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Index of content:
Volume 79, Issue S1, May 1986
- Session A. Noise I: Miscellaneous Topics
- Contributed Papers
Field experience in measuring and evaluating acoustical parameters for motion picture theatre environments79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023099View Description Hide Description
Since early 1983, the General Cinema Corporation has been engaged in a major expansion and renovation program of its movie theatre complexes throughout the United States. Furthermore, recent developments in motion picture presentation technology involving films with extended dynamic and frequency ranges have led to reconsideration of and, in some cases, adaptation of conventional criteria for evaluating the acceptability of theatres for viewing and listening to films. The results of field measurements (octave‐band reverberation times, room‐to‐room NR'S, and background sound‐pressure levels) are reported for a large number of facilities including data for the often disregarded 31.5‐, 63‐, and 8 K ‐Hz bands. The considerations in obtaining adequate field data and in developing criteria, as well as practical cost effective acoustical control measures developed for new generation theatres, are reviewed.
An integrated approach to office acoustics in the computer age79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023100View Description Hide Description
The building environmental control system and computer/business equipment are two major noise sources in modern office buildings. This paper focuses on the technical challenges that must be addressed by the acoustical engineers in the design of office acoustics in the computer age. In several important areas (such as standards, design tools, technology development, etc.), integration is examined in some detail. The state‐of‐the‐art of building environmental control systems and computer cooling systems will be reviewed. Technology integration potentials will be presented. A case study of integration is demonstrated. Current and future research needs are identified.
Noise control of banking business equipment79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023101View Description Hide Description
Noise control of three kinds of business equipment, namely, document printer, currency dispenser, and endorser/encoder, was investigated. These machines which use microprocessors as the control devices were developed recently for use in banking. During the development or improvement stage, an acoustic improvement program for each kind of equipment was initiated with sound power level determination, followed by noisediagnostic tests using the coherence function technique. One of the common noise sources in the equipment was the broadband printing noise which was radiated directly from the printing head and through machine structures. The currency dispenser had gear noise which resonated with the machine structure at the gear mesh frequency. Recommendations for noise reduction included utilization of sound absorptionfoam inside cabinets, increase of sound transmission loss of machine cases, sound isolation for structure‐bornenoise, and treatments of openings. Test results of some of these improvements are presented.
Reducing the aural detectability of a 30‐kW motor‐generator set79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023102View Description Hide Description
The noise produced by motor‐generator sets in Army field situations causes detectability and speech intelligibility problems. A program for computing the aural detectability distance of Army material was developed and used to guide a noise reduction effort for this generator. A field expedient solution was pursued which was developed through the testing of a number of increasingly complicated barriers and enclosures. This report describes the procedure used and shows the 1/3‐octave band level, the insertion loss, and the detectability contour obtained for each configuration. The insertion loss values are compared to theory, and cooling problems associated with noise reduction of generator sets are discussed. The final enclosure configuration attenuated energy in those low frequencies which cause detection, by up to 20 dB, and reduced computed detectability from 1000 to 200 m. The use of such a program can be of assistance, for the development of Army material, and for directing noise control efforts to those frequencies which control aural detectability.
Low‐frequency noise in jet engine test facilities79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023103View Description Hide Description
Jet aircraft and engine test facilities are being designed to operate using air cooling only in the exhaust system. Many of these facilities are experiencing low‐frequency noise due to aerodynamic instability. The presentation will include a discussion of low‐frequency noise generation in jet engine test facilities and measured data. Data are measured down to 2 Hz since much of the noise energy is in the infrasonic frequency range.
Sound transmission loss in a rectangular attenuator symmetrically lined with continuously variable flow resistance79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023155View Description Hide Description
The sound attenuation in a free‐path rectangular duct of constant cross‐sectional area was theoretically studied for the case of a symmetrically decreasing wall resistance at its both ends. The change of the wall conductance from either side was thereby taken to be parabolic. In addition to the high transmission loss it possesses, this attenuator was found to be wideband and to have small reflection coefficients at both ends, if it is inserted between two similar hard ducts. The solution of the obtained Bessel differential equation consists of a combination of modified Hankel functions of the order 1/3. The attenuator characteristic at a certain frequency was found to depend only on both the duct length and an attenuator characteristic area (A) defined as A = S/g, where S is the actual attenuator cross‐sectional area and g is a normalized wall conductance at a distance of 1 cm from attenuator ends. Compared to the case of the homogeneous lined attenuator, the insertion of the proposed attenuator between two hard ducts was found to give a much smaller reflection coefficient at comparable values of sound transmission loss. This is due to its good matching characteristics at both ends. As an example of calculations, a duct of 1‐m length having a characteristic area of 500 cm2 was found to have an average transmission loss of about 17 dB for the frequency range up to 600 Hz. Meanwhile, the reflection coefficient was found to decrease with frequency and to have a value less than 0.1 for frequencies above 350 Hz. Experimental results were found to be in fair agreement with the theoretical results. It is worth mentioning that parabolic change of the wall conductance can be realized by means of a homogeneous sound absorbing flow resistance together with a slit which changes parabolically along the length of the attenuator. By the experimental implementation of this slit, a variable perforation area having the same dependence on length and perforation ratio of more than 35% was used. Due to the small reflection coefficient it possesses at both ends, this attenuator can be used as an exhaust silencer.
Comparisons between A‐weighted sound‐pressure levels in the field and those measured on people or manikins79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023156View Description Hide Description
The A‐weighted sound‐pressure levels for 75 different industrial noise spectra were determined. Previously published sound‐pressure level transformations by Kuhn and Guernsey [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 73, 95–105 (1983)] from the field, either progressive or diffuse, to the body or head surface were applied to these noise spectra and the resulting A‐weighted sound‐pressure levels were calculated. For the most part, a microphone at the torso or head measures a larger A‐weighted sound‐pressure level than a microphone in the unobstructed sound field. The range of the resulting measurement error, due to the presence of the body or the head, is approximately − 1 dB(A) to + 5 dB(A). The magnitude of the error is sensitive to the type of sound field, the subject's orientation relative to the angle of incidence of the sound, the noise spectrum, and the microphone location. Other factors, for example, the microphone size and directivity, the distance between the microphone and the body, and the absorption of the sound by different types of clothing will also affect the measurement errors. Although these factors are implicit in some of the reported transformations, their individual, explicit effect on the measurement errors remains to be determined.
The use of personal computers in the calibration of noise dosimeters79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023157View Description Hide Description
Personal and handheld computers are used in the acoustical calibration laboratory of the MineSafety and Health Administration (MSHA), Pittsburgh Health Technology Center. The laboratory was established to calibrate noise dosimeters used by MSHA coal and metal/nonmetal mine inspectors. Equipment was selected to set up new systems and to make existing systems more efficient. Analog signals from some dosimeters are measured by the computer systems and converted to useful information, while other dosimeters come equipped with standard computer interfaces. Programming of the systems was done in‐house. This has two advantages. First, the programmer has constant communication with the eventual end users of the system, which results in better planning. Second, the system can be adapted immediately by anyone familiar with the program, when changes in operating procedures become desirable or necessary. In general, the systems are accurate, prevent time‐consuming mistakes, and can be made to guide the user through the calibration procedure. The installation of computer controlled calibration systems has proven to be successful.
The use of spreadsheet programs for noise control problems79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023158View Description Hide Description
Spreadsheet programs, once used as a financial/business tool, can be effectively used for solving acoustics and noise control problems using a personal computer. The spreadsheet allows one to write a pseudoprogram in terms of algebraic expressions which follows algorithms similar to our thinking process. The spreadsheet is essentially a two‐dimensional matrix where entries can be made both in rows and columns. The entries, called cells, contain different types of information, such as numbers and formulas. Numbers are like expressions with fixed values. Formulas are algebraic expressions where references can be made to other parts (cells) of the program. These expressions are computed in a similar fashion as is done in a calculator but at a much faster speed. Also, the spreadsheet computer program has plenty of flexibility and versatility in many areas compared to a conventional digital computer program. One of these is the automatic updating of all results (algebraic expressions) that are affected due to the change of a value in the spreadsheet. This paper discusses the VISI‐CALC® computer program spreadsheet. A worker noise exposure prediction problem is demonstrated using the VISI‐CALC® program with a Hewlett‐Packard desktop computer.
- Session B. Physical Acoustics I: High‐Temperature Acoustics
- Invited Papers
Probing the interior of the sun and stars wtth acoustic modes of oscillation79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023214View Description Hide Description
For reasons which are, at present, poorly understood, the sun and presumably stars like the sun undergo continuous oscillations. The most prominant of these have been identified as normal modes which are gravity‐modified acoustic resonances involving the whole sun. The spatial structure of the modes is described as the product of spherical harmonics Yl m (θ,φ) and a radial eigenfunction. The value of l determines the depth of mode penetration for each value of n. The identification of the modes with l and n permits a comparison of the observed frequencies with theoretical ones and tests the adequacy of our solar models. The frequency degeneracy in m is broken by rotation, and the measurement of the fine structure of the frequencies permits a determination of the depth dependence of the solar rotation rate. Present results indicate that the sun does not deviate substantially from a condition of uniform rotation. These results appear to rule out the hypothesis that the solar gravitational potential could have a large enough quadrapole term due to solar internal rotation to invalidate tests of general relativity.
Acoustic pressure meusurement at high temperatures79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023215View Description Hide Description
It is often necessary to measure the acoustic pressure in a high‐temperature environment as, for example, in the study of combustionnoise. High‐temperature microphones have been developed, and techniques have been devised for adapting "room temperature"microphones for use in the high‐temperature environment. The unique features of this measurement problem are identified, and state‐of‐the‐art methods for its solution are presented and discussed. Particular attention is paid to the acoustic waveguide probe system, in which a common room temperaturemicrophone is thermally isolated from the high‐temperature environment through a pressure transmitting tube. Results of a recent analysis of such a system are presented and compared with new measurements. It is suggested that the probe system, when used with the model to correct for axial temperature gradients along the probe, may be the optimum solution to this difficult measurement problem.
Liquid metal thermoacoustic engine79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023216View Description Hide Description
A liquid metalthermoacoustic engine is studied both theoretically and experimentally. This type of engine promises to produce large quantities of electrical energy from heat at modest efficiency with no moving parts except the acoustic oscillations in the liquid metal. In the engine, heat flow from a high‐temperature source to a low‐temperature sink amplifies a standing acoustic wave in liquid sodium. This acoustic power is simply converted to electric power by means of a magnetohydrodynamiceffect at the acoustic oscillation frequency. A detailed thermoacoustic theory applicable to this engine is developed, and it is found that a reasonably designed liquid sodium engine operating between 700 °C and 100 °C should generate about 60 W/cm2 of acoustic power at about 1/3 of Carnot's efficiency. Construction of a 3000‐W thermal laboratory model engine is almost complete. A 1‐kW, 1‐kHz liquid sodiummagnetohydrodynamic transducer has also been designed and built. It is now very well characterized both experimentally and theoretically. The first generator of its kind, it already converts acoustic power to electric power with 40% efficiency.
- Contributed Papers
Elastic constants of steel as a function of heat treatment79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023217View Description Hide Description
The velocity of sound and the nonlinearity parameters of HY80 3.25% NiCrMoV steel samples which were heat treated at 538 °C for periods ranging from 0–100 h were measured.Elastic constants (c 11 and c 111) associated with these measurements were reported, and they were compared with values obtained from other steels. It was found that the difference between measured values among the samples is larger than one would expect. Possible reasons for the discrepancies are discussed.
Resonant cavity techniques for accurate measurements of the ratio of the speed of sound to the speed of light79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023218View Description Hide Description
In principle, measurements of the resonance frequencies of both the acoustic and the microwave modes of a single cavity can determine the ratio of the speed of soundu of a monatomic gas to the speed of lightc. Such measurements, carried out with high accuracy, could determine the universal gas constant R and the thermodynamictemperatureT with unprecedented accuracy. The realization of these possibilities can be greatly facilitated by judicious choices of cavity geometry and resonance modes. The present state of the art suggests that the ratio u/c can be measured to parts per million accuracy using cavities whose geometry is known only to parts per thousand. Recent experimental and theoretical results will be presented.
Levitation using intense acoustic fields at high temperatures79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023256View Description Hide Description
Intense acoustic fields can be used to position objects without mechanical contact. This phenomenon finds application in high‐temperature materials research by enabling a specimen to be heated, melted, reacted, cooled, and solidified in a containerless state. The acoustic force vectors capable of levitating an object are given by the gradient of the acoustic potential energy density. By suitable shaping of the acoustic field, a closed energy well can be created and a small specimen captured therein. Some recent experiments were carried out in microgravity aboard the Space Shuttle in order to reduce the requirements for intense acoustic fields, typically from 145 to 165 dB, at 15 kHz. Preliminary results are presented showing successful containerless processing of glass specimens of density 5 g/cm3 at 1550 °C. Ground‐based experiments have levitated densities of 20 g/cm3 at STP and densities up to 4 g/cm3 at 1000 °C. Various results from these experiments will be presented along with a discussion of the effects of acoustic cooling, thermal perturbations of the acoustic field, and the presence of harmonics. [Work supported by NASA.]
Acoustic radiation force on a particle in a temperature gradient79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023257View Description Hide Description
An expression for the acoustic radiation force on a small spherical particle of radius R in a standing wave field is derived. The particle is inside a long tube chamber with a temperature gradient along the axis of symmetry. Assuming R < λ, and neglecting convection,acoustic streaming,heat conduction, and viscosityeffects, an expression for the force that consists of a "local" version of Gor'kov's result [L. P. Gor'kov, Sov. Phys. Dokl. 6, 773 (1962)] as well as correction terms of order βλ, where β = T′/T, is obtained. Also the effect of various temperature gradients on the acoustic positioning (levitation) properties of the system is investigated numerically. The results of this analysis will be compared to the uniform temperature case. [Work supported by NASA.]
Acoustic radiation force in a dual‐temperature resonant chamber79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023258View Description Hide Description
The acoustic radiation force was measured for a dual‐temperature resonant chamber. This rectangular chamber has its long dimension approximately 8.5 times the square cross‐sectional dimension and the opposite ends are at widely different temperatures. Force profiles were obtained for two hot‐end temperatures of 500 °C and 750 °C, while the cool end remained at approximately room temperature. The lateral force was measured as a function of the long dimension of the chamber along the temperature gradient, and as a function of the drive voltage. The highest force per unit mass measured at 500 °C was 103.8 dyn/g for a frequency of 4450 Hz, and at 750 °C the highest force was 82.8 dyn/g for a frequency of 5500 Hz. Qualitatively, the measured force profiles correspond well with the theoretical curves; however, correlation of absolute magnitude is yet to be determined. [Work supported by NASA.]
Application of acoustic levitation to the investigation of melting and freezing phenomena79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023259View Description Hide Description
Ultrasonic levitators have been used in ground‐based laboratories to observe melting and freezing phenomena characteristic of organic materials and metals. The behavior of freely suspended substances undergoing a first‐order phase transition and the influence of a high‐intensity acoustic field have been of primary interest. The undercooling ability of the materials and the acoustic field‐melt interaction are related subjects, and some experimental observations have been obtained in order to elucidate this relationship. The size of the levitated samples is on the order of 1 mm and the temperature range studied is between − 25° and 400 °C. [Work supported by NASA.]
- Session C. Physiological Acoustics I and Psychological Acoustics I: Otoacoustic Emissions and Evoked Response
Low noise microphone for cochlear emissions79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023260View Description Hide Description
A specialized microphone for use in measuring cochlear emissions contains four modified Knowles microphones mounted in mechanical opposition for minimum vibration sensitivity in their summed output. That output is electrically equalized to provide a flat frequency response from 100 Hz to 12 kHz when measured with a disposable foam eartip containing 10 mm of 3.8‐mm‐i.d. probe tubing. To facilitate measurement of stimulated emissions, and especially cochlear distortion products, the construction includes two 1.35‐mm‐i.d. earphone coupling tubes mounted to pass through the 3.8‐mm‐i.d. probe tubing, permitting the delivery of stimuli from two independent ER‐2 insert earphones, each providing a flat eardrum‐pressure frequency response to 12 kHz. The complete microphone exhibits a typical noise spectrum level of − 20 dB SPL at 1 kHz decreasing to − 26 dB at 5 kHz, 8 to 10 dB below that of a single Knowles EA‐1954 microphone and 5 to 10 dB below the apparent noise level of good young ears based on the estimate of Killion [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 59, 424–433 (1976)].
Synchronization of spontaneous otoacoustic emissions and driven limit‐cycle oscillators79(1986); http://dx.doi.org/10.1121/1.2023302View Description Hide Description
Spontaneous otoacoustic emissions (SOAE's) can be synchronized by external tones within a narrow frequency band characterized by a synchronization tuning curve [E. Zwicker and E. Schloth, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 75, 1148–1154 (1984)]. Surrounding this range of synchronization is a region of unstable partial synchronization leading to amplitude fluctuations of the stimuli. Psychophysical synchronization threshold curves [D. T. Kemp, Scand. Audiol. Suppl. 9, 35–47 (1979)], based on an abrupt change in the percept of low‐level stimuli near threshold microstructure, show similar tuning. These two types of synchronization tuning curves are compared in subjects with strong SOAE's and associated threshold microstructure. Simple models for these tuning curves are discussed in terms of driven limit‐cycle oscillators. [Work supported by NIH.]


