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Blog: In the Eye of Sandy
Phil is an aviation meteorology with flight major who recently had a summer internship with NOAA AOC where he was certified to fly NOAA aircraft. Once he heard there was an open seat to fly into the eye of Hurricane Sandy, he was out the door before the call ended!
Read about Phil's wild ride and all the other experiences in his Florida Tech blog!
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Bachelor's Aviation Meteorology Degree at Florida Tech
Develop Expertise in Atmospheric Science and Aviation
Meteorology is the study of the Earth's atmosphere, a component of Earth system science, and a meteorologist is someone who predicts the weather based on the systems of the Earth's atmosphere. Meteorology students become experts in math and physics, build a comprehensive knowledge of meteorology and gain in-depth exposure to fields like oceanography, geology, space science, environmental science, climate science and atmospheric chemistry.
You can also choose to be in the aviation meteorology degree program with flight option, which allows you a specialization in air traffic control. The air traffic control program meets the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic-collegiate training initiative program and is FAA-approved. Click here to learn more about this degree option.
Whether you want to be a professional atmospheric scientist, aviation meteorologist or weather specialist, an aviation meteorology degree from Florida Tech develops a strong background in aviation with experience in modern meteorology technology and industry best practices.
Your First-Year Experience
A unique and memorable component of each student's first-year experience in the aviation meteorology degree program at Florida Tech is the Whole Earth Course. This class, which integrates biology, chemistry, physics, geology and mathematics leads students to experience and understand our planet as a system of interacting processes. Students may also enroll in Weather Briefing, a course that covers the key aspects of forecasting.
Another signature of the aviation meteorology degree program at Florida Tech is that first-year students are invited to work alongside faculty on weather research and often begin working on projects during their first few weeks on campus.
Gain Practical Experience
Senior coursework towards your aviation meteorology degree includes advanced aircraft operations and atmospheric dynamics. You'll also have an opportunity to meet recruiters from airlines and private industry at university career fairs. Students have access to the local National Weather Service site in Melbourne, Florida, 45th Weather Squadron and Kennedy Space Center for direct industry experience. As a result, you get practical experience, an expanded professional network and, perhaps, a pre-graduation job offer.
Build Professional Relationships
Beyond the classroom, aviation meteorology degree students build leadership and professional experience through exciting internships and participation in academic organizations like Collegiate Aviation Business Executives, a student chapter of American Association of Airport Executives, the Falcons Intercollegiate Flight Team, Women in Aviation, Student Government and over 100 other campus-wide student organizations.
Get Recruited Upon Graduation
Meteorologists do more than TV weather reports. They play a vital role in government and private sector aviation, communications, and environmental, marine and space enterprises. Employers that have recruited our students for internships and careers include top airlines and employers such as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), U.S. Air Force, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), the Department of Homeland Security and private weather forecasting services.
Earn an Advanced Degree
After receiving their aviation meteorology degree, many of our students go to graduate school (often at Florida Tech) for advanced degrees in meteorology, aviation human factors, atmospheric science and related fields.


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Sequenom, Inc., 3595 John Hopkins Ct, San Diego, CA 92121
The goals of pharmacogenetic research are to understand and validate drug targets and metabolic pathways, identify optimal dosage, improve drug safety, and understand adverse side effects. Meeting these goals will aid in making safe and effective drugs for individuals for whom the drugs are prescribed. For these reasons, pharmaceutical and biotech companies need effective tools to investigate biomarkers associated with drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME). Over 169 genes are known to be involved in drug transport and/or metabolism (1). For these genes, the PharmaADME working group (2) has identified a set of approximately 180 assays that are considered to be the core set of mutations that influence most of the known drug metabolism and transport issues.
The goals of pharmacogenetic research are to understand and validate drug targets and metabolic pathways, identify optimal dosage, improve drug safety, and understand adverse side effects. Meeting these goals will aid in making safe and effective drugs for individuals for whom the drugs are prescribed. For these reasons, pharmaceutical and biotech companies need effective tools to investigate biomarkers associated with drug absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME). Over 169 genes are known to be involved in drug transport and/or metabolism (1). For these genes, the PharmaADME working group (2) has identified a set of approximately 180 assays that are considered to be the core set of mutations that influence most of the known drug metabolism and transport issues.
A powerful tool for investigating and screening associations to drug response
A new ADME pharmacogenomics panel launched by Sequenom, covers >99% of the PharmaADME working group core list. The iPLEX ADME PGx panel*
For Research Use Only. Not for Use in Diagnostic Procedures. (Fig 1) was developed for quick and easy screening of known, high value target genes associated with drug metabolism and toxicity. The iPLEX ADME PGx panel screens for 192 polymorphisms (SNP, INDEL, and CNV) in 36 genes and 200 assays using Typer Assay Designer software* (version 3.1.50.00) and iPLEX Gold* biochemistry (Table 1). The panel provides flexible options for analyzing a small or large sample size while keeping reagent costs down. This application note describes the results of the of iPLEX ADME PGx panel at four different sites using two independent sets of DNA samples (HapMap samples and clinical samples) on the MassARRAY System*.
Figure 1. (Click to enlarge)
Table 1. Distribution of the 200 assays that represent the Sequenom iPLEX ADME PGx panel (Click to enlarge)
Materials and Methods
Samples: Aliquots of 48 DNA samples previously genotyped at Sequenom were sent out to 4 test sites, together with all reagents and the ADME PGx software* to perform on-site testing. In addition, test sites were able to test up to 48 of their own samples and also send aliquots of the DNA to Sequenom for concordance analysis.
Assays: PCR primers and Extension primers for 200 assays (184 SNP and INDEL assays, 12 CNV assays, and 4 gene conversion assays) were mixed in eight unique pools and used for amplification of target regions and subsequent interrogation of the specific base composition at the target site using single base extension with the iPLEX Gold biochemistry.
Procedures: Test sites were trained using HapMap DNA samples. After successful completion of the training, test sites genotyped the same HapMap DNA plate as well as a DNA plate of their own clinical samples. At Sequenom, two independent technical personnel genotyped the samples provided by the customer.
The iPLEX ADME PGx panel uses standard iPLEX Gold procedures for PCR, SAP and extension reactions (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. (Click to enlarge)
Data analysis: Data for each genotyping experiment was collected before and after manual analysis. Known genotyping data from beta site samples (HapMap DNA) was compared for concordance against data generated on the iPLEX ADME PGx panel. For customer samples, data generated at the customer site and at two Sequenom in-house sites was compared and analyzed for call rate and concordance rate.
Haplotype calling: Using publicly available data for 33 genes, a lookup table was created and an R-script written to correlate the genotypes and haplotypes or mutations, whichever is used for the genes of interest. Where possible, haplotype data from the script was compared to available haplotype data derived from other sources. The Typer Analyzer software* (version 4.0.20), is Sequenom's proprietary software used to score and qualify polymorphisms and to create a haplotype report.
Call rate and concordance. The iPLEX ADME PGx panel consists of 184 SNP/INDEL assays and 16 CNV/gene conversion assays. The call rate and concordance analysis were performed on all calls made. The output is summarized with respect to call rate and concordance rate between the different sites (Tables 2). The call rates were on average 97.5% for the HapMap samples, and 97.3% for each site's clinical samples. Average concordance between the different HapMap data sets was 99.7% using HapMap data only. Based on all data points for the 48 HapMap samples (9,600 genotypes) the average concordance was 99.7%. For the clinical samples (n=207), the average concordance between the 3 sites was 99.6%.
Table 2. Summary data of the beta test data for Hapmap and clinical samples (Click to enlarge)
Table 3. List of 268 Haplotypes in the iPLEX ADME PGx panel (Click to enlarge)
For the copy number assays, all assays were very clear on the distinction between 0 and non-0 copy numbers. Concordance for these assays was >98% with literature data (3-6).
Haplotype data. Using the Admet report function in Typer software* (Figure 3), genotypes were converted to haplotypes and copy number variants (CNV) and the output report provides five tables and one figure. An example of the output of Long Table II is presented (Figure 4). For customer samples where data from other platforms was available, our haplotype results matched the previous outcome. Table 6 lists all the genes and associated haplotypes available in the iPLEX ADME PGx panel.
Figure 3. (Click to enlarge)
Figure 4. (Click to enlarge)
The iPLEX ADME PGx panel containing 192 polymorphisms was successfully developed and validated on the MassARRAY system. The panel shows excellent call rate (>97%) and concordance (>99.5%) with published data. No difference in performance for the panel was detected between clinical samples and HapMap samples. The panel covers 184 SNPs, eight gene copy numbers and 4 gene conversion assays, representing over 99% of the Pharma ADME core list. Currently, for the CNV assays, distinctions between 0, and non-0 copies of a gene can be made. For CYP2D6, CYP2A6, and SULT1A1 we used segments of the genes selected earlier (7-9). For CYP2B6, GSTM1, GSTT2b, and UGT2B15 we identified new regions of homology to use for CNV analysis. This approach entails the selection of a region in the gene of interest that is present at exactly one more location in the genome that serves as the reference gene (Figure 5). This reference gene is assumed to be free of deletion and/or duplication events and can therefore serve as a baseline competitor for quantification. For a single base extension (SBE) assay to work, amplification products need to be equal in size and there needs to be at least one base mismatch between the reference gene and gene of interest that is located in between the primer binding sites. As a result, a primer extension reaction of both targets will produce two alleles of different masses that can be visualized using MassARRAY system. The ratio of the areas of the peaks can then be calculated and the zygosity of the gene of interest can be determined. For example, if the peak for CYP2D6 is 50% of the peak height of the reference gene, a CYP2D6*5 deletion allele is present. Furthermore, if the peak for CYP2D6 is 50% higher than the reference peak, a duplication event has taken place.
Figure 5. (Click to enlarge)
Figure 6. (Click to enlarge)
For GSTT1 we designed an assay using Genbank sequences AF240785 and the most common 1460 bp deletion assay (10).
One primer set (P1 and P2) amplifies two almost identical PCR fragments from two different regions in the genome. One region is the "gene of interest" (I), the other region or "reference" (R) is a different region and assumed to be free of copy number variations. Single base extension assays are then run on the minor differences between R and I contained within the amplified paralogous regions.
In this study, the iPLEX ADME PGx panel was evaluated at multi-centers on the MassARRAY system. The panel shows excellent call rate and concordance with published data, and no difference in performance characteristics were detected between each site's clinical samples and HapMap samples. In conclusion, iPLEX ADME PGx panel provides a high-throughput screening method for rapid screening of known high value target genes associated with drug metabolism and toxicity. In addition, with iPLEX ADME PGx panel, researchers can distinguish the difference between zero and non-zero copy number variants, which is unique to iPLEX ADME PGx method versus other ADME profiling approaches.
Reference List
1.) Daly, T. M., C. M. Dumaual, X. Miao, M. W. Farmen, R. K. Njau, D. J. Fu, N. L. Bauer, S. Close, N. Watanabe, C. Bruckner. 2007.. Clin. Chem. 53:1222-1230.
2.) Williams, J. A., T. Andersson, T. B. Andersson, R. Blanchard, M. O. Behm, N. Cohen, T. Edeki, M. Franc, K. M. Hillgren, K. J. Johnson. 2008.. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 48:849-889.
3.) Ramamoorthy, A., D. A. Flockhart, N. Hosono, M. Kubo, Y. Nakamura, and T. C. Skaar. 2010.. Pharmacogenet. Genomics 20:451-454.
4.) Xue, Y., D. Sun, A. Daly, F. Yang, X. Zhou, M. Zhao, N. Huang, T. Zerjal, C. Lee, N. P. Carter. 2008.. Am. J. Hum. Genet. 83:337-346.
5.) Zhao, Y., M. Marotta, E. E. Eichler, C. Eng, and H. Tanaka. 2009.. PLoS. Genet. 5:e1000472.
6.) McCarroll, S. A., T. N. Hadnott, G. H. Perry, P. C. Sabeti, M. C. Zody, J. C. Barrett, S. Dallaire, S. B. Gabriel, C. Lee, M. J. Daly. 2006.. Nat. Genet. 38:86-92.
7.) Söderbäck, E., A. L. Zackrisson, B. Lindblom, and A. Alderborn. 2005.. Clin. Chem. 51:522-531.
8.) Oscarson, M., R. A. McLellan, H. Gullsten, Q. Y. Yue, M. A. Lang, M. L. Bernal, B. Sinues, A. Hirvonen, H. Raunio, O. Pelkonen. 1999.. FEBS Lett. 448:105-110.
9.) Hebbring, S. J., A. A. Adjei, J. L. Baer, G. D. Jenkins, J. Zhang, J. M. Cunningham, D. J. Schaid, R. M. Weinshilboum, and S. N. Thibodeau. 2007.. Hum. Mol. Genet. 16:463-470.
10.) Sprenger, R., R. Schlagenhaufer, R. Kerb, C. Bruhn, J. Brockmoller, I. Roots, and U. Brinkmann. 2000.. Pharmacogenetics 10:557-565.
The MassARRAY® system, iPLEX ADME PGx Panel, iPLEX Gold and Typer Assay Designer software Typer Analyzer software are For Research Use Only. Not for use in Diagnostic Procedures.
® 2012 Sequenom, Inc. All rights reserved. Sequenom, iPLEX, MassARRAY, and SpectroCHIP are registered trademarks of Sequenom, Inc. Products and/or processes are covered by one or more claims of United States Patent Nos.: 6,569,385; 6,500,621; 6,300,076; 6,258,538; 7,419,787; 7,390,672; and foreign equivalents. Other U.S. and foreign patents pending. The SABER method is covered by United States Patent No.: 7,709,262 and pending application 12/496,390 which is exclusively licensed to Sequenom, Inc.
For Research Use Only. Not for Use in Diagnostic Procedures.

