult clinical decisions. For instance, some women with genetic risk factors for breast and ovarian cancers have their ovaries and fallopian tubes removed as preventive measures after childbearing years.
The validation study could yield markers that identify women without the risk genes who nonetheless have a high risk of the disease within 5 to 10 years. Other markers could identify women who have a family history of ovarian cancer but are at such low risk that they could safely avoid preventive surgeries, at least in the short term.
Before any of these markers can be used in the clinic, they would need to be tested prospectively, and the challenges of early detection are substantial.
"It may be helpful to think about what we're trying to do," said Dr. Nicole Urban of Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, another lead investigator. "With a screening program, a woman comes in and you get a blood sample and try to predict if she's going to be diagnosed with cancer. You're trying to find cancer that would kill the woman, but you're trying to find it early enough that you can cure it. And this is tough."
Dr. Urban is nonetheless optimistic that screening for ovarian cancer using markers will ultimately succeed. She predicts that serial blood samples from randomized trials may be required to discover the markers and track their changes over time.
"There is no single marker that will be sensitive enough to distinguish all the ovarian cancer patients from healthy women," said Dr. Gil Mor of Yale University, who leads the fourth group. His team has developed panels with two types of markers - proteins produced by ovarian tumors and proteins produced by the body in response to very early changes associated with ovarian cancer.
All of the groups have taken essentially similar strategies, noted Dr. Anna Lokshin at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, the principal investigator for the fifth study group. "We are all now waiting for the results." The data are being analyzed, and answers could come within months.
"A lot of people around the country are holding their breath to see the results," said Dr. David Ransohoff, a cancer epidemiologist at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who consulted on the project.
"These are some of the best groups in the country; they are investigating an important question; and the specimens are among the best available to answer it," he continued. "If the results are positive in these samples, it will be enormously good news for the field."
—Edward R. Winstead


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ufo alien weapon found in russia
- 8seconds
- uploaded: Feb 29, 2012
- Hits: 71
5 comments
Roadrunnermike March 6, 2012 5:00:16 PM CET
Very interesting
tomhbomb1963 March 4, 2012 10:37:37 PM CET
I have read nexus for over 20 eyars and thye now have comilation DVD of all issues. I think this maagzine has opned my eyeys and mind to many new ideas. I used to go to their annual conferences when they were in sydney, instead of now North of brisbane. A good amgaizne
Hayden March 1, 2012 10:49:54 AM CET
There is a very good article archived on Nexus magazines site about this called the installation. Very strange.
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and found 7 items
498cc, 48bhp, 110mph, Insurance group 8
The Kawasaki ER-5 has a straightforward parallel-twin middleweight commuter that's as easy to use as a pair of pants. As a cheap workhorse you won't find much wrong with the Kawasaki ER-5 - providing your expectations don't go beyond simply getting from A to B.
487cc, 47bhp, 110mph, Insurance group 7
Having been around since Adam was an embryo, the Suzuki GS500E may be a trusty workhorse but it tends not to inspire passion in riders due to drab handling, gutless performance, dreadful finish and its perpetual association with L plates. The GS500E looks ok and they're dirt cheap but, for a few hundred pounds more, you can do a lot better ...
904cc, 80bhp, 140mph, Insurance group 14
Real retro sports motorcycle that was outdated when new. If you're after all-out speed, practicality or reliability look elsewhere. If you want old school charm, a great twin cylinder sound track, stunning looks and handling to surprise the odd modern motorcycle the Ducati 900SS is worth a look.
553cc, 50bhp, 115mph, Insurance group 8
Launched the same time as the bigger 750 and 1100 Zephyrs, the Kawasaki Zephyr 550 never really caught on in the UK and once the Zephyr's reputation for corrosion spread, and the rival Suzuki Bandit 600 arrived in 1995, the 550 was doomed. It makes an OK commuter in the summer, but it is undepowered, rides too soft and rots ...
738cc, 76bhp, 125mph, Insurance group 9
The Kawasaki Z1 was an awesome bike in its day, but the Zephyr 750/1100 tribute bike - like tribute bands - doesn't quite capture the lairy, dangerous essence of the original. The 750 is too soft, a bit underpowered and the 1100 is simply a lardbucket that makes a Bandit 1200 look like a sportbike.