text:
Neuromyelitis Optica
National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
It is possible that the main title of the report Neuromyelitis Optica is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.
- (Asian, Japanese) opticospinal MS
- Devic disease
- Devic syndrome
- optic neuromyelitis
- opticomyelitis
General Discussion
Neuromyelitis optica, also known as Devic disease (DD), is a chronic disorder of nerve tissue characterized by inflammation of the optic nerve (optic neuritis) and inflammation of the spinal cord (myelitis). There appear to be two forms of this disease. In the classical, but less common monophasic type, one or both optic nerves and the spinal cord are affected by a series of attacks over a short period of time (days or weeks) but, after the initial outburst, there is no recurrence. The second form is more common and is characterized by repeated attacks separated by periods of remission. In this form, the interval between attacks may be weeks, months or years. In its early stages, Devic disease may be confused with multiple sclerosis.
Supporting Organizations
American Autoimmune & Related Diseases
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- Bethesda, MD 20892-2510
- United States
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NIH/National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- P.O. Box 5801
- Bethesda, MD 20824
- Tel: (301)496-5751
- Fax: (301)402-2186
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Transverse Myelitis Association
- 1787 Sutter Parkway
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For a Complete Report
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be downloaded free from the NORD website for registered users. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational therapies (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, go to www.rarediseases.org and click on Rare Disease Database under "Rare Disease Information".
The information provided in this report is not intended for diagnostic purposes. It is provided for informational purposes only. NORD recommends that affected individuals seek the advice or counsel of their own personal physicians.
It is possible that the title of this topic is not the name you selected. Please check the Synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and Disorder Subdivision(s) covered by this report
This disease entry is based upon medical information available through the date at the end of the topic. Since NORD's resources are limited, it is not possible to keep every entry in the Rare Disease Database completely current and accurate. Please check with the agencies listed in the Resources section for the most current information about this disorder.
For additional information and assistance about rare disorders, please contact the National Organization for Rare Disorders at P.O. Box 1968, Danbury, CT 06813-1968; phone (203) 744-0100; web site www.rarediseases.org or email email@example.com
Last Updated: 12/27/1969
Copyright 2015 National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc.
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Botswana Map
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From arid desert landscapes to sublime inland waterways, Botswana is home to an incredible wealth of natural beauty with plenty of national parks and game reserves offering incredible safari experiences. To help plan that once-in-a-lifetime visit, here's our selection of top places in Botswana.
Central Kalahari Game Reserve - Wild and remoteView on map
Encompassing an area equivalent to Denmark, the Central Kalahari Game Reserve is one of the largest game reserves in the world. The wild grasslands are interspersed with wide empty salt pans, fossilized rivers and gently undulating sand dunes to form one of Africa's most iconic images. After the rains the reserve teams with wildlife including giraffe, cheetah and lion.
Chobe National Park - Elephants and bushmenView on map
Botswana's very first national park is famed for its large elephant population and incredible biologically diversity with four distinct ecosystems comprising lush floodplains, dense woodland, watery marshes and extensive savannah. Dating back to the 1930s, Chobe National Park has since become Botswana's premier safari destination with San bushmen rock paintings dotted throughout.
Makgadikgadi Pans - Stark terrain, endless horizonsView on map
This largely desolate and arid expanse of dry savannah in the north-eastern corner of Botswana contains one of the largest salt pans in the world. Surrounded by the Kalahari, the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is actually composed of several salt pans, all that remains of the ancient Lake Makgadikgadi. The recent rise in water levels of the Boteti River entices migrating animals with the rains, including wildebeest, zebra, pelicans and breeding greater flamingos.
Moremi Game Reserve - Grasslands and wetlandsView on map
Resting on the eastern edge of the Okavango Delta, the Moremi Game Reserve is one of Botswana's top safari destinations with a terrain that encompasses grasslands, mophane forests and vast wetlands of lagoons and pools. With over 400 species of migratory and endangered birds, it's a fantastic destination for bird-watching and offers plentiful safari experiences with game including buffalo, giraffe, lion and leopard.
Okavango Delta - World's largest inland river deltaView on map
Located in the northwestern corner of Botswana, the Okavango Delta is the world largest inland river deltas, supporting an incredible variety of wildlife from endangered rhino and cheetah to over 71 fish species and 400 species of bird. Life here is very much tied to the weather as seasonal rains affect the water levels and nothing quite beats a leisurely mokoro canoe ride on the lily-strewn canals.
Botswana Travel Guide
Be prepared for your safari adventure in Botswana with our handy guide on travel essentials from visas to weather and when best to go.
Best Time to Visit
Information on climatic and weather conditions in Botswana
Best Places to Visit
Places on our must-see list of any visit to Botswana
Top Travel Tips
Money, shopping, transport, food, health advice & more
About Overland Safaris
What to expect on an overland camping expedition
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More about our lodge accommodated safaris in Africa
Traveller Visas
Visa requirements for Botswana and info on getting your visa
Safari Wildlife Guide
Where to see Africa's wildlife and the best time to do so
Spotting Africa's Big 5
Our guide to the best places to see the Big 5
Recommended Reading
- Cry of the Kalahari
by Mark and Delia Owens
- Place of Reeds
by Caitlin Davies
- Botswana Time
by Will Randall
Facts about Botswana
- Botswana is home to the largest elephant population in Africa and the Chobe River supports up to 50,000 in the dry season.
- The Okavango Delta is one of the largest inland deltas in the world, spanning 17,000 square km.
- In the Xoo language of Botswana, spoken by about 4,000 people, there are 112 distinct sounds compared to 40 in English.
Botswana Travel Advice:
We monitor the latest travel guidance on Botswana and follow advice as set out by the British Foreign Office. Safety of our travellers is paramount and we recommend that you check the latest travel updates from the relevant advisory body in your country prior to travel.
Online Travel Resources for Botswana:
REFER TO: Fodors, Bradt, Frommers, CN Traveller and World Travel Guide.
ALSO SEE: The official Botswana Tourist Organisation site and the latest Botswana Weather Updates from the BBC.
Highlights of our Botswana Safaris
In the northern reaches of Botswana lies the world-famous Okavango Delta where a mokoro ride, nature walk and an overnight stay make for a truly memorable experience, as does a scenic flight overhead. To the southeast, head of the beaten track to the lesser known Makgadikgadi and Nxai Pan National Park, a wonderful spot for a bit of wildlife watching and to perhaps meet the resident meerkats. Outside the dry season, the never ending ethereal lunar landscape of glistening salt pans is spectacular and quad biking is popular. Rain brings a dramatic change as the area springs to life, grasslands flourish and the pans fill up with water, attracting a fantastic array of waterbirds and triggering spectacular migrations of wildebeest and zebra. There's also Chobe National Park, home to the largest herds of elephant in the world. With plenty more on offer on our Botswana safaris you'll get to see the very best of this amazing country.