subset: commoncrawl


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Norwich manager Chris Hughton says he will take a win by any means necessary as he looks to keep the Canaries in the Barclays Premier League, starting with the visit of Everton on Saturday.
Hughton has been criticised by some of the club's fans for his negative formations is recent games as he looks to halt a slide of nine league games without a win.
Despite the poor run, a string of positive results before Christmas mean Hughton's side remain six points clear of the relegation zone with 12 games remaining.
Norwich are striving to end their winless run and Hughton is unconcerned with how that elusive victory comes about.
"Whether it is a classy performance where you are creating a lot of chances or a scrappy one-goal win it doesn't matter," he said.
"What you have to have is a team who are fighting hard for each other and are a disciplined team who are a threat.
"I think you have to dig deep in every performance. We are what we are, a team who have to scrap for every result we get and it will be no different in the last 12 games we have.
"We went through a spell of 10 games where we didn't lose. Are we doing anything dramatically different to that? No, we are not.
"However that win comes, whether it is by a stylish performance or a fortunate own-goal, it is part and parcel of the game.
Hughton remains pleased with the effort and displays from his side, who earned a dramatic 1-1 draw against Everton at Goodison Park earlier in the campaign.
"I think overall we have been happy with our performances," he said.
"We have had three big defeats this season when we look back on it, but overall, and by far the larger percentage, our games have been tight games, but it is turning the tight games, which have seen us get draws, into wins and whatever formula that takes.
"The work ethic I absolutely can't fault and everyone has been putting in a real shift for the team, from that aspect I've been delighted with that."
The return of skipper Grant Holt from a small back issue, which ruled him out of the 0-0 draw with Fulham last time out, will be a boost for Hughton's search for goals and the former Newcastle boss also refutes claims he and Holt have had a disagreement in recent weeks.
"He is available, which is a plus," Hughton said of his captain.
"It is absolutely not true (that they have had a falling-out). I'm very, very surprised to hear that, Grant has been an integral part of what we have done, not only this season but in the past three seasons he has been here.
"Any suggestions are way off the mark and I'm not sure where they come from."
Only goalkeeper John Ruddy is a certain absentee against the Toffees with Hughton having a decision to make on whether to play two forwards with new signings Luciano Becchio and Kei Kamara both pushing for starts.
- More about:
- Everton
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We need to come up with traditions that don't make me fat! ;)
Zoey adores Chelsea
It looks like there's a spider on Chelsea's shoulder!
I'm amazed we have actual candles! We usually use things like sparklers or matches...
Bath time is always our favorite time!
Going to the mountains just 10 days after Chelsea was born. It was fun to get out. My poor kids had suffered the summertime with me completely sick and bed ridden. Not much fun.
My precious baby girl. I am so blessed
Having fun in the river
Zack being protective of Zoey
I look at these beautiful people and cannot believe they are mine.


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Penname: | ILOVEMRMEN | Member Since: | 2012.07.23 |
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Hi, I really love Harry Potter but I am super bad at writing. So I stick with reading I am a major bookworm. If there is a book in my hand you will have to beat me to get to get it away... I love reading so If you have a book to recommend I will be h |