636cc, 60bhp, 105mph, Insurance group 11
The CCM 640 comes in three versions – the 640 RS is a roadster with swoopy bodywork, there's a Dual Sport version with taller suspension and off-road wheels and then there's the more popular Supermoto, with more traditional, off-road style panels and numberboard-style front fairing. All that separates CCM's 640 machines from their 604-designated counterparts is a wider cylinder bore. ...
124cc, 31bhp, 101mph, Insurance group 7
Ducati-esque styling and the promise of almost 30bhp in (easily) from a de-restricted motorcycle make the Cagiva Mito 125 a real object of desire for anyone on a learner motorcycle licence. The Cagiva Mito 125 only just loses out to Aprilia's RS125 in the sex stakes.
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KENNEWICK, Wash. - CrimeStoppers is looking for two men accused of stealing from the Walmart in Kennewick.
Kennewick police say on July 11th, the two men stole a computer from the store around 3 a.m. They then drove off in a red car.
Anyone with information can call CrimeStoppers at 586-TIPS or 1-800-222-TIPS.


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2010 Shanghai World Expo (II)
by timvan on Aug.20, 2010, under Day, Night ★, Photography, Smörgåsbord
EXPOdition Pt. II
August 8, 2010 – 390,700 visitors
Thanks to the Israeli Pavilion, we got VIP tickets to the pavilions of Israel, Japan, France, and Spain. I also dropped by Finland and Belgium, and take it from me, you can skip the French one, unless you really need to see more pictures of Paris and have never seen a Citroën. Japan was interesting, you certainly don't see a robot playing a violin every day. The Spain pavilion is a definite success, the wicker building, great cave-like entrance and then the infamous gigantic moving baby, something I will not forget any time soon.
Also pictured are the pavilions of Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and of course China. In my Danish Pavilion image, if you squint, you can see the Little Mermaid statue which was taken outside of Denmark for the very first time (unless you count all the times it has been stolen and vandalized; of which including 4 decapitations, an amputated arm, numerous paintings, and the addition of a dildo).
Those final images are from inside the Smurftastic Belgium Pavilion, another one worth visiting (without my bias). The Expo Axis (the massive tent construction in the images before the Smurf invasion) is the largest membrane construction in the world, whatever that means.
You will also notice all the water being sprayed in the air… temperatures hit 40C that day.


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Topic Page
Nation Topics - Unions
News and Features
Costco has cultivated a sterling reputation, but labor activists describe horrors down the supply chain.
After one of Supreme Court's most anti-union rulings in recent years, is there still time for organized labor to save itself?
The cumulative effects of years of deindustrialization, weakened unions and soaring inequality have fundamentally reordered the country.
All the factors that defined the 1914 conflict at Ludlow are with us once again.
The fate of public sector unionism lies with a single Supreme Court justice—and not the one you'd want.
German corporations are far more respectful of worker rights—and may have more influence on future US developments than our politicians realize.
Passenger service workers earn significantly lower wages than the largely unionized airline employees with whom they work. Now they're organizing to change that.
At its LA convention, organized labor vowed to reinvigorate organizing and strengthen progressive alliances. And not a moment too soon.
Showdowns in Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and beyond have turned out parents and teachers in droves—and revealed how out of touch education reformers really are.
From student walkouts in Philly and Chicago to union organizing and MOOCs in California, here are the latest reports by our student activist/writers.
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Passing Lane Motors, LLC, St. Louis's Premier Classic Car Dealer, is pleased to offer this 1938 Packard for sale! Highlights of this 1938 Packard Include: 5.7L... More
1938 Packard phaeton, fully restored, great driver, sacrifice at only... More
1935 Packard 1203 Sedan Super 8 Possible money maker for weddings, picnics and tours. Studio photo shoots also! Northwest Classic Auto Mall advertises this vehicle for the... More
1934 Packard Model 1107 Victoria, re-creation, 225 miles, ps, pb, original Packard drivetrain, only 1 of 4 exist, build by coachbuilder Bayliff Coach Corp, sacrifice at... More
New Price: A freshly restored 1936 Packard Touring Coupe. The vehicle was discovered in parts as an uncompleted project in Fortuna, CA. With only... More
--Navy Blue with Red leather interior, One of Two Known from a Total Production of Five, Concours Restoration, CCCA Full Classic Designation, Rare Dual-Windshield... More
1930 Packard Series 733 Coupe For Sale Exceptional 1930 Packard Series 733 coupe. Two owners since new. The car was originally purchased by a father... More
1935 Packard Dietrich Phaeton, rare 8 cyl, low mileage, restored, factory original vin 811-214 and Dietrich body tag, 811-8525, new correct wind wings and... More
HELLO ALL For those following along, I had previously advertised this all original 36 Packard Coupe on Hemmings earlier this year, I had sold... More
1939 Packard Twelve Boattail Speedster VIN: 1236-2027 473 cubic inch engine with 175 HP V-12 and a 4-speed manual transmission. According to the build plate this... More


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Use the tools below to refine your search by only displaying reviews with a certain number of star ratings or to only show reviews from a certain time period. Eg click on '1 star' to just display the reviews we have which received a 1 star rating click or 'Within the last month' to display just reviews posted over the last month.