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Karen Bentley Pollick and Grant Dalton
Unitarian Universalist Church
Review gets four out of five stars
By Richard LeComte
For The Birmingham News
It's rare to see the violin and piano played simultaneously - by one person. Karen Bentley Pollick, a violinist, pulled off that exciting feat when she played Dan Tepfer's "Solo Blues for Violin and Piano" on Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Birmingham.
The piece, which ended the first part of an Artburst concert with Pollick and percussionist Grant Dalton, called for the violin and piano to alternate between melody and accompaniment. Pollick gallantly bowed away on her violin while her free hand bounced across the keyboard. Fortunately, Tepfer's fine piece was worth the effort.
The concert also featured a number of exciting 20th century pieces, particularly two by Elliott Carter, who's celebrating his 100th birthday this year. Pollick played "Riconoscenza per Goffredo Petrassi for Solo Violin," a work that weaved many fits and starts into a smooth base. Dalton performed Carter's undulating "March for Solo Timpani," which featured several rousing, strong variations in beat.
Pollick and Dalton teamed for "Djembach: Suite for Violin and Percussion," a series of movements by Christian Woehr that's laid out as tributes to a variety of violists. Each movement was led off by a poem about the violist. The poems read more as inside jokes, but the movements themselves, with Pollick changing attitudes at will and Dalton playing the djembe (a kind of drum), made for some exciting music and painted portraits of the personalities of each subject.
Together, Pollick and Dalton also treated us to a piece called "Fanitullen," for which she played her hardangerfele, a Scandinavian string instrument. Toward the end, she and Dalton were able to let loose on a piece called "Salsa for Karen for Violin and Percussion" by Ole Saxe. Pollick clearly has a personal connection with this piece, and she pretty much lit the house on fire with her movements as well as her playing as Dalton kept up the beat. But after having played the piano and violin simultaneously, she deserved to go wild.