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The Department of Justice (DOJ) has refused to pursue a probation revocation case against BP after the company was found to have violated a federal judge's March 2009 felony judgment, which required BP to fulfill the terms of a settlement agreement it entered into with government regulators five years ago to make certain safety upgrades at its Texas City refinery by September 2009, according to documents obtained by Truthout.
Instead, the DOJ will allow BP to spend two additional years to correct hundreds of safety problems that have plagued the refinery - the third-largest in the country - for a decade and have played a part in the deaths of 19 people over the past five years.
On March 23, 2005, 15 people were killed and 170 others were maimed and seriously injured in an explosion at the plant, which occurred "when a distillation [blowdown] tower flooded with hydrocarbons and was over-pressurized, causing a geyser-like release from the vent stack. The hydrocarbons found an ignition source and exploded," according to a two-year investigation conducted by the independent US Chemical Safety Board (CSB).
John Bresland, CSB's chairman, said his agency's probe, completed in 2007, "found organizational and safety deficiencies at all levels of the BP Corporation."
"Our investigation team turned up extensive evidence showing a catastrophe waiting to happen," Bresland said on March 24, the fifth anniversary of the refinery explosion. "Cost-cutting had affected safety programs and critical maintenance; production pressures resulted in costly mistakes made by workers likely fatigued by working long hours; internal audits and safety studies brought problems to the attention of BP's board in London, but they were not sufficiently acted upon."
In October 2007, BP Products North America (BPNA) and the Justice Department announced they reached a settlement, which called for BP to plead guilty to a felony Clean Air Act violation and pay a $50 million fine. But the victims of the refinery explosion successfully held up the plea agreement for 18 months after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled they were not properly consulted under the federal Crime Victims Act before the plea deal between the government and BP was hammered out behind closed doors. The victims objected to the plea deal, saying the negotiated fine was not large enough and BPNA's parent company, BP Plc, was immunized as part of the settlement when evidence showed it played a direct role in the decisions that led to the blast.
On March 12, 2009, however, US District Court Judge Lee Rosenthal accepted the plea agreement and formally placed BP on three years probation. She told the victims she could not rewrite the plea agreement. She could only accept it or reject it.
The plea deal and the terms of BP's probation, according to Judge Rosenthal's judgment order, were contingent upon BP correcting safety violations at the refinery discovered in the aftermath of the disaster as part of a separate settlement agreement BP entered into in September 2005 with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Moreover, if BP committed any federal environmental and/or process-safety crimes related to its Texas City refinery operations, then BP would be in breach of its plea agreement and in violation of its probation. The government could then prosecute the company for other crimes it had evidence of during the course of its investigation into the refinery blast, the plea agreement states.
But three weeks ago, Daniel Dooher, a senior trial attorney with the DOJ's Environmental Crimes Section, sent letters to Judge Rosenthal stating that the DOJ has declined to revoke BP's probation because the company paid a $50 million fine to OSHA last month to settle charges that it breached the 2005 settlement agreement with the agency by allowing "hundreds of potential hazards to continue unabated" and entered into a new agreement with OSHA to address safety concerns at the refinery.
"OSHA and BP have executed a [new agreement] resolving the allegations of non-compliance," says Dooher's September 8 letter to Judge Rosenthal. "In summary, the [new agreement] requires: 1) extending completion of the requirements under the [2005] Settlement Agreement until March 12, 2012.
"The Department of Justice has discussed the executed agreement in detail with OSHA and BP. In addition, the Department of Justice has been in contact with the U.S. Probation Office and explained the terms of the [new agreement] to ensure that the probation officer is apprised of the current status of the case. All requirements of the original Settlement Agreement must be completed by March 12, 2012, when BP's probation currently terminates. Therefore, it is the United States' position that the conditions of the [new agreement with OSHA] are also conditions of BP's probation under the Plea Agreement. BP agrees with this position and is filing a letter with the Court to that effect. As a result, the Department of Justice is not seeking a revocation or extension of probation at this time." [Dooher sent Rosenthal a second letter on September 10, clarifying some of the statments he had made.]
The judgment order in the case signed by Judge Rosenthal on March 13, 2009, however, does not state that BP must make the safety upgrades by the end of its probation, as Dooher claimed in his letter. The judgment order says, "As stated in the plea agreement, BP must comply fully with the Settlement Agreement ... if BP Products commits any federal environmental or process-safety crime relating to its Texas City refinery operations, it will breach the plea agreement."
BP was only given until the end of its probation to fulfill the terms of a separate settlement agreement it signed with the TCEQ over the release of toxic emissions at the refinery and corrective actions BP was instructed to take to address air-quality issues.
"In the event BP Products is unable to complete its obligation under the TCEQ order within the three-year probation term, it must inform the United States sixty days before the end of the three-year term, and BP Products and the United States must jointly move the court to extend the term of probation up to five years and will ask the court to set compliance with and completion of the TCEQ order as the only terms of the extended probation period," states the judgment order.
David Senko was manager of construction at the refinery and supervised 11 of the employees who were killed in the explosion. During an interview, he said BP continues to "suffer extreme leniency."
"It just makes me sick," said Senko, who was employed by Jacobs Engineering, a BP contractor, and is now on full disability. "Their probation should have been revoked. There is no reason, no justification not to [revoke BP's probation] and prosecute them for violating the [settlement agreement]. There is plenty of evidence to support doing just that. This is just a tragedy against everybody, particularly the people [BP] has killed."
One possible reason DOJ declined to revoke BP's probation, according to a DOJ official who has worked on criminal environmental cases for the past six years, is that a culture still exists at the agency where prosecutors are encouraged to settle corporate criminal cases as quickly as possible as opposed to devoting resources toward lengthy investigations.
"That's the directive," said the DOJ official, who requested anonymity in order to speak openly about the issue. "It comes directly from the top [the attorney general's office] and we are under pressure to make sure its carried out."
It's unknown who at DOJ was ultimately responsible for deciding against revoking BP's probation.
Back in May, an attorney who blogs under the name bmaz posted an article about the Texas City refinery and noted that the settlement in the case was evidence of how the DOJ "under the politicized Republican rule of [George W.] Bush and [Dick] Cheney instituted a preference for coddling corporate malfeasants like BP and Exxon with lax civil measures instead of punitive criminal prosecutions and, in the process, created a get rich windfall program for their friends to serve as 'monitors' for the civil settlements."
Citing an April 2008 New York Times report, bmaz wrote that the policy began when Bush was sworn into office and Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty made it official DOJ policy in 2006.
A former EPA official said that's a policy that clearly needs to change.
"What are [BP's] incentives to comply when we will not enforce something as overt as conditions in a criminal judgment?" the former EPA official asked. "It sends the wrong message and gives a foreign corporation more leeway than we give US citizens and corporations."
Another former EPA official said "DOJ's failure to vigorously prosecute this foreign oil company sends the message to company managers that it is ok to kill US citizens and violate US health, safety and environmental laws for profit—a treatment that not many human "persons" get under federal law."
"This coddling is taking place in the wake of the worst environmental disaster in US history lying at BP's feet," the fomer EPA official said. "DOJ's position is a pathetic lack of representation of the will of the American people as poll numbers obviously attest."
BP spokesmen Daren Beaudo and Scott Dean did not return phone calls and emails seeking comment.
OSHA Probe
The path that led the government toward giving BP another shot at making good on its failed promises began in the spring of 2009.
Around the time Judge Rosenthal accepted BP's plea agreement and signed the judgment in the case, OSHA launched an investigation to determine whether the company was meeting its obligations under the 2005 settlement agreement.
By July 2009, two months before BP faced a deadline to make safety upgrades at the refinery in accordance with the terms of the settlement agreement, it became clear to OSHA that the company was not in compliance.
OSHA contacted the DOJ's Environmental Crimes Section and the US attorney's office in Houston to alert them that BP had breached the terms of the settlement agreement, according to Dooher's September 8 letter to Judge Rosenthal.
On August 3, 2009, Mark Briggs, who works in OSHA's Houston office, sent a letter to Keith Casey, manager of the Texas City refinery, alerting him that OSHA inspectors who visited the refinery found severe safety problems associated with the functionality of equipment at the facility, including pressure relief valves.
Furthermore, Briggs wrote, even BP "identified a large number of uncontrolled or unmitigated hazards involving instrumentation ... throughout the refinery."
"We believe that failure to correct the issues addressed in this letter ... by September 23, 2009 would constitute a failure to comply with the terms of the 2005 Settlement Agreement and failure to abate," Briggs wrote.
Thomas Wilson, an attorney with BP's Houston-based law firm Vinson & Elkins, disputed OSHA's assertions about safety hazards, and noted in an October 3, 2009, letter to Briggs that it was the company's position that it was in full compliance with the settlement agreement and believed it had more time to fulfill its commitments under the settlement agreement.
Three weeks later, on October 30, 2009, the agency announced it was imposing a $56.7 million fine against BP and issuing the company 270 citations for failing to take corrective actions as required by the settlement agreement to fix safety hazards similar to ones investigators found after when they inspected the facility shortly after the refinery explosion.
Additionally, OSHA also fined BP $30.7 million and issued 439 separate citations to BP for new, "willful" violations related to the company's "failures to follow industry-accepted controls on the pressure relief safety systems and other process safety management violations."
BP vehemently denied OSHA's charges and vowed to mount a vigorous defense against the proposed penalties.
"We continue to believe we are in full compliance with the Settlement Agreement ... we strongly disagree with OSHA's conclusions," said Casey, the Texas City refinery manager, the day OSHA announced the penalties. "We believe our efforts at the Texas City refinery to improve process safety performance have been among the most strenuous and comprehensive that the refining industry has ever seen."
Some of the safety violations OSHA cited BP for have resulted in four employee deaths at the refinery since the March 2005 explosion, including one where a contractor was electrocuted "on a light circuit in the [refinery's] process area" and another when an employee was killed when the top head of a pressure vessel blew off. BP received four citations from OSHA regarding continued violations over process safety management.
The Texas City refinery has also been the subject of numerous complaints made by employees over the past four years to BP's Office of the Ombudsman, and is the office's second-biggest caseload since its inception in 2006, according to a confidential report that office prepared for Congress in March that was obtained by Truthout.
"When BP signed the OSHA settlement from the March 2005 explosion, it agreed to take comprehensive action to protect employees. Instead of living up to that commitment, BP has allowed hundreds of potential hazards to continue unabated," Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said when the record fine was announced.
Dooher said the DOJ informed BP in January that if the company failed to resolve OSHA's allegations that the company breached the settlement agreement to "OSHA's satisfaction, than the government might seek revocation and/or extension of probation," according to his September 8 letter to Judge Rosenthal.
But, "in the interest of judicial economy, the Department of Justice did not immediately move this court to modify or revoke BP's probation, but has closely monitored the situation to determine if BP could resolve the alleged noncompliance with OSHA," Dooher wrote.
"A Slap on the Wrist"
For attorney David Perry, who represents some of the victims of the refinery explosion, the DOJ's decision not to revoke BP's probation after OSHA determined that BP was in violation of the settlement agreement is a "terrible disappointment to my clients."
"There is absolutely no accountability," Perry said in an interview. "BP is literally a serial killer. It is objectively true that BP is a serial violator of federal laws and they should be subject to vigorous prosecution. But federal authorities continue to give them a slap on the wrist."
Brent Coon, a Beaumont, Texas, attorney who also represents some of the victims of the refinery blast, including Eva Rowe, whose parents were killed in the disaster, said individual executives at the company deserve to be prosecuted and jailed.
"If you had a drunk driver that killed 15 people they would have gone to jail. If the drunk driver killed 11 people they would have gone to jail. Why does BP, who has done the same thing, get off the hook?" said Coon, whose analogy referred to the number of people killed in the Texas City refinery blast and the number of lives lost when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in April, spewing more than four million barrels of oil in the Gulf of Mexico. "I have clients from Texas City who would still request that the DOJ finish their investigation started in 2005 and turn the info over to a grand jury to consider indictment of individuals in management at BP who contributed to the tragedy."
Coon and Perry and two other attorneys who represent victims of the disaster spoke with Dooher three times over the past year and have also sent letters urging him to revoke BP's probation and prosecute the company for violating its probation by failing to make the safety upgrades as required under the terms of the OSHA settlement agreement and its plea deal with the government.
On July 2, Perry sent Dooher and Assistant US Attorney in Houston Mark McIntyre a letter recapping a meeting they had June 22 to discuss the case.
"On behalf of my clients who were permanently injured and whose family members were killed, I want to place in writing our request that the Department of Justice and the United States Attorney move promptly to revoke BP's probation and to institute an immediate prosecution of BP for its original criminal conduct to which is has pled guilty," Perry wrote.
Perry also noted in his letter, however, that Dooher has "not reported that any action of any kind is being taken to revoke BP's probation ..."
"BP demonstrates that it holds itself above the law and scoffs at its legal obligation without fear of repercussions," Perry wrote. "In allowing BP to continue on probation, the Federal authorities make a mockery of our criminal justice system while failing to protect the public.
"We were offered no reason why BP is being afforded the remarkable leniency being extended to it by Federal prosecutors in the face of multiple deaths that it has caused and clear violation of probation."
Coon said he felt the meetings with Dooher, although a legal requirement, were largely held to "placate me" and other attorneys.
"Our meetings gave me the impression that the Justice Department was extending us a courtesy and allowing us to discuss how we felt about the case," Coon said. "They were going through the motions. I do not feel what we said one way or another was going to make a difference in what they were going to do. [Dooher] has his marching-orders."
Coon said Dooher indicated the DOJ wanted to wait to see what would transpire over the course of the next month, when a hearing was scheduled before an OSHA review commission over the 270 citations OSHA issued to BP for breaching the settlement agreement.
"Won't Get Fooled Again"
On August 12, about a week before an OSHA review panel was scheduled to begin hearings, BP and OSHA signed a new "stipulation and agreement" that will allow the company to spend the next two years - the remainder of its probation - to address the safety issues at the Texas City refinery.
BP also agreed to pay a $50 million fine related to the 270 citations OSHA issued the company for failing to make the required safety upgrades by the September 23, 2009, deadline, as required under the original settlement agreement. The company also promised to set aside $500 million to pay for the safety improvements. BP is still contesting the 439 "willful" violations and the $30.7 million fine associated with those citations. Hearings in that matter are scheduled to begin soon.
Jordan Barab, OSHA's deputy director, said that BP has essentially admitted guilt by accepting the citations and paying the fine, even though BP disputes that characterization.
"The [new] settlement means [BP] admitted they were not in compliance with the terms of the original settlement," Barab said in an interview.
Barab said he was not privy to any of the discussions between the DOJ and OSHA over the Texas City refinery case.
The new agreement is tougher than the previous one OSHA signed with BP in 2005, Barab said, in that it gives OSHA unprecedented oversight and access to BP executives and requires BP to hire independent monitors to ensure the company is complying with the terms of agreement and will report back to OSHA.
"We told BP we won't get fooled again," Barab said. "We are going to have high-level BP executives meet with us to review their compliance. We'll have regular monitoring inspections. We'll be to the refinery quite a bit to make sure they do what they are saying they are doing."
Barab said he realizes that OSHA cannot penalize BP enough to affect the company's bottom line, but he believes this new agreement "sends a message to [BP] and to the entire industry."
"I think they are serious about addressing [safety issues] and I think they got the message," he said.
But Perry, the lawyer for the victims, said the new agreement still has "holes you can drive a truck through.
"All of the deadlines have exceptions," Perry said. "The only penalty for not meeting the deadline is the deadline would have to be extended. There is no hard and fast deadline and no hard and fast enforcement authority."
Barab said if BP "fails to live up to their side of the bargain there are a number of things we can do."
"We can cite them for failure to abate. We can go to court and force them to comply. We can unilaterally terminate the agreement, which the DOJ will hear about," Barab said.
Two weeks after OSHA and BP signed the new agreement, Dooher met with the victims' attorneys for one last time. According to Coon, he asked them if the new settlement changed the attorneys' position on probation revocation.
"I told him it did not," Coon said about his August 24 meeting with Dooher. "I said that I felt that the agreement to pay an additional $50 million in fines only further validated our assertions that BP was in violation of the 2005 OSHA agreement and a therefore a violation of their plea agreement."
Dooher told Coon he would take his position back to Washington and discuss it with other DOJ officials. On September 8, Dooher informed Judge Rosenthal revoking BP's probation in light of the new agreement the company signed with OSHA was not necessary.
Perry said he has absolutely no faith BP has learned its lesson.
"I wish I believed that something would change, but it's hard to have any confidence that it will."