Written on: 08/05/2014
This little book was dramatic with tension and suspense with a girl name Fliss and her mates that visited The Scary Crows Nest Hotel but there is no room 13 as see dreamt in her nightmare why room 13...... Read on to find out … Read Full Review
Written on: 16/09/2013 by petedx (1 review written)
This was a great scary book for my son, he loves all that and it got the balance between suspense and horror spot on… Read Full Review
Written on: 15/03/2013 by hejina (1 review written)
I think this is one of the books of the century It is an epic tale of year sevens going to whtby. which the entail in circumstaces like a horror movie which david, flis,lisa and gary try to stop elly-may ffom entering room 13 because in theday the number is gone it apears when the clock strikes twealve .At the end finally go into the room and put a stack through his heart In conclusion I think this book is fantastic… Read Full Review
Written on: 15/03/2013
this was a very good book for my class of year 6 children. they really enjoyed the story, especially as we are making a class visit to Whitby in the summer!… Read Full Review
Written on: 01/12/2010
this is a great book but the only bad thing about this book is that it is not hardback.But that does not really matter because this is an awsome book.
My favorite character is Lisa because she never gave on trying to keep her class mate and other people safe.That is really brave to me.To be honest there is nothing that I didn't like about the book.I would actully have liked to know a bit more about some of the characters before I purchased the book… Read Full Review
Written on: 14/05/2009 by sun216 (1 review written)
we have not read all of the robert swindells, room 13 book yet but the parts that we have read are reaaly good, plus we have read other book by the author which are very good such as the book stone cold… Read Full Review
Written on: 22/02/2009
Robert Swindells' Room 13 is a good horror/comedy for kids around 10 to 15 . It was scary throughout so you was hoping for a scary ending but it was quite boring the end. Very good book if ou like that type of book I would highly recommend it as a class book… Read Full Review
Written on: 05/12/2008
I love this book, it's quite scary and funny. It's about a class that goes on a school trip and everything goes wrong. I love this book and highly recommend you to read it… Read Full Review
Written on: 05/07/2008 by hemaharika7 (1 review written)
Room 13 is very scary, I couldn't take my eyes out of it… Read Full Review
Written on: 23/04/2008
I loved this book, I couldn't take my eyes out of it!… Read Full Review
Written on: 26/03/2008 by okies (1 review written)
He needs to find some more thinghs to put in his book such as more love… Read Full Review
Written on: 04/10/2007 by THE VAMPIRES MAZE (1 review written)
Really dramatic and eventful story. This book made me more hook on to it the more I read. A great book this for older kids/teens/adults alike… Read Full Review
Written on: 23/11/2004 by 40246 (1 review written)
Robert Swindells, Room 13 - Fliss and her three friends are set for a brilliant holiday to the Crow's Nest at Whitby, but nothing could prepare them for the experience of a lifetime. Ellie May Sunderland starts sleepwalking and Fliss decides to find out what's going on behind the dreaded door of room 13.
*Horror… Read Full Review
As rated by real users
" Little horror book with terror inside " Read More
" Book #1 of Horror Young Adult Trilogy " Read More
" Will give the reader a mental workout " Read More
Written by plappen
" Amazing 3rd book in the saga! " Read More
" Ok but not as good as expected " Read More
Written by Reviewexpert5


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- hail-james-bucky-barnes likes this
- princessofzombies reblogged this from nickdouglas
- rl-biteme reblogged this from tikistitch and added:
Still, would you expect them of be in your Halloween basket?