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This deal has ended.
The Lauren by Ralph Lauren Basic Bath Towels are now reduced from $5 - $14 to $3.99 - $7.99 to $2.99 - $5.99 at Macys.com's through 8/6. They ship free with all orders of $99 or more. Even with $9.95 shipping, this is only $1 above the best price we have seen on these towels. They are 100% cotton and are available in 7 colors. Sales tax is charged in most states.No longer available


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DetroitRedWings.com's Lisa Hickock posted a reminder regarding the Red Wings' Youth Hockey Camp, which includes instruction by Jiri Fischer, Jim Bedard, Jim Paek, and Darren McCarty:
June 30, DetroitRedWings.com: The Red Wings will hold their 2009 Youth Hockey Camp, sponsored by Warrior, with two two-day sessions, July 13-14 and July 15-16 at Joe Louis Arena. Kids can partake in the hockey experience of a lifetime while sharpening their fundamentals on the ice and participating in activities in the Red Wings' locker room. Players of all skill levels are invited to join-in on the exciting experience at the very home of the Red Wings.
Camp fees are $299 for skaters and $229 for goalies[.]


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Elderly man killed in tractor accident
Published On: May 13 2013 06:08:54 AM CDT Updated On: May 13 2013 06:08:00 AM CDT
The operator of a tractor has died in an accident in Blue Earth County.
Sheriff's officials say 70-year-old Paul Andreszcuk was killed when his tractor rolled on top of him in a ditch west of Mapleton.
KEYC-TV reports the accident happened Saturday about 5:30 p.m.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Dear Name
Yesterday I happened to go through the appeal you had made in the newspaper regarding people suffering from recent floods. My heart poured out to the kids and women who do not have shelter food and water and the basic necessity. It's amazing ho the volunteers of your organization are helping them rebuild there lives. I appreciate the dedication and commitments of the people of your organization are helping those affected in the floods with food shelter home ad employments. It's wonderful to read that the funds you received was utilized for basic necessities of the people suffering and you already started building the houses for them. It's very touching to see how people are coming in large numbers to support you.
I strongly support your mission and I am sending a check of _________ amount .Though it is not a very huge amount but I am sure might help you in some way. Please let me know if I can be of any help other than donatioms.i am interested to help as a volunteer after office hours. Please contact at_____________ if you need any support.
Your name


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BOSTON — The arrival of Martin Prado might take a little bit of heat off the underperforming Carlos Beltran, bolstering a Yankees lineup that has struggled to find any semblance of consistency.
It will also help Beltran in another way. The Yankees don't appear to be in as much of a hurry to get Beltran and his bum right elbow back into right field.
Beltran said Friday night he was still working toward ensuring the elbow his healthy via a throwing program. He added that he didn't know quite when he'd feel healthy enough to test it out in a game. Beltran hasn't played the field since May 12, when he felt pain where doctors later found a bone spur in the joint.
On Saturday, manager Joe Girardi said the Yankees acquired Prado to be their primary right fielder, taking the heat off Beltran.
"I think there's probably less of a sense of urgency that we need to get him out there," Girardi said. "Martin is going to play out there a lot. We have more options. We were carrying really three outfielders for a while and Carlos was the fourth and we were running infielders out there.
"But with Martin who has played a lot of outfield and having Ichiro, we'll make sure (Beltran) is ready when he goes out there."
The Yankees signed Beltran to a three-year, $45-million deal in the offseason. But he's only played 24 games in right field this season.
Still, that's many more than Prado has played in his career. The 31-year-old who came to the Yankees via a deal with the Diamondbacks before Thursday's trade deadline has played 252 games in left field, but just four innings in right, including two frames in Friday's 4-3 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Prado arrived to the game — and to his new team for the first time — just about an hour before first pitch, making it too late for Girardi to consider him for the starting lineup.


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... just one click and you will get an overview of all our highlights that we have presented @ productronica. Enjoy the tour!
Coming soon.
At the end of February training was held for IPC trainer and IPC specialists at the Weller training center in Besigheim. The Weller colleagues from the departments of application engineering, sales, R&D, construction and customer support successfully certified and recertified for the IPC-7711 & 7721B Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) and IPC-7711 & 7721B Certified IPC Specialist (CIS).Through their participation the Weller specialists can now apply the appropriate technologies in rework, repair and modification more skillfully and as a result granting a better support of the customers and their needs.


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Free Toyota Supra!! by FrankyGTAandMore
more rides by FrankyGTAandMore
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average rating of 5 out of 5 stars from a total of 8 voters.
Need For Speed World give this Code for reaching 750.000 Likes on Facebook.
(Code is valid for one use and expires on Friday 17th May @ 06:00 UTC)
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Nice design :D Looks good in white :D Also i was shocked when i found out that there aint no spoilers for this iconic car... Shame on NFS World....


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Gaffney Fire Department receives grant for smoke detectorsUPDATED 6:20 PM EDT Sep 24, 2013
The smoke detectors will be given away to the elderly and needy.Video Transcript
AN UPSTATE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS NOW ABLE TO HELP MORE PEOPLE IN ITS COMMUNITY...THANKS TO 95 HUNDRED DOLLAR FIRE PREVENTION GRANT. THE GRANT WAS AWARDED TO THE GAFFNEY FIRE DEPARTMENT....TO BUY DUAL SENSOR SMOKE DETECTORS. THE DETECTORS WILL BE GIVEN TO THE NEEDY AND THE ELDERLY. FIREFIGHTERS SAY A WORKING SMOKE ALARM INCREASES YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVING A FIRE. "We've been very lucky in Gaffney, the last couple of years, to not have fire deaths. We want to keep that going and this is part of that project. As always, colder months with heaters and kerosene heaters go along with a lot of things with the colder months that cause an increase in fires. We want to stop that." IF YOU LIVE IN GAFFNEY AND NEED A SMOKE DETECTOR... YOU CAN STOP BY THE FIRE STATION ON NORTH LIMESTONE STREET...TO FILL OUT A REQUEST FORM. [A13]GAFFNEY
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CommentsThe views expressed are not those of this site, this station or its affiliated companies. By posting your comments you agree to accept our terms of use. WYFF News 4 offers readers the ability to comment on stories with the understanding that these comments may be reprinted elsewhere on the site or used on WYFF News 4 newscasts. We ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, comments that don't relate to the story, and any personal remarks. THIS IS IMPORTANT: WYFF News 4 does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not, at times, find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. If you find a comment that is objectionable or offensive, click the flag that appears in the upper right corner when you hover over a comment. Flagged comments may be automatically hidden from comment threads. For comments to appear on the website and/or mobile app, email addresses must be verified through Disqus. We ask the community to monitor this forum with the knowledge that WYFF News 4 does not delete posts based on the content. We are glad to offer commenting on our site but we cannot be responsible for people who abuse the privilege.blog comments powered by Disqus


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Quarantine. (R) Screen Gems (89 min.) Directed by John Erick Dowdle. With Jennifer Carpenter, Jay Hernandez. Now playing in New Jersey. ONE STAR
Savage selflessness, bloody barbarism, end-of-the-world hysteria -- and a media too ill-prepared to do anything but add their own shouting to the din.
Yes, TV's Wall Street coverage has been pretty grim this week.
However, masochists wanting more of the above -- plus rabid cannibals -- can check out "Quarantine," the most recent unscreened-for-critics horror film to darken our multiplexes.
The picture centers on Angela, a tiresomely perky -- and, soon, tiresomely terrified -- TV journalist, doing a night-in-the-life story about a local fire department. When the company gets called to an emergency at a dank old Los Angeles apartment house, she jumps at the chance for the ride-along.
And gets more footage than she expected, when the building turns out to be full of infectious cannibals -- and the authorities calmly, coldly, decide to barricade everyone inside until the disease burns itself out.
With its cinema-verite approach -- all we see is whatever Angela's cameraman shoots -- the movie is a direct remake of "(REC)," a Spanish thriller from last year. It's also pretty much a rehash of the last 10 years of midnight horror, with headache-inducing handheld shots and bilious night-vision out of a Paris Hilton porn tape.
"The Blair Witch Project," "Cloverfield," "George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead" -- isn't it time to retire this you-are-there gimmick for a while? Whatever it adds in immediacy is only at the sacrifice of everything else the movies are capable of -- thoughtful compositions, evocative scores, clever editing.
This isn't filmmaking. It's videotaping.
There are no characters, only victims (who then, nearly immediately, become pasty-faced villains). Jennifer Carpenter, moonlighting here from her steady role on "Dexter," is hugely annoying as our heroine; Jay Hernandez, who you'd think would have had enough of this after both halves of "Hostel," is our firefighting, ax-wielding hero.
It's impossible to root for either of them.
Amazingly, there are some real actors under all the red dye and latex. Rade Serbedzija, who looks full of secrets, shows up briefly as the building's super; the fine theater actor Denis O'Hare has a brief bit as a drunk. (The great mime Doug Jones -- Abe Sapien in the "Hellboy" pictures, and the terrifying Pale Man of "Pan's Labyrinth" -- is in here somewhere too.)
But there's nothing for them to act -- just bite or be bitten.
The movie -- which, not surprisingly, horror fans are already pronouncing deeply inferior to the original -- has its moments. There are a couple of good, stiff shocks (even if the best one has already been used in the trailer). And the apartment building itself -- with its massive oak doors and nicotine-brown hallways -- is scary all on its own.
But compared to everything else that's going on in the world, this film is not only not horrifying, it's also a shameful waste of money. So here's a quick way to save yourself $10: Take your video camera, turn it on, and throw it down the stairs. Then watch the footage while listening to the latest financial news.
It won't be any more entertaining than "Quarantine." But it'll be a heck of a lot cheaper.
Rating note: The film contains extreme gore, violence, drug references and strong language.
Stephen Whitty may be reached at email@example.com or (212) 790-4435.