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Friday, June 7, 2013
Ramadhan Buffet At Big Apple Restaurant
Ramadhan Buffet Promotion At Big Apple Restaurant Berjaya Times Square Hotel & Convention Center.
Break your fast with our healthy and extensive spread of delicious traditional Malay cuisine along with your dearest ones.
Date :
1st June – 26th June 2013 ( Promotion period )
8th July – 15th August 2013 ( normal period )
Price :
Early Bird Ramadhan vouchers
Berjaya Times Square Hotel & Convention Center, 1 Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 2117 8000
Website: http://www.berjayahotel.com/
Adult : RM90.00nett
Child : RM45.00nett
Normal Price
Adult : RM98.00++
Child : RM49.00++
Do contact Big Apple Restaurant for reservation and more
Jalan Imbi, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur
Posted by
Berita Terkini


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Promising to "breathe new life into your old AC," Munich-based start-up Tado, Inc. is hoping to crowdfund a successful launch of its new Tado Cooling system. Expected to retail for $149 later this year, the device is designed to smarten up whatever not-so-smart air conditioner you've already got sitting in your window. Kickstarter backers can lock a unit down for for $99 (£88, €108).
A follow-up to last year's smart heating kit, Tado's cooling hub will sync wirelessly with both your window air conditioner and your smartphone, offering remote control, as well as location-based automation. Leave for work in the morning, and the air will shut off automatically. Start your drive home, and Tado will sense that you're on your way, then make sure things are nice and cool as soon as you walk through the door.
The Tado uses infrared to connect with your AC unit, with six emitting diodes that claim a 180-degree beam angle. As for your phone, the Tado connects via Bluetooth LE, with iBeacon support capable of tracking your specific movement throughout your home. For remote access, a built-in Wi-Fi module allows Tado to sync up with your local network.
On top of all that, the Tado Cooling system's face features a slick-looking matrix of white LEDs that can disappear into the unit just as easily as they display the temperature. Tado also tracks local weather forecasts and boasts a built-in humidity sensor that promises to keep your climate precisely as dry as you like.
Additionally, the face of Tado is capacitive, so you'll have the option of manual control using simple touch gestures. That sounds neat, if not a bit unnecessary, given the fact that you'll need to keep the Tado fairly close to your AC unit (and its own knobs, buttons, and dials).
From the promise of location-based automation to the disappearing LED display, Tado feels similar to the Aros Smart Air Conditioner from Quirky+GE. The obvious difference is that the $300 Aros is an air conditioner in its own right, while Tado simply wants to smarten up your old one. The latter approach might make more sense for consumers that like the air conditioner they already have and don't want to replace it outright.
The strength of that selling point will depend on the width of Tado's compatibility with existing devices. Tado's design team claims that it'll work with any AC unit that uses a remote. Users looking to smarten up a unit without a remote won't be able to use Tado -- though they could turn instead to something like Belkin's WeMo Insight Switch .
Tado's Kickstarter campaign runs through June 11 and seeks $150,000. If funded, the Tado Cooling system is expected to ship out to backers in August.


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(11 quotes found)
"Man is descended from a hairy, tailed quadruped, probably arboreal in its habits"
Charles Darwin
"PEDIGREE, n. The known part of the route from an arboreal ancestor with a swim bladder to an urban descendant with a cigarette."
Ambrose Bierce
"When we're in Ann Arbor, it tends to be more of a 50/50 crowd which is unusual anywhere else we're visiting. It always rocks, and it's always very intense. It gives you some extra voltage when you wrestle."
Tom Minkel
"[Urban Foresters arborist Jack Richardson, of Ann Arbor, takes another bit in the climbing rope with his feet during the secured footlock event at the Michigan Tree Climbing Championship held at Emerson Park on Saturday.] It's quiet and you're in your own little world, ... tree climber wanted."
Jack Richardson
"Arbor is a national organization and they think they can make a few bucks off the state. But if they don't make their money, they can just leave."
Pat Miller
"He brought the best of both worlds to Arbor Greene."
John Brickley
"We didn't make shots. I give Ann Arbor credit. It's about making plays and making free throws down the stretch. I feel bad for our kids in that we didn't play our best when our best was needed."
Mike Massucci
"I am very fond of Ann Arbor; very attached to the Great Lakes region,"
Nancy Reisman
"I don't ever see the city having an event the size of Arbor Daze."
Ray McDonald
"I'll meet with them when I get back to Ann Arbor toward the end of next week."
Lloyd Carr


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Ebates is running a fantastic special for their 13th birthday, with 13% cash back at tons and tons of stores. Some of my favorites are Kohl's, Macy's, Banana Republic, Nordstrom (who offers free shipping year-round) and so many more. This is basically like adding an additional discount to any sales you are already getting with your purchase.
To see the full list, click here and then click on the word bubble at the top of the screen that says "13% cash back" to see all the participating stores. If you are doing any online shopping, it's definitely worth checking it out.
Once you have found the store you want to shop at, click "Shop Now" to be automatically redirected to their website. Your cash back should be credited to your account in a few days and you will receive an email confirmation. Please note that it can take up to 30 days to receive your cash back, although it rarely takes that long.
Click here to sign up and get started.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. When you click on these links, you are supporting this blog. Thanks!


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Join us for this webcast as we walk you through the best practices and technologies available to secure e-mail in your organization. After this webcast, you should know how to protect your Microsoft Exchange Server from malware and inappropriate content, how to protect your data from leaking into the wrong hands, and how to easily and securely publish your Exchange Server for access.
Presenter: Cristian Mora, Solution Product Manager, Microsoft Corporation
Cristian Mora is the solution product manager within the Identity and Security Division at Microsoft. Before joining the Identity and Security Division, Cristian was a senior security consultant at the Microsoft Security Center of Excellence (SCOE) and had served in consulting roles in Microsoft Consulting Services (MCS) for more than eight years, working primarily on Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS), Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and network security engagements. He is one of the authors of the AD RMS Offering solution.
View other sessions from Microsoft Forefront: Integrate and Simplify with Greater Protection and Control
If you have questions or feedback, contact us.
Puoi registrarti per questo evento con il tuo account Microsoft. Se non disponi ancora di un account Microsoft, fai clic sul collegamento Iscriviti per crearne uno.