- bigbigtruck said: weds the more tidbits you drop about these christian puppet shows the more horrified i get
- wednesday reblogged this from demiurgent and added:
Dude, I just realized that Mary Rice Hopkins used this bag on Greengo at some point when Greengo was being a colossal...
- einayim reblogged this from demiurgent
- demiurgent reblogged this from sonictail and added:
I know way too many people who'd just root through the bag to eat all the Sin.
- sonictail reblogged this from wednesday and added:
Sacrilegious or Sacriladelicious!
- bootlesscries likes this
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"And now I wanna … be your … god." (Couldn't resists.)
- feminesque likes this
- annlarimer reblogged this from whatwith and added:
Iggy Pop's father-in-law started Testa-Mints. So Iggy kinda had to put money into it when asked. I find this hilarious.
- annlarimer likes this
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But wait, wouldn't eating a sin bean be counterproductive? Did I really just type that?
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blood bean
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Sweet Lord! My prayers have been answered.
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i bet sin tastes like rainbows…
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The Strongest "Value" Buy in Today's Stock Market
Paul is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) is by far the most interesting and misunderstood "value" play in the stock market. Last week's earnings announcement and revelation of allegedly "fraudulent" accounting at the Autonomy unit purchased in 2011 (before it was acquired) was a final, throw-in-the-towel moment for frustrated investors in HPQ. A Motley Fool Blog Network post by Anh Hoang gave a good recap of HPQ's hurdles faced during the year.
Hewlett-Packard's stock price has steadily declined from a variety of leadership and business development problems for several years, from a high of $49 a share in February 2011 to $11 last week. This crushing 78% drop in price has totally shattered investor confidence in the organization and its future, regardless of underlying facts.
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com
No doubt, the emergence of smart portable phones and tablets, alongside new electronic devices is eating into Hewlett's leading personal computer (PC) sales, and the company has struggled to find a growth engine for investors beyond its traditional flagship printer business. Other macroeconomic factors like a stronger U.S. Dollar the past year and a weakening global economy for end sales have also dragged down the results of HPQ.
You have to ask and answer several basic questions for yourself before investing in Hewlett-Packard at this stage, as a value investor. If Hewlett was honestly operating at a loss and its products were truly headed for obsolescence, we would want to avoid HPQ at all costs. Here are the Quantemonics Investing answers to some basic questions:
Does Hewlett-Packard have an uncertain, difficult to forecast future from declining PC sales and a high level of liabilities? YES
Did HPQ overpay for recent acquisitions away from its core printer business? SURE
Will consumers and businesses buy PCs in the future? YES
Will consumers and businesses buy printers in the future? WITHOUT DOUBT
Will end users buy such equipment from the "leading" brand name manufacturer and retailer of computer products on the planet? ABSOLUTELY
In our opinion, short sellers, naysayers, jump on the bandwagon trend followers, and disgruntled investors giving up on Hewlett-Packard are completely ignoring the true underlying value of HPQ's business operations going forward; and, going forward is what successful stock market investing is ALL ABOUT. Some of the top long-term investors on the planet have been accumulating HPQ stock the last 9-12 months at much higher prices than available today. Primary in my mind, one of the most successful "value" investors accumulating HPQ has been Ray Dalio (a better risk-adjusted investor than even Warren Buffett the last several decades). If Mr. Dalio was willing to buy HPQ at $20, what do you think his view of $11 or $12 would be right now?
Before you shoot off a wise remark to answer that question, consider Hewlett-Packard actually BEAT non-GAAP EPS estimates by 2 cents last quarter, and is holding earnings per share guidance for fiscal 2013 at the same non-GAAP $3.40-$3.60 level as expected a few months ago! If HPQ has reached a bottom in both its underlying business problems and investor "expectations" about its future, what are you purchasing for $12 a share? If you could purchase the entire company, on every $12 paid upfront, you are getting $3.50 in after-tax earnings annually (30% in your pocket next year) and actual cash flow of almost $6.00 per share each year (50% back in cash flow during 2013), with the honest potential for both to GROW each year the rest of your life, if operations are at an inflection point.