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State Police at Fredonia responded to an accident on Route 60 around 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday which left one person injured. Shirley Baumgart, 82, of West Seneca, was attempting to make a turn from Wilson Road onto Route 60 north when she collided with a tractor trailer driven by Gary Camidge, 29, of Niagara Falls. Baumgart suffered a back injury and minor lacerations to her leg and neck. She was transported to Brooks Memorial Hospital and later issued a traffic ticket for failure to yield the right of way. Camidge was not injured. Fredonia Fire Rescue also responded to the scene.
Article Photos
OBSERVER Photo by Chip Riewaldt


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Kyle Martin & Leo Mack in Farm Boys
Models: Kyle Martin and Leo Mack
Film: Farm Boys
Studio: 8Teen Boy
There is something so sexy about a tent and camping out on a farm that gets the blood in these two twinks stirring. The Farm Boys tent is all it takes to get the cum flying in all directions. . . . Life on the farm can be lonely and boring. But, when you have a group of sexy hot twinks running around on the farm it suddenly becomes quite lively. On this farm the sex is happening everywhere. In the fields, by the fence, on the farm equipment, in the stalls, in the hay almost anywhere you can imagine. —8TeenBoy's Farm Boys


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News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch briefly talked about his company's planned acquisition of a controlling stake in Hughes and DirecTV during a conference call on fiscal third quarter results Tuesday. But analysts instead focused on the company's financials and strong performances from its TV and film units.
On the DirecTV takeover, Murdoch said, "Certainly this is a business with tremendous potential for both consumers and our company." He added that DirecTV and Hughes will face "very stiff competition in the United States from the larger and dominant cable companies. We look forward to this competition, and energizing the American multichannel market."
Once News Corp. has control of DirecTV platforms in North and South America, the media giant will have a global satellite TV reach serving 25 million viewers, Murdoch said during the conference call.
News Corp. reported that during its fiscal third quarter, which ended March 31, the company generated net income of $275 million and revenues of $982 million. Operating income at the company's television segment jumped 82 percent to $207 million, and News Corp.'s Filmed Entertainment unit reported a 25 percent increase in operating income, to $201 million.
From SkyReport (Used with Permission)
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Keep America Beautiful, Ban Verizon From Your Home!
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Riding center horses have the healing hoof
FALL CITY - The horses are here to help at the Hawk Ridge Therapeutic Riding Center in Fall City. Located on a forested and scenic 19-acre farm, the center teaches horsemanship to children age 4 and older and adults with various physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis.
The mother and daughter team of Joanne and Kate Woodcock founded the center in May 2000, along with their friend Doug McCowan, a veteran therapeutic horse instructor. The center, which includes a 12-stall barn, a 20-by-60-meter indoor riding arena and a 20-by-40-meter outdoor riding arena, is part of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). The Woodcocks and McCowan run the center, along with instructors Mary Schneidler and Kady McNaughton, who both started out as volunteers.
Hawk Ridge uses hippotherapy, which is essentially horseback riding with therapeutic benefits that help treat individuals who suffer from a variety of ailments. Students are taught the basics of horse care and how to ride a horse. "One of the things we do, too, is we don't just bring the horse into the arena," said Joanne, who serves as executive director of the center. "To the extent that they can, our riders are asked to groom, saddle, bridle and take care of their horses, and then after the lesson, bring the horse back."
Hawk Ridge is an ideal place for people who want to learn how to ride a horse and who have special needs, as it would be difficult, if not dangerous, to learn at a more traditional riding school. This hard work results in a sense of accomplishment and responsibility as a side effect of the therapy, the staff said. "What we do ... we're more interested in teaching horsemanship and we're more a recreational place for people with special-needs as opposed to a therapy center," said Kate.
The actual therapy is not complicated and often involves simply letting the horse do the walking. The gait of the horse (the way it walks) allows the rider to experience a full range of motion and tactile feedback that can be crucial in treating physical disabilities. "There are some [riders] that basically all we do is use the motion of the horse to help them physically," said Joanne. "There are others ... who are riding independently and can walk, trot, canter and do everything, and then we have a whole range in between."
The staff at Hawk Ridge works hand in hand with the parents of younger riders, tailoring their lessons to suit each child's unique needs. Specific goals are worked into the lessons, and may include simple tasks such as saying "please" and "thank you," and dismounting successfully.
A typical riding lesson is a hour long, with about three students taking part. Students have one lesson a week for about nine to 11 weeks, which is the length of a typical session. There are about four of these sessions a year, and since each lesson costs $30, that adds up to about $300 in the course of a typical session. Sponsors can help defray the costs of the lessons, which pay for approximately 40 percent of the center's operating costs. Currently, there are around 50 students, many of whom are repeat customers that have been coming to the center for several years, said the Woodcocks.
A lot of the center's riders suffer from a form of autism, and the staff is well trained in how to help. "With them, the benefits are they're paying attention, they're sequencing, they're following direction," said Kate. "A lot of the autistic kids really don't have balance and coordination issues, most of them are very athletic, but it's getting them to connect with the instructor and interact with another person and with the horse ... that is really good for them.
"Then for the kids we have in the Asperger's [Disorder] end of the autistic spectrum, where they're usually very bright and high-functioning but they have a lot of social issues, engaging in a class activity and having to be respectful of the instructor, the horse and the volunteers [is] a very positive thing for them."
The bond that develops between horse and rider helps the children mature emotionally and gain confidence in their abilities.
"It's also really good because not only with autistic kids but I'd say most of our riders, the fact that they do something, and the response is immediate, so that if they 'whoa,' the horse will stop. If they tell the horse properly how to move, then it'll go, and so it almost kind of bypasses the mind and goes directly to the muscles," said Joanne. "It's really great feedback for them."
Krista Holmberg, whose 7-year-old daughter Haley has been going to the center for three and a half years, praised the center's positive effect on her daughter. Haley, who has tight heel cords and is thus a "tippy-toe walker," benefits from being able to use the stirrups while riding, which helps treat her condition. "She's done extremely well...but mostly [it's] her confidence level," said Holmberg. It's just been great all the way around."
Elora, a 10-year-old, is Haley's riding lesson classmate and has bi-polar and sensory integration issues. "It's been very good for their esteem, too, [and] confidence levels have really gone up with both of the girls, hugely," said her mother, Heidi Koss-Nobel.
The family-friendly environment is another form of therapy in and of itself, the staff said. Part of that comes from the extensive volunteerism that gives the center its energy and charm. There are 50-60 volunteers that help keep the center in operation.
"When we founded [Hawk Ridge], we were very specific that we didn't want this to be a place where a volunteer came, did their hours and went [home]. We wanted it to be a place that they felt invested in and they felt was partially built because of them and a sense of ownership," said Kate. "So we've developed a real sense of community, and it's amazing to watch because volunteers who never would've met each other outside here become friends and so we've really created this whole community of people. It's been really positive to see that kind of growth."
Those interested in contacting the center for information can do so by calling (425) 222-0080.
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If your fresh thyme made it through the freeze, here's a perfect recipe to showcase this quintessential Louisiana flavor. The recipe is from Southern Living's "Glorious Grits" by Susan McEwen McIntosh (Oxmoor House, $22.95).
Makes 4 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound round steak, trimmed, cut in 1-inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups less-sodium beef broth
1 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
21⁄4 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
3⁄4 pound new potatoes, quartered
5 carrots, peeled, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 onion, cut in wedges
1⁄2 (8-ounce) package whole fresh mushrooms, cut in halves
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
Cornmeal-Thyme Dumplings (recipe follows)
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over high heat. Add beef and garlic. Sauté 5 to 7 minutes until beef is browned. Add broth, wine, tomato paste and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until steak is tender. Add potatoes and next five ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until vegetables are almost tender.
Scoop dough for dumplings by rounded tablespoons on top of stew; cook over low heat, uncovered, 10 minutes. Cover and cook 18 to 20 minutes, until dumplings are done. (Avoid boiling mixture to prevent dumplings from falling apart.)
Cornmeal-Thyme Dumplings
Makes 12
3⁄4 cup stone-ground white or yellow cornmeal
3⁄4 cup bread flour
11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
3⁄4 teaspoon salt
2-3 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1⁄2 cup milk
Combine cornmeal, bread flour, baking powder, salt and thyme in a bowl until well blended. Add butter and milk, stirring to blend. Cook as directed in main recipe.