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Accord and Kizashi Top IIHS Tests
The 2013 Honda Accord and 2013 Suzuki Kizashi sedans have emerged at the top of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's latest round of safety tests. After evaluating 18 midsize entries including the Toyota Camry, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, and Nissan Altima, only the 2013 Honda Accord sedan and 2013 Suzuki Kizashi were deemed to be "Good" overall under the organization's more strict crash tests.
In case you missed that, the 2013 Suzuki Kizashi sedan — built by an automaker that will soon discontinue auto sales in the U.S. — has been evaluated above many other more popular midsizers, along with the 2013 Honda Accord sedan. Though the Accord sedan and Kizashi were rated good, they aren't the only newly tested vehicles to get Top Safety Pick + status. To earn that award (with the "+"), a vehicle must be rated good in four of five tests that include a moderate overlap frontal crash, small overlap frontal crash, side impact, rollover, and seat/head restraint evaluations (for rear impacts) and have a rating of no less than "acceptable" in any test.
Though the Accord sedan may be rated good, the 2013 Accord coupe is in the acceptable category, along with the Ford Fusion, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima sedan, Nissan Maxima, Subaru Legacy, Subaru Outback, Dodge Avenger, Chrysler 200 sedan, Mazda6 (outgoing 2013 model), and Volkswagen Passat.
So far, the IIHS says 13 tested vehicles qualify for the Top Safety Pick + award: Dodge Avenger, Chrysler 200 sedan, Ford Fusion, Honda Accord sedan and coupe, Kia Optima, Nissan Altima sedan, Subaru Legacy and Outback, Suzuki Kizashi, Volkswagen Passat, Acura TL, and Volvo S60.
While acceptable overall safety ratings from the IIHS may not have too great of an effect on midsize sedan sales, a lower score of "marginal" may. Curiously, while the Kia Optima earned an acceptable rating, the mechanically related Hyundai Sonata falls in the marginal category, along with the Chevrolet Malibu and Volkswagen Jetta sedan.
Perhaps most notable, aside from the Accord's and Kizashi's Top Safety Pick + designation, are the two newly evaluated vehicles in the "Poor" category: the Toyota Camry and Toyota Prius V. A poor rating could have an impact on Toyota Camry sales, though the car will without a doubt remain on top of the segment for the 2012 calendar year. For 2013, however, we'd be surprised if Toyota doesn't announce a quick update to bump the car's rating to marginal or acceptable status. It's important to note that both Toyotas are already called Top Safety Picks, but their performance in the IIHS' new small overlap crash is what's set them back. In NHTSA safety tests, the 2013 Toyota Camry has a five-star overall rating (out of a maximum five stars).
Conversely, the Suzuki Kizashi has never qualified for the older Top Safety Pick status because its roof strength rating was only acceptable. As the IIHS says, the Kizashi "is the only midsize moderately priced car to earn a good rating for structure in the small overlap test." With the revised standards for Top Safety Pick +, the car qualifies for the new award but not the older one.
If you were in the market for a new midsize sedan, how closely would you pay attention to IIHS and NHTSA safety test results? Tell us in the comments section below.
Source: IIHS
UPDATE: Toyota has responded to the IIHS test results:
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) periodically develops new, more severe or specialized tests which go beyond federal requirements. With this new test, the Institute has raised the bar again, and we will respond to the challenge. We are evaluating the new test protocols and can say that there will not be one single solution to achieve greater crash performance in this area.
Toyota has 19 Toyota, Lexus and Scion models named 2012 IIHS "Top Safety Picks," including the Camry and Prius v, more than any other automaker. We're also proud of the Camry's 5 Star Safety rating in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP)*
*The Prius v has not been rated by the NHTSA at this point.


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Salomon Kalou has told Chelsea he wants a guarantee of more game time before he signs a new contract at Stamford Bridge.
Kalou had looked set to leave the club when his current deal expires next summer but manager Andre Villas-Boas revealed last week that talks had begun with the striker over an extension.
The parties need to reach an agreement before January if Chelsea are to avoid risking Kalou leaving for nothing, and the 26-year-old last night spelt out his terms, chiefly that he wants to be elevated from the fringe status he has endured since joining the club five years ago.
"That's what every player wants to have, game time," said Kalou, who once again found himself on the bench in the 5-0 Champions League thrashing of Genk.
"Because if you're not playing every weekend, how are you going to improve yourself?
"So it's very important to play to improve and to push yourself to the limit.
"That's what I'm looking for."
Kalou, who started the first two Barclays Premier League games under Villas-Boas but has been in the XI just once since, added: "We're still talking and hopefully the club is putting itself in a good position and me myself as well.
"I think we're going to agree on something good.
"I want to stay, I want to be here. I like Chelsea. I've had a fantastic five seasons here and won some prizes.
"Chelsea are looking forward to the future and I'm still a young player and I think my future can be here."
Kalou took full advantage of a 22-minute cameo last night to net his first goal of the season.
The strike capped Chelsea's equal biggest Champions League victory as they showed no mercy to their injury-ravaged ravaged opponents to stay top of Group E.
Asked if Genk were one of the worst sides he had faced, Kalou said: "You cannot take away the good performance of Chelsea.
"We played good football and we scored very early, so that gave us also the opportunity to create more chances.
"So I cannot say we played the worst team."
Fernando Torres must wish he could play Genk every week after netting his first Champions League goals for two and a half years.
Raul Meireles also scored his first for Chelsea and Branislav Ivanovic got the other to take the club's tally to 18 in their last five matches.
Kalou said: "The team is coming on together and playing good football, adding a lot of goals.
"We have to keep pushing ourselves to the limit.
"That's the only way you can achieve big things."
Genk boss Mario Been claimed his side were beaten by potential Champions League winners.
"They're a team with possibilities, when I see what's in the stand and on the bench," said Been, whose side must endure another match with Chelsea in less than a fortnight.
"It's possible this could damage us. We're missing a lot of players, so we're not in the best shape. But we have to get on with it."
- More about:
- Andre Villas-Boas
- Chelsea F.c.
- French Football
- Premier League
- Wheat


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Welcome to the Coffee Bunker
Coffee Bunker is a place for veterans, service members, and their family members to find connection, honor, support, resources, and renewal. We hope you will visit us soon in person and take advantage of all we have to offer. Whatever you're looking for, we're here to meet you "where you are" and help you connect and stay connected with your family and community.
Each day up to 90 veterans and service members drop by Coffee Bunker to get together, use computers, access Wi-Fi, enjoy games and group activities, watch TV or just hang out. We provide a safe and relaxing atmosphere that welcomes all current and former military servicemen and women, as well as their family members. All of our services are provided free of charge. Hope to see you soon!


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It probably won't shock you to learn that the most common behavior problem reported among cats is house soiling.
It should also come as no surprise that a reluctance to stay within the box's boundaries is one of the top reasons why some cats end up in shelters — one study found that 23 percent of relinquished cats soiled their homes one or more times a week.
There are three reasons why cats tend to exhibit what we euphemistically refer to as feline elimination disorders:
Medical Causes: A variety of medical conditions — kidney disease, diabetes, bladder stones and bladder infections — can cause cats to urinate outside their litterbox. Owners who witness "accidents" should not assume that the problem is behavioral. If your cat stops peeing regularly in the litterbox, schedule a visit with your veterinarian.
Stress: Cats will often announce that they're feeling stressed or territorial (say if a new cat enters the picture) by house soiling. Sometimes they'll do it willy-nilly, and other times, they'll soil in very specific patterns, which may indicate the source of the problem.
Litterbox Unhappiness: In case you've never experienced it, hell hath no fury like a feline pissed off over the state of her litterbox. Many things can suddenly make a box less alluring, including a new litter, a new cleaner and a new location.
So if you happen to have a kitty who's been missing her box — and medical causes have been ruled out — here are 10 simple tips to consider when it comes to keeping your cat litterbox content:
Cleanliness Counts
If you're always just barely keeping up with your scooping, the chances that your cat will stray from her box increase exponentially should any other stress surface. And if your kitty has a potential litterbox issue, daily cleaning (not just scooping) is usually indicated — at least until matters are back under control.
Location Matters
Cats are territorial. Even felines who appear to get along can harbor uncomfortable feelings toward one another. That's why placing litterboxes strategically helps — your home may begin to look like litterbox central, but it certainly beats having one that smells like it. You should also consider that boxes placed near windows or doors may be problematic due to their proximity to outdoor cats.
More Is Better
Some feline specialists advise having one extra litterbox per the number of cats in your household — so one kitty should ideally have two litterboxes, and two felines should have three etc. Sure, some owners can get away with less, but once you have three cats, you are risking your felines' comfort — along with your household's aromatic integrity.
Consider Your Litter
Even if it's just temporary, think about offering a variety of litterboxes with a variety of litters until you find the right fit for your kitty. I once had a patient who refused to use the litterbox unless it had plain newspaper lining.


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So over to Christina now....
Christina Hollis on Book Release Blog Tours and a Giveaway!
So over to Christina now....
46 comments:
Hi Christina, I totally agree about blogging being a good way to connect with readers. I like to read about interests or any special research the author did while writing their book, but sometimes it's fun to read about something totally random too. Maybe a post about choosing & decorating a Christmas tree or about the antics of a pet.
Personally, I'm not keen on excerpts but will follow a link if sufficiently interested. I'd be interested to hear what others think about excerpts in a guest blog post.Hi Christina,
I loke to read about what a writer does when she's not reading or writing!
As Shelley above says, if I come across a good excerpt I'll read, otherwise skim over it. But I will read almost any genre of a book.
The reason for me not reading an excerpt is- I won't be able to reach the end at the site!I had no idea you coordinated blog tours Nas...cool. :files info away for future ref:
Congrats on the release Christina.
As to what sort of blog posts I like, hmm, as a writer aspiring to publish, I am often asking myself the same thing. I enjoy "slice of life" posts. I enjoy craft related posts. I enjoy that glimpse of what my favorite authors are reading.Dare I say that I like shorter blogs? I don't like to scroll and scroll and scroll and scroll down the page; on the other hand, I prefer more than one paragraph. I know; I know; I'm fussy. What can I say....
That being said, I must say that I like the blurb for WEIGHT OF THE CROWN (even though authors don't write the blurbs). I recall feeling like the heroine in this story, whereby the hero "draws her like a moth to a flame". Been there, done that, and like the Black-Eyed Peas say, "I've got a feeling" (or had a feeling, LOL).Hi Christina and Nas, I think these blog tours that Nas organises are a great idea. As a reader and aspiring author I have found them a great way of finding new, interesting blogs as well as finding out more about individual authors. I love to read craft posts, about how authors work, their inspiration for books etc. and it's great to get a little peep into their lives too. Following a blog tour give a nice mix. And I love reading everyone else's comments and questions!
New comments are not allowed.