Hewlett is the antithesis of buying Apple or Facebook or Google at annual EPS multiples of 15-20, and cash flows of 8-15x. While these stocks are considered "sure bets" for investors with only blue skies ahead for their businesses, they are priced at higher valuations reflecting this sentiment. In comparison, nobody in their right mind thinks HPQ will make it past tomorrow, and you can purchase the company's income producing assets at 3x EPS and 2x operating cash flow. [Nobody said investing was EASY! If it were, everybody would be rich!]
The ONLY way a stock gets this cheap on basic valuation multiples is after a multi-year run of problems combine to scare every weak-in-the-knees investor out. Using the word "fraud" in your press release is a surefire way to get the financial press into attack mode. The press (legitimate mainstay reporting and amateur bloggers alike) have unleashed perhaps the greatest amount of trash talking AGAINST Hewlett-Packard's stock price, the board of directors and upper management of any situation I have witnessed during my 26 years of investing! You would think HPQ was just days away from filing bankruptcy based on the negativity of reporting, not returning $11 billion annually in earnings and operating cash flow to its owners!
Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) is Hewlett-Packard's biggest competitor in the global PC and printer market, and is facing similar headwinds to its business model as Hewlett. Quantemonics sees strong value in Dell shares also, but so far we have only purchased HPQ for our own accounts and those mirroring us on Covestor.com. Considering the breadth of business units and ability to reshuffle them, we feel HPQ is a better risk-adjusted proposition at current levels.
Under asset "break-up" analysis, Hewlett-Packard's value today is quite high, in the $25-$30 per share range as an added bonus to buyers around $12. Despite all the problems and declining short-run prospects for some of its divisions, HPQ has a long list of valuable assets, product lines, patents, plant & equipment, etc. that could be sold piecemeal after a takeover or through a massive restructuring. We suggest investors do their own due diligence and ignore the prevailing news headlines of the moment by reviewing HPQ's latest 10-K filing with the SEC.
I remember at the end of the housing bust in 2009, conventional wisdom held America would never build another home, or apartment, or condo AGAIN. At that point the entire furniture industry, publicly-traded, market capitalization was just $1 billion. Investors priced businesses manufacturing and selling furniture at this emotional moment in time as though nobody would sit down in a new chair or sleep on a new mattress EVER again. Sounds foolish looking back, as I quizzed investors on this point and got the same response in 2009 – YES, furniture sales were done and would NEVER come back! I disagreed and personally purchased shares of La-Z-Boy (LZB) in early 2009 between $0.60-$2.00 and rode them back toward $10 less than six months later, as fear subsided and rational analysis returned.
We have been asking ourselves the same about PCs and printers during 2012, and our answer is the opposite of mainstream thinking currently. Contrary to the world ending for computer makers, Quantemonics Investing believes regular and laptop PCs, and Hewlett's bread and butter printer business have decent long-term futures. Fear has so clouded people's judgment, that only the latest stock quote and press release are important, not the actual facts on the ground. We rate HPQ a Strong Buy and purchased shares under $12 last week. In our opinion, the stock trading cycle of moving share ownership from weak hands to strong is now complete.
FULL DISCLOSURE: We hold Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) shares long in our mirror portfolios on Covestor http://covestor.com/quantemonics-investing/relative-value and unrelated personal accounts. We do not currently hold positions in any other stock mentioned in this article. Quantemonics Investing, LLC is paid as a general publication information and data provider. All contents of the Quantemonics Investing service and blogs on the Motley Fool website are provided for information and education purposes only. You agree that the service is not to be interpreted as investment advice, as an endorsement of any security or investment, or as an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any security. Quantemonics, www.quantemonicsinvesting.com and the owners and officers of Quantemonics Investing, LLC do not provide specific and personalized investment advice, and are not registered as investment advisors or a broker/dealer. The trading of securities or investments may not be suitable for all users of the service. It should not be assumed that future results will be profitable or will equal past performance, and all readers should understand each security investment involves a degree of risk. Investors should not assume that profits or gains will be realized by any security or investment mentioned by the service or related blogs. Readers accept any and all potential liability, loss, expense and cost when making trades or investments in their own account. We recommend readers consult with a registered financial adviser before making any investment decision. Investors should not hold more than 5% of their portfolio capital in any single equity position, as a general rule of diversification. No compensation of any kind has been paid to Quantemonics Investing, LLC or related parties for company participation in our data service. The facts and information presented have been obtained from original or recognized statistical sources believed to be reliable, but their accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. All opinions expressed on the service are subject to change without notice. The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Motley Fool newsletter services recommend Dell. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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PUMA Motorsport Red Cube Pops Up in Singapore
PUMA flags off the 2012 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix season at the heart of the city with the unveiling of the PUMA Motorsport Red Cube, a pop-up store showcasing an eye-catching new collection of motorsport apparel and a unique F1 Simulator for the public to get in on the action.