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Heading into the North American open, equities in Europe are trading higher, apart from the Spanish Ibex, which has underperformed its peers as market participants reacted to yesterday's expiration of the short-selling ban in Spain. Elsewhere, in spite of opening sharply lower after acknowledging reports that it is to take an impairment charge, Credit Agricole (+2.5%) shares staged an impressive come back and are now one of the best performing stocks in Europe. Of note, co. said that charges mainly reflect tighter regulatory requirements as well as macroeconomic and financial environment. The risk on sentiment was in part supported by the latest HSBC Manufacturing report from China, which hit a two-year high, as well as an encouraging set of EU related PMIs released this morning. Looking elsewhere, EUR/USD erased barriers at 1.3600/50 and 1.3675 which consequently lifted gamma and saw the 1-month risk/reversal trade at its highest level in almost 3-years. Of note, the EONIA curve bull flattened after the ECB said that banks will repay EUR 3.484bln in 3y loans (exp. EUR 20bln). Finally, going forward, market participants will now await the release of the latest jobs report from the BLS at 1330GMT (0730CST).
01 Feb 2013 - 12:11 - Equities - Source: RANsquawk
RANsquawk provides audio news and commentary for over 15,000 professional traders and brokers worldwide. Services include:


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WILLIAMSTOWN -- Police announced on Tuesday that they are searching for a suspect who assaulted and attempted to rob a pedestrian at knifepoint Sunday night.
According to Police Chief Kyle J. Johnson, at about 9:30 p.m., the pedestrian was at the intersection of South and Main streets when a person approached from behind and demanded money.
The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 6 feet tall. He was wearing a dark jacket with a hooded sweatshirt underneath and a beanie hat, Johnson said.
During the assault, the man brandished a knife, but the pedestrian was able to break free and call for help.
Johnson said the pedestrian was treated at North Adams Regional Hospital for minor facial injuries sustained during the attempted robbery.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Sgt. Scott McGowan at the Williamstown Police Department, (413) 458-5733.
To reach Josh Stilts:
or (413) 496-6243
On Twitter: @JoshStilts


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An ancient forest of cypress trees, estimated to be eight million years old, has been discovered in Hungary
WARREN ELLIS is a graphic novelist and author of the NYT best-selling novel GUN MACHINE. His graphic novel GLOBAL FREQUENCY is being developed for television by Jerry Bruckheimer and FOX. He is the writer of the graphic novel RED, adapted into the film starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. His next book is NORMAL from FSG.


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Chemcraft Industries is Chicagoland's number one source for facility maintenance solutions. Our mission is to find our clients the lowest total cost solution by performing building audits, providing training programs and the unique and diverse product offering we have in our warehouse.
We believe training and procedure is the platform to help facilities save money on the most expensive area of building maintenance; Labor. The 90/10 rule states that the cleaning budget in a facility is generally 90% labor and 10% supplies. We understand our customer's individual challenges and can help our customers manage the largest portion of your budget, labor, to get the most out of your resources. We do not sell cleaning products; we sell clean, healthy and safe buildings.
Please contact your Chemcraft sales representative so that we can begin to provide your facility with all its maintenance solutions and corresponding products.
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It hasn't even been a full month since the NUDE skincare brand came into my life, but I already consider myself a diehard fan.
The natural skincare brand, which was founded in 2007 by Irish ethical entrepreneurs Bryan Meehan and Ali Hewson, had managed to fly under my radar until recently, but boy am I glad to have been introduced to this wonderful range.
Bryan visited Dublin in June where he and his three perfectly-complexioned young daughters introduced Irish press to the brand, which is now available in the new Space NK store on Dublin's Grafton Street.
The aim of the brand is to create healthy, natural products using ethically sourced ingredients, which provide high-performance results.
The NUDE range is small and carefully edited - with a selection of 13 products on offer - all of which have been formulated without parabens, sulphates, mineral oil, silicones, or any synthetic fragrances or colours.
For the past three weeks I've been exclusively using NUDE products, and I am hugely impressed by their effectiveness.
It's hard to pick a favourite as they're all excellent - but the Perfect Cleansing Oil is a great place to start. This omega-rich oil easily melts away makeup and impurities and washes away leaving skin feeling soft and clean. An absolute pleasure to use.
During the day after cleansing with the oil, I use a few drops of the Advanced Renewal Serum (€82 for 30ml), which absorbs immediately. This lightweight serum has omega 9 and a polypeptide repair complex to help prevent the signs of ageing. I follow with the Radiant Day Moisturiser which has a lovely, light texture that sits really well underneath makeup. The mosturiser contains hyahuronic acid, antioxidants and omega 6 to plump up skin.
Daytime essentials: Perfect Cleansing Oil and Radiant Day Moisturiser
At night, I amp up my approach with a drop of the serum, followed by a few drops of the incredible ProGenius Omega Treatment Oil (€76 for 30ml). This gorgeous oil has no less than ten plant oils to hydrate, nourish and smooth skin.
Finally, I add a thin layer of the Advanced Renewal Moisturizer, which has a beautiful, creamy texture and feels extra nourishing at night. This contains omegas 6 and 9, probiotics and antioxidants to leave skin looking soft and luminous.
Advanced Renewal Serum and ProGenius Omega Treatment Oil
As an added weapon in my beauty arsenal, the Advanced Renewal Overnight Repair Mask has proved indispensable. When my skin is looking tired and dull after a busy week in work, I've been using this as an overnight treatment to give it a lift. The mask contains fig, honey extract, cupuaçu butter and omegas 6 and 9 to give skin a serious boost. Gorgeous stuff.
Night-time essentials: Advanced Renewal Moisturiser and Advanced Renewal Overnight Repair Mask
The NUDE skincare range proves that all-natural products don't need to sacrifice on efficacy. These are not cheap products, but I know I will definitely be repurchasing once I have run out as they are such a pleasure to use, and have given my skin a new lease of life.
Sarah McIntyre


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This deal has ended.
Exclusively for our readers, these Calvin Klein Jewelry Stainless Steel Earrings drop from $95 to $47.50 to $18.88 at Ashford with the code BDELLIPSE18, plus they ship free. This is the lowest price we could find on these earrings by more than $20. They are made of stainless steel and green glass. There is no sales tax (except NY).No longer available


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And his name is Bob Rue. Isn't that brilliant?
(Thanks to Andrew Diroll)
WARREN ELLIS is a graphic novelist and author of the NYT best-selling novel GUN MACHINE. His graphic novel GLOBAL FREQUENCY is being developed for television by Jerry Bruckheimer and FOX. He is the writer of the graphic novel RED, adapted into the film starring Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren. His next book is NORMAL from FSG.


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Reed Announces Re-election Campaign
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed announced Monday he'll run for re-election. Reed reassured the small crowd gathered in front of City Hall he doesn't have aspirations to run for higher office.
"I don't want any other job or to be doing any other thing," he said. "And I'm here to let you know Atlanta is on an unstoppable trajectory towards being one of the leading cities in the world."
Reed touted his first-term accomplishments, such as beefing up the city's police force and passing pension reform.
Both supporters and detractors came out for the mayor's announcement.
Reed's supporters cheered him on as he tries to earn a second term. Realtor Christian Ross said she's backing the mayor this time around, even though she voted for one of his opponents four years ago.
"Just seeing what he's done as far as not only real estate, but just the investment," she said. "A lot of my international clients definitely see exactly his vision, that we are on an upward trajectory and what he's done with crime and making the city and the residents feel safter, I just really agree with a lot that he's done."
Ross says Atlanta's real estate market has improved since Reed took office. Atlanta Board of Realtors data show rising housing values and home prices. Ross says Reed's commitment to bringing investment to the city has helped.
However, the Atlanta Vendors Association staged a silent protest during the announcement.
Association President Larry Miller says the group was not there to protest Reed's re-election. He says the vendors just want to go back to work.
Last week, the city council voted to table a measure that would have allowed the vendors to resume sales on public property through the end of the year.
Miller says the association is ready to take action.
"Basically we are asking the judge with a mandamus to correct this," Miller said. "If not, we are filing a federal lawsuit.
Vendors have been out of work since March, when they were cleared out to make way for a more uniform policy.
Reed promised last week to introduce legislation on the matter within the next 60 days.