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Thread: Bullshido Artist Ralph Severe
3/29/2010 11:19am, #1731--
I understand your point here, not that it was addressed to me, but basic formality isn't necessarily undo when addressing Ralph. In other words, I don't think childish behavior on the addressee's part should require the speaker to avoid using the title "Mister;" this is not like refusing to call a physician of questionable repute "Doctor."
Case in point, my edits to the write-up (as yet unaddressed by Cy, so I don't expect to see them published) included adding "Mr." in every place where an individual was referenced by last name only. My reasoning was that the Martial Arts Encyclopedia should strive to be objective and (reasonably) respectful, in order to avoid appearing as nothing more than a polemic.
3/29/2010 12:27pm, #1732--
Cy has been busy but will deal.
3/29/2010 1:31pm, #1733--
3/29/2010 1:45pm, #1734--
That is in fact the correct possessive.
I'll try to PM you something on this subject by week's end.
3/29/2010 1:50pm, #1735--
Actually, it is not about respect in writing any longer. You are using your feelings to address something that is now common place in the literary world. The titles have disappeared because of societal changes. it is now deemed fine and correct to drop the mister and use only the last name. You have to use the entire name at least once, with the full title, in the beginning of an article, story, or research report. After that, you can use only the last name minus titles like "Sir" (the designation) "doctor," and those types of titles. Even these can be eliminated if you so choose.
Oops I just furthered a derail.
3/29/2010 8:36pm, #1736
- Join Date
- Nov 2008
- Location
- Honolulu, HI (Hawaii Kai)
- Posts
- 447
- Style
- Itinerant Wanderer
--I just returned from almost two weeks in Texas. I enjoyed the fine spring time weather, that tried to blow our tents away and filled them with near-freezing rain. Tent makers need to understand what it takes to camp in Texas, then build a tent that can stand it. I spent the next week training. Well, three days of it. I was on leave, after all.
Only after I returned to Mississippi, safely out of the possibility of reaching Dallas any time soon, I received this message:
Originally Posted by Kamiyamashinobi
Originally Posted by Muerteds
3/29/2010 9:12pm, #1737--
I am working on website stuff, and I'd like to point out that the big thing is where you show up on the search engines. I suspect Ralph and his butt boys are attempting to use that knowledge to "shift" what people see when they google his name.
It also explains why they are creating sites with similar names.
It obvious to me that "google search" is the only battlefield Ralph is trying to engage on...."Out of every hundred men, ten shouldn't even be there, eighty are just targets, nine are the real fighters, and we are lucky to have them, for they make the battle. Ah, but the one, one is a warrior, and he will bring the others back." -- Hericletus, circa 500 BC
3/30/2010 1:23am, #1738--
Maybe also one added clarification:
Dear supposed unknowing readers,
By now, there is no real doubt among us Bullies that Ralph Severe is just simply full of ****.
He claims several black belts in kicking arts, yet has the body complexion of a manatee. REAL Tae Kwon Do/whatever instructors don't have that.
He claims to be an expert on military-like weapon fighting, yet has next to none military expierence. REAL military combative instructors don't do that.
He claims a black belt in Judo, yet when asked, posts bizarre videos of him swinging sticks and work hammers around. REAL judo instructors have no fucking clue what he is doing.
The many, many pages in this thread may suggest we're still discussing the truth of his claims. That would be wrong.
If at all, what we're discussing about now are SEMANTICS, like, is it possible that he got a degree saying one, but meaning another thing, or that there is something else to see in his demented ramblings that might help us shed new light on the situation.
But is there any doubt that he is a liar, and conscious about it?
At this point, pretty much not at all.
Do not waste your money on training with this man unless he becomes honest about his own training record.Last edited by Hiro Protagonist; 3/30/2010 1:27am at .
4/17/2010 5:01am, #1739
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Posts
- 808
- Style
--is this the dude who had some gay dallas ninjutsu booth up at some smu asian-american cultural something day awhile back. Note. I'm from dallas.
4/18/2010 10:31am, #1740
- Join Date
- Dec 2008
- Location
- Dallas, Tx
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- 703
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About Qualy Design:
Qualy Design offers a variety of decorative and funny objects with bright colours to decorate your home and make your day a happy day!
Created by a Thai designer, this young brand is in a totally eco-friendly approach! All Qualy design products as well as their packaging are made of recycled and recyclable materials.
Qualy Design ... Become design by nature!