Located at the external quad side of Raffles City Shopping Centre, the PUMA Red Cube highlights the global sportlifestyle brand's dedication to motorsports. As the Official Team Partner of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS and SCUDERIA FERRARI Formula One Team, PUMA will be the 'official pit crew for style' both at the wheel and off the track.
Reflecting the prestige and flair of the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS collection designed for fans supporting in the grandstands and for day-to-day wear, the sophisticated range of products is designed in the team colour palette and feature team logos. Motorsport fans can look forward to the full range of apparel from head to toe available at the Red Cube and PUMA stores.
"F1 is one of the most anticipated events in Singapore and PUMA is very pleased to present the PUMA Motorsport Red Cube pop-up store which carries the brand new MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS range and the classic Scuderia Ferrari line. We are also very honoured to give Singaporeans an opportunity to pit their racing skills on the F1 simulator in the Red Cube and stand a chance to meet and race against MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Driver Nico Rosberg!" said Ms Sheryl Wong, General Manager of PUMA Singapore Pte Ltd.
Nico Rosberg, who has had a great season so far taking his maiden F1 win in Shanghai in April, hangs up his race suit and trades his steering wheel to meet and hang out with motorsport lovers on 19 September. For a chance to meet Nico in person, simply participate in the F1 simulator challenge promotion at the Red Cube from today to 17th September 2012. The top three fastest participants to complete the simulator challenge will be invited to meet and challenge Nico on 19th September.
Not a confident racer? Don't fret! Just spend a minimum of SGD 100 on the motorsport range at any PUMA stores from 24th August to 18th September to obtain a sure-win scratch card. In total, 14 pairs of passes to see Nico at Butter Factory stand to be won, along with other lucrative prizes.
OCBC Credit and OCBC Robinsons Visa Elite & Platinum and Robinsons card members will receive an additional 10% off at the Red Cube / PUMA stores and also stand a chance to win tickets to meet Nico Rosberg on 19 September when they spend USD 200.
For more information about the event and the entire PUMA® Motorsport collection, please visit www.puma.com/motorsport , like us on facebook and follow @PUMAMotorsport on twitter.
The PUMA MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS collection is available at the following stores:
PUMA Ngee Ann City B2-15
PUMA 313@Somerset #02-10/13
PUMA Marina Square #02-153
PUMA VivoCity #01-65
PUMA Ion Orchard B2-23
Robinsons Raffles City PUMA Level 3
Limited Edt. Chamber, The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands B2-23
- Date: Tuesday, September 11, 2012
- Hora: 1:30 p.m.
- Who's Invited?: Race fans in Singapore
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
Singapore , SG 179103


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The Award-winning British Photographer Travels Through The Ruins of the American Dream
Kahlil Joseph's Film Meditates on the Origins of an All-Black Rodeo in Oklahoma
A dreamlike narrative binds cowboy and an angelic specter clad in white in director Kahlil Joseph's exploration of a little-known African-American rodeo subculture. Joseph, who is part of the Los Angeles-based What Matters Most film collective, visited the annual August rodeo in the sparsely populated Oklahoma town of Grayson (previously Wildcat), an event that attracts African-American bull riders, barrel racers and cowgirls from all over the Midwest and southern USA. He set out to celebrate the origins of the rodeo by paying respect to the spirit of Aunt Janet, a member of the family who founded the event, passed away last year and is embodied as the young girl in the film. "Black people are light years more advanced than the ideas and images that circulate would have you believe. The spaces we control and exist are my ground zero for filming, at least so far, and there are opportunities for me to tap into the energy," says Joseph who has also made films for musicians including Shabazz Palaces and Seu Jorge. "So an all-black town with an all-black rodeo in the American heartland was a kind of vortex or portal through which I could actually show this." Wildcat is scored by experimental musician Flying Lotus, who has previously collaborated with Joseph on a short to accompany his 2012 album Until the Quiet Comes, which is showing during Sundance London this weekend.