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Sunday practice update
Similar to yesterday, the Kings went through another two-hour session of intense drills and conditioning skating. The ever-popular 2-on-2 "pit" drill made an appearance also. Scott Parse, still feeling the effects of his sore toe, skated for the first hour but then didn't return to the ice for the second half of the session. Brad Richardson stepped up and filled Parse's spot on that line.
Defensive partners have moved around a bit in different drills, but Thomas Hickey has been getting quite a bit of time with Davis Drewiske. Is that a subtle, unstated sign that Hickey might be in the driver's seat to earn a spot? We should learn more based on who is paired together for Tuesday's exhibition game.
Speaking of which, that game will be streamed live on LAKings.com, and since there's no split-squad games, Nick Nickson and Daryl Evans will be calling the action for 1150-AM and affiliates.
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Some small steps can make a big difference between success or failure in your efforts to maintain a healthy diet. A good starting place is to look at what's on your kitchen shelves. What do you see? Is it easy to make healthy choices with what's there? Are tempting foods well hidden?
An easy visual is to think of food choices as stoplights; each food is red, yellow or green.
The healthiest choices are "green" foods. These are the foods that should be visible and abundant in your kitchen or pantry. Place them at eye level in the pantry and on the top shelf in the refrigerator.
"Green" foods include: Fresh, canned and frozen fruit; raw, frozen and canned vegetables; whole grains such as bread, whole grain pasta, brown rice, quinoa; whole oats, popcorn; dried beans and legumes such as pinto beans and lentils; and non-fat milk and low fat yogurt.
"Yellow" foods are nutritious but are meant to be eaten at meal time. These include: Lean meat, fish, eggs, low fat cheese, tofu, tortillas, nuts and nut butters, oils and soft margarines, low sugar/high fiber cereals.
"Red" foods should be eaten occasionally. Take a good look at this list and identify how many of these items are in your kitchen. The goal should be to include only one item from this list in your home each week. If your pantry or kitchen includes multiple items from this list, you might seriously want to consider purging some of the temptations.
The "red" food list includes: Frozen deep fried items such as fries and chicken nuggets; potato chips, corn chips and cheese curls; baked goods such as cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, sweet breads; sweetened cereals; chocolates and candies; sweetened drinks, including soda and flavored drinks; ice cream or other frozen dessert items.
As you work to make changes, start a grocery list and keep it in a convenient place, such as on the refrigerator. Add to it during the week. Using a list to help you shop will reduce impulse purchases which are often from the "red" list. It also helps you reduce your trips to the store and saves time.
If it's easier to grab an apple than a cookie in your kitchen, you are on your way to staying the course towards healthy eating. Keeping tempting foods out of the home will keep you from relying on willpower. And willpower, as most know, can be unreliable. Set yourself up for success and make "green" foods center-stage in your kitchen.
Doris Pezzotti is a registered dietitian and nutrition educator at Tuality Healthcare in Hillsboro.


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SOMERVILLE — Somerset County's Hazmat team was at a Fulton Bank office Monday morning after an employee opened up an envelope that contained a white, powdery substance, authorities said.
A call came into 911 at around 10:50 a.m. from a bank employee working at an office near the branch on West End Avenue, Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Spokesman Jack Bennett said. The FBI has been notified, he said.
No one was injured in the incident, he said.
Police had blocked off West End Avenue from North Middaugh Avenue to Mountain Avenue.
— Walter O'Brien and Louis C. Hochman


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No one exemplifies those traits more emphatically than 5-foot-11, 31-year-old Abby Wambach. Her soaring, smashing headers saved the United States in the quarterfinals against favored Brazil and put Team USA ahead to stay in the semifinals against France.
With one more win -- against a Japanese team that is itself a great story, having upset both Germany and Sweden to reach the finals -- Wambach and her teammates can finally escape the shadow of the legendary American team that won the 1999 World Cup on U.S. soil after a dramatic shootout in the Rose Bowl. That team's star power -- Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Brandi Chastain, et al. remain America's best known soccer players, male or female -- not only set the bar for success sky-high, but also helped ignite a global explosion of interest in the women's game. The result is a depth of talent at this year's World Cup that makes winning all the more challenging.
Pia Sundhage of Sweden, Team USA's first non-American coach, says she knew her team would be fit and fierce. What has amazed her is"the American attitude to find a way to win." That heart gets its final test Sunday afternoon.


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If you did not see last week's Chagrin Solon Sun and did not visit cleveland.com, you may have missed several Solon stories. Here is a look back at some of what you may have missed:
* An undercover Internet detective from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office provided several Internet safety tips for parents at a forum hosted by Solon's Organized Parent Education Network.
* Solon police had an unusual theft report to deal with last week. Officials with Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway reported Feb. 18 someone removed a train horn from one of three engines that had been parked on the tracks.
* The Cleveland Contemporary Chinese Culture Association and Cleveland Contemporary Chinese School celebrated the Chinese New Year with an elaborate ceremony, dinner and entertainment Feb. 10 at Solon High School, an event that attracted more than 1,000 people.


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This deal has ended.
These 1/5ctw Round Diamond 4-Prong Stud Earrings in Sterling Silver, originally $275, drop from $79.95 to $39.97 at Netaya when you add code DE5 at checkout. This is equal to the price low posted on Thanksgiving week, where you can still get the gold-plated studs, but silver are sold out. These earrings feature round diamonds with a total carat weight of 1/5. Shipping is free and there is no sales tax (except NY).No longer available


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Peters Blog update
I hate missing deadlines so I apologize for failing to post as promised. I just got clobbered by a serious pollen/bronchial illness that has totally laid me low. I'll be back soon, but just wanted to let you know there's a reason for my tardiness. I feel another coughing fit coming on…later folks, sorry…..
Recent Articles by Peter Reinhart
- Interview with Albert Grande of PizzaTherapy.com
- Webisode: Pizzeria Brava part 4, Margherita Pizza
- Interview: Meathead Goldwyn, BBQ Master
- Slice Out Hunger, Slice by Slice in NYC, on Wednesday
- Peter's Blog: The Fermentation Fest, and other Thoughts on Transformation
- Brava Pizzeria della Strada, Webisode, Part Three: The "Fun Guy" Pizza
I'm sending you warm healing wishes. Hoping that each new day brings more strength, brighter days, bigger smiles, and more delicious pizza 😀 Get well soon.
Thank you Suryo! I'm getting better by the minute.
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Vision Statement
Pizza Quest is a site dedicated to the exploration of artisanship in all forms, wherever we find it, but especially through the literal and metaphorical image of pizza. As we share our own quest for the perfect pizza we invite all of you to join us and share your journeys too. We have discovered that you never know what engaging roads and side paths will reveal themselves on this quest, but we do know that there are many kindred spirits out there, passionate artisans, doing all sorts of amazing things. These are the stories we want to discover, and we invite you to jump on the proverbial bus and join us on this, our never ending pizza quest.
Peter's Books
...and other books by Peter Reinhart, available on Amazon.com


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Cameron should get his MPs to clean the municipal bogs
I was on a flight from Jamaica when I read that wealthy Tories have been buying up plum internships for their children. At the Conservatives' fundraising auction some partygoers reportedly paid about £3,000 each to get their progeny's feet in the doors of leading City banks and hedge fund houses. "Bloody hell," I thought, "am I time-travelling back to 1986? These miniature gin and tonics must be stronger than they look."
Because we've been told repeatedly that the Tory party has changed, that it's no longer the Eighties beast looking after its own and sod everyone else? David Cameron banned


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The Unitarian Stretch and Flex is the latest addition to fitness programs offered at the Madison Civic Center. Stretch & Flex can improve posture, cardio, gait and balance and the exercises can alleviate pain through improved spine/body alignment. Taught by YMCA instructor, Donna Sue Dowton, the classes begin on Monday, March 11, and will continue for eight weeks. The one-hour sessions start at 10:30 a.m. at the center at 28 Walnut St.
The class is offered on a free basis during March and thereafter the charge is $5/class. Stretch bands and exercise balls will be available for participants' use. Pre-registration is advised to guarantee a space.
Dowton is a certified group exercise instructor who has taught for over 11 years. She specializes in senior fitness and has trained in exercise for knee and hip replacement, arthritis, osteoporosis prevention, posture analysis, yoga for lower back pain, and stretching anatomy. She is also a certified Red Cross instructor in CPR/AED and First Aid, and was recently appointed by the mayor and council to serve on the Senior Citizens Advisory Committee.
In addition to Stretch & Flex, the Civic Center offers Tai Chi, Line Dance, and ping pong in addition to upcoming March classes for A Matter of Balance and Project Healthy Bones peer leaders.
For more information on these and other programs, call 973-593-3095.


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When was the last time you laughed? How did it make you feel? If you are like the rest of us, you felt happy and energetic inside and out. Studies have shown some great emotional and physical benefits of laughter. Here is a list of 10 things that laughter can help you with.
Physical benefits
- Improves blood pressure and blood flow.
- Helps blood sugar levels.
- Helps relieve pain.
- Reduces aggression.
- Improves your immune system.
- Relaxes muscles.
Emotional benefits
- Lowers stress.
- Helps your social skills and strengthens relationship bonds.
- Helps you cope during difficult situations by decreasing anxiety and fear.
- Improves your mood.
While these are great benefits, laughter isn't a replacement for medicine and other solutions for health problems, although laughter still positively affects those problems. Laughter can do a lot, but its primary benefit is to give you a sense of well-being, and it is fun to do. So grab a friend or two, crack some jokes, and laugh away!