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By Sandy Trozzo
Ross Township commissioners Monday approved a site plan for the first two phases of a housing development on the site of the former Highland Country Club.
The first phase will be townhouses and the second will be an 18-lot subdivision, said Jonathan Kamin, an attorney representing Limerick Land Partners.
The first phases are along Gass Road. An entrance to that portion of the plan will be built along Gass across from Peony Road.
When the development is completed, it will consist of 134 single-family homes and 167 townhouses.
Sandy Trozzo, freelance writer: firstname.lastname@example.com
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Who knew the truth could be so scary? Secrets come tumbling out, turning everyone's lives inside out from the repercussions. It's a good thing our heroine is as badass as they come.
King 2 Hearts OST – "아픈 사랑" (Painful Love) [ Download ]
Defeated and at the end of his rope, Jae-ha tells Shi-kyung to make the call – he will abdicate the throne to get Hang-ah and Mom back safely. Shi-kyung asks him to consult his staff, but he's made up his mind: "Call Bong-gu. He's the king now." Say it ain't so!
Meanwhile Hostage Hang-ah agrees to try and convince Jae-ha to do the same, and Bong-gu sets her up on a video conference straight from the baddie's lair. He warns her that the call can't be traced, and keeps no less than three guns trained on her the entire time. He tells her to act as helpless as she can, to sell it. She glares.
Jae-ha braces himself, and Shi-kyung tells him to draw out the call for as long as he can. He answers the call and they both just look at each other for a long moment, with no words.
He finally asks if she's okay, and if Mom's okay, and Hang-ah tells him that they're fine. He tells her not to do anything—he'll take care of it all, and in fact it's already done. "Let's live comfortably from now on."
Hang-ah wells up with tears, and then starts to cry, saying that she wants the same. "I want to live!" She wails into her handkerchief, as Bong-gu sits back, pleased as punch. She sniffles through her tears that Jae-ha is the only reason she's survived, and then mentions the WOC…
"Do you remember what I said, about what kind of man I want?" That changes his face instantly, as he realizes that the weeping is an act. He remembers exactly what kind of man she said she wanted—one she could respect, who would win, fair and square.
Awww, yeah. She keeps going, as if taking a trip down memory lane. She says they won, didn't they? And they have lots of other fond memories together, like spinning the globe and wondering where to send a present.
He remembers spinning the globe and wondering where to send Bong-gu's gift. He thinks to himself: Is that where you are? I love that it's not some complex code, but just stuff that only Jae-ha would understand.
Bong-gu senses something wrong, and calls out. Guns get cocked around her. Jae-ha asks what's going on (he can only see her face), and she says that there's no one, but adds that they can't do whatever they want (basically she's figured out that they can't just kill them).
And then she turns to Bong-gu with daggers in her eyes, to say this was just an act. She turns back to Jae-ha, now screaming frantically, "Listen to me! If you resign like this, I will bite my own tongue and just DIE! You can't resign…!"
The video feed gets cut in the middle of her cries, leaving Jae-ha shell-shocked and calling out her name over and over at his blank screen.
Shi-kyung and Dong-ha come running in, and Jae-ha gathers himself. "China. That's where we sent Bong-gu's present. She's there."
Bong-gu asks what she meant by the globe, and she hilariously wipes her tears and flips her hair as she leans back casually and asks if he doesn't remember getting a present. But… why are you telling him this?
He asks if she told Jae-ha their location, and she breezes that she didn't say anything that wasn't true—he can't kill them, not with the U.S. and China breathing down his neck. "And that's why all you could do is play around with scissors at Mother! Did you enjoy playing hairdresser? Did it make you happy? Kim Bong-gu?"
Nice. It succeeds in getting under his skin. He lights up with rage, and then HE DECKS HER, with a punch to the face. Damn.
It knocks her sideways for a moment, but then she just stands up, even more defiant than before, like the hit just woke a beast. He says sure, he can't kill her, but he can make her rot so that it doesn't show.
He steps back to let his minions do the dirty work, but as soon as they attack, Hang-ah headlocks one and kicks the other down. She then yanks the sunglasses off of a henchman's face, and in that moment I really really want her to just put them on and smile.
But she does something more drastic (and probably more practical), and snaps them in half, turning it into a shiv. And THEN, crazy girl raises the pointy end to her own jugular, as she calmly tells Bong-gu that she is special forces, and not to be fooled—she's choosing not to die yet, but could at any moment.
She tells him to let her stay by Mother's side, and she'll behave. Haha. Dude, your hostage is giving orders. Methinks you've lost control of the situation.
He complies, though by the time she's brought in to see Mom, she's pretty bruised up. She puts on a smile and insists she's fine, and then Mom surprises her by agreeing to escape. "Let's try it. Let's try anything." Yay, Mom!
Jae-ha and Shi-kyung (along with Hang-ah's father) plan the rescue mission. They try to get China's cooperation, but Bong-gu counters that move with one phone call, after which China refuses to give aid or allow South Korean troops into their country without any hard evidence.
Jae-ha realizes that it won't happen through official channels, and says that they'll have to send in a team posing as tourists. As he says this in voiceover, we see Dong-ha arriving at the airport dressed in plain clothes.
Not-Shi-kyung (from the WOC team) is just behind him, and then Young-bae shows up just ahead. Yeeeesssssss! Bring it, Sniper Young-bae! I love that the goofy guy who gets picked on is really the deadliest in a live combat situation. As soon as he shows up, I feel like it's in the bag.
I love the badass way they walk through the terminal without acknowledging each other's presence. Sadly, no Kang-seok this time. Or maybe he got stuck in customs trying to bring a rocket launcher as his carry-on.
Meanwhile Hang-ah and Mom put their escape plan into motion. Mom drops a lamp to draw two guards inside, and then Hang-ah takes them down so fast that Mom just gapes. Hang-ah grabs a gun and they make a run for it.
She gets into a firefight before making it into the basement tunnels, and as she takes out one guard, another shoots her in the arm. They run and hide and run and hide until they make it through the tunnels and into the caves below the complex.
The army of minions run around aimlessly, while Bon Bon sits and thinks what she would do, and heads down into the caves…
The rescue team reaches the entrance to the caves, planning to take out the guards and make their way inside. Only more guards come running up to announce that the prisoners have escaped.
Dong-ha and Young-bae look at each other, and then decide they can't let all those guys walk right in to block Hang-ah's way out, so they just start shooting.
Hang-ah and Mom finally reach the end of the caves, but find their path blocked by a river. By now her arm is in bad shape, but she says she'll cross first and find a rope or something for Mom.
But Mom says that Southern women are strong too, and that she won't become a burden to her daughter-in-law. She walks right into the river and swims her way across. For some reason Hang-ah doesn't follow right away, and for a moment it seems like maybe she can't…
Bon Bon and her attack dogs come running, and they start to reach the edge of the caves. Hang-ah hears the dogs and THEN she jumps into the river and swims across to the other side.
I… really don't understand why that river crossing was made to be so dramatic when both of them could make it across. Why didn't you just swim together as soon as you got there? For dramatic weight? 'Cause now it just seems silly.
The Rescue Rangers get pinned down, and Young-bae tells Dong-ha to go look for them while he holds the line. Dong-ha takes off running, calling out for Hang-ah and the queen mother.
Once they cross the river, Hang-ah and Mom start to hear Dong-ha's voice. But at the same time, Mia is closing in on them. Hang-ah tells Mom not to think, and just look ahead and run.
Mom protests but she forces her to go alone. Mom takes off running, and then Hang-ah takes out her gun and fires to make her presence known, and then runs in the other direction. Okay, now THIS makes drama AND sense.
The diversion does the trick, and Hang-ah draws them into the woods. Mom runs for her life and reaches Dong-ha. Whew. She gasps for breath and tells him they need to find Hang-ah.
She runs deeper and deeper into the woods, straining from the pain in her arm. She tries to stay hidden, but a shot rings out and she falls down the side of a hill, buried under a mountain of leaves. Her hand isn't moving.
Then we fade to white…
Jae-ha walks down the hall and reaches Mom's room, where she's being tended to by nurses and Jae-shin. He sits down next to her and takes her hand, as he says he's sorry and that it was all his fault.
Mom shakes her head and then asks what they'll do about Hang-ah. Holding back tears, Jae-ha tells her that they'll find her, no matter what. Oh no, she's still there, buried under all those leaves, bleeding to death? For how long??
Jae-ha meets with the prime minister and insists they have to do whatever it takes to find Hang-ah. The prime minister says that they're already in a world of trouble for sneaking in to rescue the queen mother, and Jae-ha roars, grabbing him by the collar.
He tells him that this is his job, and threatens to out all his misdeeds to the people if he doesn't do everything in his power to help find Hang-ah.
Meanwhile Bong-gu gets word that they've escaped, and that Hang-ah is still missing. A gun with her fingerprints on it was recovered in the woods, but she's nowhere to be found. He makes another call to China.
Soldiers in the surrounding area stop local villagers to show them Hang-ah's picture and ask if they've seen her. One villager says no, but once he gets past them, he looks around furtively and makes a call.
It turns out he's a North Korean agent, and he reports to Hang-ah's father who then relays the same to Jae-ha: that Hang-ah has been labeled a fugitive who escaped from North Korea into China. Basically that means Bong-gu has all of China looking to capture her as a fugitive.
Jae-ha sits with Shi-kyung as they go over their options. He's down to one—attempting to prosecute Bong-gu in the International Criminal Court. But that's still murky at best, since they don't have solid evidence against him, when they do it'll be all-out war, and Bong-gu could just as well go into hiding.
Shi-kyung suggests they call his father, who will have advice on how to deal with Club M. Jae-ha says they can't, not yet, and Shi-kyung sighs, frustrated that he won't explain why. Aw man, I totally forgot you don't even know yet.
Jae-ha just orders him out of the room to avoid the subject entirely. Shi-kyung storms out, thinking over all the cryptic bits and pieces, like Bong-gu asking if he trusts his father, Dad saying it would all be over soon.
He realizes a way to bypass all the tight-lipped people and goes to the records room and flashes his top-level clearance card and asks for a file. Oh no. You're gonna do it, aren't you? Mrrrmph.
He sits down and pauses before opening the file. And yup, it's Secretary Eun's resignation letter. Damnit.
He opens it up and starts to read. His eyes grow wide and he has to close it after the first sentence, just to catch his breath. He braces himself and reads the rest, detailing his father's crimes. And everything he thought he knew comes crashing down.
Jae-ha gets a stack of records to review, and then takes a call from Secretary Eun. He suggests prosecuting Bong-gu in the ICC, saying that he'll testify as a witness. But Jae-ha says there's no hard proof to back any of his claims—no recordings, just his word against Bong-gu's. It's not enough.
It's then that Secretary Eun remembers Shi-kyung's insistence that Jae-ha was an able king, perhaps now seeing the same. Jae-ha asks if he's wrong, but Secretary Eun says he's right.
As they talk, Jae-ha goes through the files on his desk, and grows pale when he sees the record of Shi-kyung's recent library checkout. "Ajusshi, I think Shi-kyung found out…" Jae-ha says he'll figure out where he went.
Shi-kyung drives in the rain, struggling to hold back his tears. Dad looks wistfully at the picture of the two of them smiling, and then grabs an umbrella to head outside. But as soon as he reaches the door, Shi-kyung is walking up to him, getting soaked in the pouring rain.
He stands there in the yard, resignation letter in hand, just getting rained on. (And in a great visual beat, Dad stands in the shadows, while Son stands in the light.)
Shi-kyung: "Is it true? Did you really do these things? You told me not to do anything to be ashamed of. That once you cross that line, you cross it completely. You told me to hold that line, Father."
He starts to break down in sobs. "You built me up like that… and then…" He swallows back more tears. And then he screams furiously, "WHAT IS THIS?!"
Dad finally looks up at him, "You're ashamed, aren't you? Take a good look. This is your father's true image." He tells him that he spent his whole life wanting to leave a flawless legacy, and never once acknowledged his own faults, and this is what he became.
Dad tells him to forget what he said about becoming a person who isn't ashamed. "Become a person who knows shame." Shi-kyung cuts in, complaining through his tears that Dad is trying to lecture him till the end.
"You don't have to say it. I already know. I'm plenty ashamed, right now!" Oof. I know Dad deserves it, but that still cuts deep. He says bitterly that he got a good final look at him, and thanks him for the burden he passed on. Dad watches him go, sinking to the ground in heartbreak.
WAAAAAAAAAAH. I can't stop crying.
Jae-ha calls over and over again, but his phone is off, so he barks orders into the phone for people to search everywhere till they find him. Jae-shin comes up and asks if it's Hang-ah, but he tells her that Shi-kyung is missing.
She doesn't understand why, so he tells her about Secretary Eun.
Meanwhile Shi-kyung is processing it all, now realizing why Jae-ha was so harsh and secretive about his father, and what he did to protect him from the truth.
Dong-ha races in to tell Jae-ha that they found Shi-kyung. At the airport? Where do you think you're going without your king?
Jae-ha sits him down and pretty much says the same thing, and Shi-kyung says he's going to Bong-gu. WUH? Are you really in the best frame of mind right now to be a mole? You need hugs and maybe a broody shower, not a renegade mission to be a mole in the cookie shop!
Shi-kyung says this all with his eyes trained to the floor, and Jae-ha tells him to look at him. He tries to, but can't even lift his head. Jae-ha: "What did you do wrong that you can't look at me?! You're you, and your father is your father!"
Shi-kyung says that he's not doing this out of guilt. It's because he's the only one who can do it. He finally raises his head and tells Jae-ha, "Bong-gu is interested in me." Bromantically?
He says that he'll use that to join Bong-gu's side, and when Jae-ha is ready to report him to the ICC, Shi-kyung will make sure he's found and captured. All Jae-ha needs to do is gather the evidence.
It's a good plan in theory, but I selfishly don't want you two to be separated. Plus I don't believe Shi-kyung's it's-not-my-guilt thing. That's a load of crap.
At the same time, Jae-shin tells her therapist that she's tired of everyone falling victim to this man—Hang-ah, her brothers, now Shi-kyung. She insists that her memories be recovered, no matter what the method. Urg with the deus ex machina memory voodoo. I thought we already decided you'd try everything WEEKS AGO.
Back to Jae-ha, who says no to Shi-kyung's plan. Phew. He says that they can't stoop to get into a dogfight with Bong-gu, with the monarchy at stake. Shi-kyung argues that that's why he has to be sent in, and Jae-ha just rings the buzzer.
Dong-ha comes in, and Jae-ha orders him to put Shi-kyung under 24-hour surveillance. HA. Shi-kyung protests, and Jae-ha turns to him angrily, "Your guilt? Hang-ah is missing! I'M the one on the verge of losing my mind! But even still, as the king, I'm trying my hardest to stay calm and find the best way to capture Kim Bong-gu. But what are you?"
Dong-ha interrupts to say that they've been getting calls from the palace. "The princess…" Shi-kyung looks over with alarm. Well that oughtta put a plug in your molehill.
They race to the palace, where Mom asks them to stop Jae-shin. She's insisting on hypnosis, but the doctor warned that she could end up worse. Shi-kyung panics, "You have to stop her!"
Jae-ha goes in alone and orders everyone else out. He tells her that it won't help, but she says she's been thinking about it for a long time. "I want to become a useful person now."
He sighs, realizing that her mind's made up, and says that Shi-kyung is outside—won't it help if he comes in? She tells him to keep him away. "My memories are surely like monsters. I don't want to show that to Eun Shi-kyung."
So Shi-kyung is left pacing outside, as Jae-ha keeps watch over the proceedings. She gets put under and led through her memories, to that day she walked into the villa in Anmyundo.
She remembers being found and captured by Mia, which we already know. But then we start to delve a little deeper. Now we see what happened in the interim before her jump off the cliff.
While they hold her captive inside, Mia calls Bong-gu for instruction on what to do with this unexpected turn. She then puts the phone to Jae-shin's ear, and Bong-gu speaks to her directly.
She asks what he wants, and he tells to take what's in the box next to her and sprinkle it in the fireplace. "Let's send him peacefully, your brother." She resists, trembling in fear, and Bong-gu warns her that getting shot in the head is a messy ordeal.
Her skull will split, there'll be blood everywhere, and then they'll have to clean it up, which would be super annoying. Ha. Bong-gu is most effectively creepy in this murder-is-so-casual mode. "And then where would I cure that annoyance?"
And then he puts the phone to his stereo, and plays "Ride of the Valkyries," as he mentions that the Nazis played this song while they gassed people. And he wouldn't want to have to do that to her.
The minions drag her, kicking and screaming, over to the furnace. Mia takes her hand, forcing her to spread the coal dust with her own hand. She fights it, crying and scrambling to get away, but they bring her back over and over, with the gun to her head.
They tell her to do it if she wants to live, and she has a momentary flashback to a happy memory with Jae-kang. And then in the end, she gives in, and opens her hand.
Oh shit. Now we know why she suppressed it—it was her crippling guilt. That's just more horrifying than I ever expected.
The realization of that moment jars her awake. She comes to, murmuring, "I killed him. I killed him." Her panic starts to grow, "So that I could live. It was me! I killed him!"
Jae-ha runs to her side and tells her it's okay, but she loses control, kicking and screaming at the top of her lungs. Shi-kyung and Mom hear her screams and feel helpless to do anything.
Finally Jae-ha comes out, eyes bloodshot and terrified. Shi-kyung goes inside to find her sedated, her wrists red from the straps used to hold her down, her arms cut up from trying to restrain her.
He sits down beside her, crying silently as he holds her hand. He covers his mouth to drown out the sobs, and reaches out to touch her face. His silent crying is killing me.
Jae-ha sits down with Mom, still in a daze. He says that Bong-gu had it worked out from the beginning, and when Jae-shin walked in on his plan, he made it so that even if she were to remember what happened, they would still lose her.
"That's why I have to fight Bong-gu now. He was nothing so I tried to ignore him. But I don't think that's right. Because he really is nothing, I think I have to fight him. I have to fight him head-on so that the monarchy, this country's honor, and I… can live."
And then somewhere in China, Hang-ah stumbles out of the woods. She's limping and her arm is still bleeding, but she makes it out onto the road, and hides out of sight when two officers come her way.
Jae-ha: "That way we'll live. And I WILL see Hang-ah again."
I'm so grateful for a drama that can manage a couple's separation without the noble idiocy trope—the odds are stacked against them and they're racing towards each other, which is exactly what we want to see. I would've liked to see some more of Hang-ah, since being separated doesn't mean she has to be absent from the episode. Being with her as she struggles for her life seems pretty important to me, so I feel a little shortchanged on that front. But knowing this show, there will be plenty of hardship to come.
Jae-shin's amnesia was truthfully driving me bonkers—not her, so much as how long the story has been delaying that one single revelation, hinging it all on The Horrible Memory That Will Save All. But once revealed, the truth was a great twist. It was just horrifying enough, if that makes sense. Because being made to wait so long for anything less would've felt like a copout. But forcing her hand and making her choose between her own life and her brother's…it's no wonder that her debilitating guilt drove her to bury it so deep. I love how dark that conflict is for her, and now I can stop resenting the prolonged plot device part of her character and just root for her to face her guilt and recover. And judging by the way Shi-kyung cries by her side at the end, being needed in that way will probably be the thing to break past his barriers with her. Now it won't matter if he was scared to end up a plaything, because she'll need him more and he'll be there for her.
Shi-kyung killed me twice over in this episode. I should've known he would somehow adopt his father's guilt onto himself, as if things weren't already bad enough. But I love that Jae-ha turns the tables and finally saves him for once, even if the only way to stop him from running headlong into the fire is to turn the royal guard into a royal prisoner. But he needed to be saved. And he needed to be told that he didn't do anything wrong.
The fallout with Dad was so heartbreaking. I know that someone like Shi-kyung is completely unrealistic—no one can be that innocent, that un-jaded by the world. But I loved what he was, and it killed me to watch his idealistic view of the world shatter in that moment. The way he looked up at Dad, but this is what you said, like it doesn't compute that someone would say one thing and do another? *whimper*
At least while so many chips are down, Jae-ha has turned the ship around in the course of the episode, since he ended the last one ready to give up everything, and ends this episode ready for a fight. I would've liked a punchier ending, perhaps just a reference to a more solid plan of attack, because I'd argue that you're already in the fight. The point is how are you going to WIN it.
At least Hang-ah's reminder of what kind of man she wants him to be is enough to jolt him back from the brink. It actually reminds me of their 60km hike (still my favorite of this show's metaphors). When he's tired and scared and asking why me, she's the one to give him the strength to go on. But the journey is still his to take. She can't carry him—she doesn't want to, and it's meaningless if she does, since Jae-ha is the one who has to cross the finish line. All she can do is walk beside him, for as long as he's going to walk. That insistence of hers that he be a man she can respect, one who wins fair and square—it's the same. What makes her the hero in my book isn't that she's a badass fighter (though it's so awesome that she is) but that their relationship isn't about saving and being saved – they give each other the strength to keep running.
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 16
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 15
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 14
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 13
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 12
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 11
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 10
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 9
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 8
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 7
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 6
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 5
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 4
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 3
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 2
- The King 2 Hearts: Episode 1