The Model-Turned-Polymath Takes Us Deep Into the Brazilian Amazon
A region in peril is distilled on 8mm film in Wild Rubber, directed by the multi-talented Lily Cole. The flame-haired model made the short while on assignment in Acre, northwest Brazil as an ambassador for Sky Rainforest Rescue, a partnership between Sky and WWF that raises awareness of the jungle's plight, and aims to help protect one billion trees in the area. Cole, who has successfully melted the divide between the worlds of fashion, art, film and literature, shot the film across a day-lit Amazon vista after spending time with a rubber-tapping community in Feijó, where she learned more about the practice she believes is key to curbing deforestation. The hazy sepia and cyan-toned video depicts bird flocks, rainbow-hued spiders and nymph-like forms diving into the river's purple wash. It is relatable, youthful, and eerie—particularly when overlaid with Cole's soft British-accented singing. "Early one morning, I took a few hours out to go into the forest alone to film, and make a sound recording on my iPhone," she says. "I only had two rolls left, so every shot felt incredibly precious."
Aesthetically, the film has an old-school look. How did you select this format?
Lily Cole: I had been meaning to buy a non-digital camera last year in Paris, when I happened to run into Tacita Dean—a friend and one of my favourite artists who campaigns for film to be valued and protected as a medium. She took me shopping for a camera and we found this 8mm in one of the last camera shops in Paris to still sell it. I took it with me to Brazil and, without time to construct a set narrative, I simply captured moments as we explored the area, shooting whatever drew my eye.
What are your hopes for the future of rainforest conversation?
LC: I hope a growing market can be created for forest products, such as wild rubber, as it essentially could protect the rainforest by making it worth more standing than cut down. Knowing she is passionate about the rainforest, I asked Vivienne Westwood if she would be able to make a dress using rubber for this year's Met Ball to show its potential versatility, and she and her partner Andreas made something very special for me to wear. This isn't for a consumer audience but who knows what we can do in time.
What is the most memorable thing to have occurred during your time in Brazil?
LC: The rubber tapping itself was very impactful. Cutting thick lines into bark to watch a latex material bubble up was very surreal and filled my mind with possibilities. Rubber seems like such a synthetic material so it is really surprising to see that it is produced by a tree.
Has deforestation been curbed at all?
LC: Yes! Last year it was reported that deforestation rates were declining. Paraguay reduced the rate in their country by 85% following the enactment of its 2004 Zero Deforestation Law. It doesn't mean the issues are fully resolved but I feel very optimistic that we are heading in that direction.
Why is this cause important to you?
LC: About 20% of the planet's oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest so it's definitely something to value. Well, if you appreciate air.


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To the Editor:
On page 102 of the July 2004 issue
(Pouring a
Structural Slab) there is a photo of adjustable wall
braces. I was wondering where such braces would be sold. I am a
framing carpenter in Massachusetts.
John P. Lynch
Via email
Those braces came from A.H. Harris, a supplier of products
and equipment for the concrete industry with several locations
in Massachusetts (617/269-4800 in Boston;
www.ahharris.com). The braces are made by
concrete form manufacturer Symons Corp. (847/298-3200;
— The Editors
I recently came across two stories you might be interested in:
(1) How home affordability in California is at an all-time low
(San Diego Union-Tribune); and (2) How local
governments in Orange County, Calif., and other places are
fighting to increase fees on new homes (Los Angeles
Hmm, I wonder if there is any connection between higher fees
and more expensive homes?
Jane Manchester
Los Angeles, Calif.
When I first got my Tajima slant tool
Tools, 8/04), I was disappointed to find that it didn't
have a scale for roof pitch, so I figured out an easy way to
convert the percentage measurement to pitch-over-12: I set the
short side — the side labeled "measuring face for
construction work" — on the roof deck, level the vial,
and read the corresponding rise. Then I simply multiply that
rise by 12 to convert the percentage into a 12 pitch. If the
scale reads .58, for example, multiplying by 12 makes the
conversion to a 7-in-12 pitch (.58 x 12 = 6.96).
John Carroll
Durham, N.C.