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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Third Federal Savings and Loan, long known as this region's strongest bank, said Wednesday it has suspended all new home equity loans and lines of credit and will stop paying a quarterly dividend to investors.
The jarring news came as the Cleveland bank said it turned a $10.2 million profit last quarter -- roughly equal to its profit in the same quarter a year ago.
However, the volume of seriously delinquent loans increased by more than $10 million during its third quarter, which ended June 30. Most banks have seen delinquent loans decrease in recent months.
Most of Third Federal's increase was among consumers with first mortgages and good credit. "We're still seeing job losses," said spokeswoman Jennifer Rosa.
However, Third Federal's actual loan losses decreased by $2 million compared with the second quarter.
Rosa said the bank has halted new home equity lines and loans because its regulator, the Office of Thrift Supervision, has "expressed concern" about the bank's risk level and its administration of equity loans.
The decision has no effect on existing equity lines. Credit limits haven't been lowered and customers may continue to draw on them, Rosa said. Further, all applications in process were approved if they were qualified.
Equity lines and loans make up about one-third of Third Federal's $9 billion in outstanding loans.
OTS wants Third Federal to provide more information about its portfolios, including the location of the loans and whether equity customers owe more on their first and second mortgages combined than their property is worth. Cases like this wouldn't be surprising for customers at any bank who bought their homes in the last five to eight years with a 20 percent down payment, as property values in many areas have declined 30 percent or more.
OTS' request for more information "is really about their comfort level," Rosa said.
Third Federal isn't allowed to resume its quarterly dividend to investors, which was at 7 cents per share, without 45 days' notice and OTS approval. The bank, which issued stock and went public in April 2007, had paid a dividend 10 quarters in a row.
Third Federal also has suspended its stock repurchase program.
Rosa stressed that the bank's overall financial picture remains strong and is nearly the same as in quarters past, but she said regulators are simply being more cautious.
"We are still strong, stable and safe," she said. "Nothing has changed in the day-to-day operations, nor will it."
Rosa noted that the bank still far exceeds regulators' threshold for being considered "well-capitalized" in case of huge losses. Third Federal's tier-1 capital ratio of 18.4 percent compares with 11 percent to 13 percent at most banks these days.
Third Federal's tier-1 ratio is up from last fall's 16.7 percent but down from 19.1 two years ago.
Third Federal still maintains a five-star rating -- the highest possible -- from independent ratings firm Bauer Financial. The only other banks operating locally with five-star ratings are Dollar Bank and Westfield Bank.
Third Federal's announcement came after the stock market closed. Shares closed at $12.44, down 19 cents or 1.5 percent.


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The historic produce hall at the Dannevirke A&P Showgrounds is no more - demolished to make way for a new, bigger, brighter and cleaner hall.
The old hall, built in 1916, funded by donations and debentures, had been home for the home industries section of the Dannevirke and Districts A&P Show. But with it's rafters coated with bird poo and the paint peeling, it was time for a new hall, A&P president Brian Beale said.
"The hall has been demolished with the help of community service workers [from the Department of Corrections] and work will begin on its replacement in November," he said. "We use the community service workers quite a lot and we would never have got the hall down without them. They came and stripped the building and did a fantastic job. I know they're having to do community work as a requirement of their sentence, but they've done a great job for us.
"The demolition went to plan and we're hoping to have our new hall built by Christmas, which will give us a month to get the interior done before our annual A&P Show in February."
Mr Beale said the new hall at 20 metres by 18 metres is fractionally bigger than the one it replaces.
"It will be a lot lighter, cleaner and more user-friendly and we're building it with the intention of being able to let it out for other functions," he said. "When all the show staging is dismantled it'll be a great hall for hiring out.
"The old building was nice, but it was past it and I know everyone had special memories, but when we were pulling it down we found it was in a far worse state than we thought. The borer was holding hands."
Pam Henricksen has been involved with the home industries section of the Dannevirke A&P Show for 29 years and while she has plenty of memories of the old building, she said it's time to look forward not back.
"We've had thousands of displays of fruit, veges, cooking and children's and adults handcrafts as well as the Women's Institute's show courts, but it's time for somewhere new to house our annual exhibition," she said.
However, one group of regulars who won't be welcome back into the new hall are the birds who nested in the rafters.
Dannevirke company Mitchell and Greatbatch will build the new hall which will be a great asset for the A&P Association which is in a good position at the moment, Mr Beale said.


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Summer 2012 (Volume XXX, Number 2)
Entrenchment and/or Destabilization? Reflections on (Another) Two Decades of Constitutional Regulation of Capital Punishment
How and Why Illinois Abolished the Death Penalty
Applying International Human Rights Standards to the Restraint and Seclusion of Students with Disabilities
Sooners vs. Shari'a: The Constitutional and Societal Problems Raised by the Oklahoma State Ban on Islamic Shari'a Law
Mo' Claims Mo' Problems: How Courts Ignore Multiple Claimants in Employment Discrimination Litigation
The Irvine 11 Case: Does Nonviolent Student Protest Warrant Criminal Prosecution?
Customary Adoptions for Non-Indian Children: Borrowing from Tribal Traditions to Encourage Permanency for Legal Orphans Through Bypassing Termination of Parental Rights


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MOBILE, Alabama - Ten games into the 2012-13 season, South Alabama will start anew in a way Saturday when the Jaguars take on Arkansas-Little Rock at 2:05 p.m. at the Mitchell Center in a Sun Belt Conference matchup.
With Ronnie Arrow choosing to retire, effective immediately on Wednesday, the Jaguars handed the reins of the team over to associate head coach Jeff Price as the interim head coach. And while there is expected to be a lot of similarities to the Jags' approach, there are also expected to be some differences under Price's direction. That adds a bit of intrigue to the mix in what is an important game for both teams.
South Alabama is 2-0 in league play having defeated Florida International and Florida Atlantic on the road, making this the Jags' first league home game of the year. The Jags are tied for the Sun Belt's East Division lead with Western Kentucky. UALR is also 2-0 and in sole possession of the West Division lead.
Prior to Wednesday, that would have been the main focus of the game. Not now.
Not only will UALR head coach Steve Shields be wondering what to expect from South Alabama with the change, but so will Jags' fans.
"I don't think, because we've been at it so long, you can make drastic changes,'' Price said Thursday in his first media session since taking over as interim head coach. "You'll see some changes maybe in the regard of how we approach the game. Not so much what we do on the floor, (though) we might open up the floor a little bit more. But you know, I respect coach Arrow and learned from him in everything that he did. I think if anything changes you'll see maybe some changes with our approach to the game, and game day, practice and things like that than you will things on the court.''
Some things won't change at all, especially in terms of what players to watch. South Alabama is led by junior Augustine Rubit who is tops in the Sun Belt in rebounding (10.3 per game), offensive rebounds (4.7 per game) and No. 2 in scoring (18.9 points per game). He's also 10th in field goal shooting percentage and fifth in free throw shooting percentage.
Teammate Mychal Ammons is No. 6 in rebounding, No. 1 in 3-point shooting percentage and fifth in field goal shooting percentage. Xavier Roberson is No. 11 in scoring and tied for fourth in 3-point shooting percentage and Javier Carter is No. 14 in rebounding.
The Trojans counter with John Gillon: No. 19 in scoring, No. 4 in free throw shooting percentage and No. 9 in 3-point field goal percentage. Will Neighbor is 17th in rebounding and seventh in field goal shooting percentage.
As a team, the Jags lead the league in scoring offense and blocked shots and are No. 2 in 3-point field goal percentage, while UALR leads in field goal percentage defense, 3-point field goal percentage defense and is second in assists.
All interesting stats that indicate a good matchup for Saturday's game. But still the "other'' story of the day.
"It's a tough game to be thrown into this situation, to be playing a team that's 2-0 in the league and that I think is one of the better teams in the conference,'' Price said. "It's a talented team that has weapons both inside and out. I think that will be a big key to it.
"This first game, there's going to be so much right now I don't know how much of it will be about Xs and Os as it is how we handle ourselves in regards to mentally and morale and energy and that type of thing. I expect us to be good. I'm close to all our guys and I think I have their respect because of my background. It will be interesting. We're all waiting to see how it's going to go with the understanding that regardless of which way it goes, it's still early. It's so early in the Sun Belt season. We're a good team, we'll go out and do our best and we'll see what happens.''
Price said he's excited about the opportunity to coach the Jags, though if given the choice he would have preferred a different route in getting the job. Still, he said he likes this team and is looking forward to Saturday's game and the remainder of the season to see what will unfold.
"I think we have good people; we have good guys who want to win,'' Price said. "I think they've come together as a group. We've been up and down in non-conference games but we've played really well in both conference games. I think they have a really good mindset in that our goal is to win this conference and the conference games are what count most.
"These guys work hard, they really want to win. I think we're well-rounded, we shoot it well, I think we're good inside. We obviously have some weaknesses and some things we need to get better at but I like the overall makeup of our team and I just like our guys.''