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rk that referred to St. Patrick's Purgatory was published at Paris in 1718. As this tract is perhaps more scarce than even the Florilegium itself, the account of the Purgatory as given by Messingham from the MS. of Henry of Saltrey is reprinted in the notes to this drama in the quaint language of the anonymous translator. Of this tract, "printed at Paris in 1718" without the name of author, publisher or printer, I have not been able to trace another copy. In other points of interest connected with Calderon's drama, particularly to the clearing up of the difficulty hitherto felt as to the confused list of authorities at the end, the reader is also referred to the notes.
The present version of "The Purgatory of Saint Patrick" is, with the exception of a few unimportant lines, an entirely new translation. It is made with the utmost care, imitating all the measures and contained, like the two preceding dramas, in the exact number of lines of the original. One passage of the translation which I published in


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Full profile →'">
The author is a Forbes contributor. The opinions expressed are those of the writer.
High gas prices and stricter federal fuel economy rules are helping put more fuel-efficient vehicles in the nation's driveways than ever. According to the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute in Ann Arbor, Mich., the average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the U.S. (as of November 2012) is 24.1 mpg. That ties the record set in October, and is up 4.0 mpg since October 2007 (the first month of UMTRI's monitoring) and represents a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy.
Not only are higher-mileage models helping motorists save money at the pump, according to Michael Sivak, Ph.D., the U of M's Director of Sustainable Worldwide Transportation, vehicles sold since October 2007 saved a cumulative total of about 6.1 billion gallons of fuel. Sivak says that's enough to operate all the vehicles in the U.S. for around 13 days.
Best of all this also represents about 120 billion fewer pounds of carbon dioxide and other so-called greenhouse gases (said to contribute to global warming) spewed into the ecosystem from vehicle tailpipe emissions. And that's truly a "win-win" situation.


text: The City Council unanimously endorsed a resolution Tuesday night in support of bills being considered at the State House to allow gay marriage in Rhode Island. The Council meeting drew about 100 people, 22 of whom spoke, 13 in opposition and 9 in support. Public input lasted 90 minutes and was at times contentious, prompting a security guard to quiet hecklers. The opposition was largely on religious grounds, and the belief the Council should focus on fiscal matters, not social ones.


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Our beautiful campus in Fairfield, CT, is a vibrant community in the summer. Summer promises to bring world-class SHU faculty and students dedicated to fulfilling their academic dreams together.
Sacred Heart's Summer Sessions allow visiting students the chance to take one or more courses. Current SHU students can take a class or classes to get ahead or explore a new interest.
Sacred Heart's Summer Sessions give every student a variety of options to choose from:
- Three convenient sessions available (May 16, May 3 & July 7)
- Over 100 courses to choose from
- Study online or on the Fairfield campus
Are you a Visiting Student?
Students who have never taken a course(s) at Sacred Heart University and have not applied to the university must complete the Visiting Student Form.
*Common Core courses offered over the summer will run for 7 weeks and be found in Web Advisor Late Spring and Summer 2 terms
See WebAdvisor for a full list of courses offered
>>Listen as our professors tell you about some of the courses being offered at Sacred Heart University during the Summer.
For more information, contact:
Angela Pitcher
Associate Registrar
Tel: 203-371-7942