Gary Katz brought up a subject of vital importance at the end
of his article on
estimating finish
carpentry (6/04). Katz stated, "10% to 15% markup is all
the market will bear." But a small remodeling company with a
minimal office staff can have easily $160K to $200K in annual
fixed costs: owner and staff salaries, benefits, and general
office overhead. Note that I am not including here profit that
a business should be earning on top of all costs.
To capture $160K in fixed costs at 15% markup, the company
would need $1.067 million in sales ($160K/ 15%). Now assume
materials for a company like Katz's is about 25% of the annual
gross sales, or $267,000; with no profit, that means he would
need a total of $1.33 million from labor billings. A $45 hourly
labor-billing rate would require 29,630 billable hours. At
2,000 hours per field employee per year, the company would need
about 15 field employees. That crew size is not manageable in a
small-office scenario.
However, using similar calcs, a markup of 67% would require
only three or four field employees, a much more manageable crew
size. While these numbers are only hypothetical, they
illustrate the power of a higher markup in producing a better
product and a healthier, more stable company. Choosing the
right clients and selling the benefits of a well-managed
company can actually overcome the retail market "barrier" that
Katz mentioned.
Joe Allen
Joseph G. Allen General Contractor
Walnut Creek, Calif.
Gary Katz responds: Thanks for your comments; I agree
completely! Maybe I used the wrong phrase and should have said
"profit." And I definitely should have said something in the
article about overhead. I guess I concentrated too much on the
finish carpentry part of my job in that article, which is the
mistake a lot of carpenters make when they go into business for
themselves. You'll go broke fast if you don't figure a
percentage of your annual overhead costs into every job.
I divide my previous year's overhead expenses (office
expenses, licenses, tools, trucks, fuel, and insurance
— but not employee expenses, because those are added
to employee hourly rates) by my annual income. The resulting
fraction, after moving the decimal to the right two places, is
the percentage I add to all jobs for overhead expenses.
Like a lot of contractors, I sometimes cringe when I total up
the bid, knowing that in my competitive market I won't get the
job or be able to keep my employees working if I come in too
high. While there are times when I can choose my clients, after
working through two major recessions (198082 and 1990)
and other feast-and-famine cycles, there are times when I have
to take what I can get.
I thoroughly enjoyed this month's issue (7/04), especially the
miter saw
survey. I've been using a Makita LS1011 for about 10 years
now and am ready to advance to a dual-bevel saw. In addition to
the points reviewed in the article, one important factor I
consider is not so much the weight of the saw but its footprint
in the transport position. In a shop setting this is not much
of a consideration, but in the backseat of my supercab pickup,
or even in a van, a saw with the capacity of my Makita that is
not much larger than a standard chop saw was at the time and
still is a beautiful thing. I will use the info in Mr. Hark's
article and take my ruler to the store when I'm ready to
Tony Cruz
Jackson, N.J.
Regarding "Reducing Clearance to Woodstove Pipe"
7/04): When building a ceramic tile stove platform, we set the
stove on a mortar bed base, then furr out the wall one inch, as
in your diagram, and install cement backerboard panels. We keep
the panels off the floor one inch for venting. Using the cement
backerboard panels provides a heat-resistant installation
material that we can attach marble, slate, or tile to with
Daniel Dixon
Ceramic Tile Professionals
El Cerrito, Calif.
I don't understand the article "Subtle Soffit Vent"
7/04); I guess the directions were too subtle for me to
understand! Or I could be missing something simple about the
illustration. I can't see any "1/2-inch space between the first
and second fascia members." Do you mean "frieze" members? I'd
really like to understand this idea; after all, designing a
well-vented soffit without ugly vents is a great
Gary Katz
Reseda, Calif.
Oops, you're right: We should have said "frieze," not
"fascia." Plus, a section drawing without an elevation can be
tricky to read. I agree with you about the "achievement" part,
so we'll try again, this time with the help of some additional
photos provided by author John Seifert (see below). Thanks for
your interest.
— The Editor
1. The blocking between
the exposed rafter tails is dropped below the top of the
rafters to permit airflow.
2. Pieces of strapping,
painted black so as to disappear from view, are nailed in place
with sections of brake-bent screen.
3. The frieze boards
install flush with the top edges of the rafters, snug to the
sheathing, but allow air to enter at the bottom.
Air Entrainment
Rooftop Accessories
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa...
"The newer buildings that met current standards fared better, but there's still a lot...
Contractor education requirements, bolts for attaching sills to foundations,...
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