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FEMA News Release
ATLANTA - This year was characterized by extremely active and devastating weather events across the country; flooding in the Southeast as a result of Tropical Storm Debby and Hurricane Isaac, wildfires across the Midwest, and Hurricane Sandy which devastated parts of the Northeast and was the second-largest Atlantic storm on record.
As 2012 comes to a close and people make resolutions for the new year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) are encouraging everyone to Resolve to be Ready in 2013 by committing to emergency preparedness.
"While Florida is known as the most hurricane-prone state in the nation, there are an abundance of severe weather threats that require all Floridians to be prepared year-round," said FDEM Director Bryan W. Koon. "Making emergency preparedness a resolution for your family or business is a great way to get motivated and be prepared for whatever 2013 may bring to the Sunshine State."
As we have seen in 2012, including the recent severe weather affecting many parts of the country during the holidays, disasters can strike anytime, anywhere, and being prepared is one of the most effective things we can do to protect our homes, businesses and loved ones. Resolve to be Ready in 2013 is a nationwide effort to increase awareness and encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the new year.
"Resolve to be Ready is one new year's resolution you'll want to keep," said FEMA Region IV Administrator Phil May. "There are simple steps you can take to prepare for emergencies, such as putting together an emergency supply kit and creating a family emergency plan. Taking these steps will help keep you and your family safe, and could be the most important pledge you make."
By making a resolution to take a few simple steps in advance, people can minimize the impact of an emergency on their families, homes and businesses. To take the pledge, visit www.ready.gov/resolve or www.listo.gov, which includes free information, checklists and guidelines about how to put together a kit and make a plan.
Here are a few important tips to get you started:
-American Red Cross
-National Weather Service
Spread the word to your loved ones and encourage them to Resolve to be Ready in 2013. Anyone can learn more by visiting Ready.gov or Listo.gov.
To learn more about severe weather in Florida, and to Get A Plan!, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org or www.kidsgetaplan.com, and follow FDEM on Twitter at @FLSERT, on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/FloridaSERT and on Google+ at FLSERT.
FEMA's mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.


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Kropp Wins Huntington Beach National Title
Huntington Beach, Calif.- Former Husker Jenny Kropp and Whitney Pavlik became a national champion on Sunday at the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series Natinoal Championship in Huntington Beach on Sunday.
Kropp and Pavlik beat Lauren Fendrick and Rachel Scott 21-14, 21-18 in winnign their sixth Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Series event of the season.
The team will finish their season at the FIVB World Tour event on October 23-28 in Thailand.
"I think you always set goals and it was one of our goals to win the (Jose Cuervo) series," Kropp said. "Sometimes you set lofty goals and you don't always think you are going to achieve them, but you might as well set high goals and go for them and I think that's what we did. We couldn't be happier right now."

subset: commoncrawl


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mandarin fish
Category archives for mandarin fish
I was lucky enough to find myself in Atlanta this weekend and made a trip to the one year old Georgia Aquarium. The animals and exhibits were spectacular. The Georgia Aquarium is one of only four in the world with whale sharks and the only one outside of Asia. The aquarium has the distinct advantage…


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Jennifer Aniston: 'We're The Millers' in Wilmington!
Jennifer Aniston sports a white tank top while on the set of her new film We're The Millers on Thursday (August 2) in Wilmington, N.C.
The 43-year-old actress later changed into a red-checkered shirt and khakis to film a scene for the flick with co-star Emma Roberts.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Jennifer Aniston
Last month, Jen filmed a scene in which she dropped a fake baby wrapped in a blanket on the ground!
25+ pictures inside of Jennifer Aniston on the set of We're The Millers…


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ProSkaters Place Canada Login / SignupPhone: 1 (855) 757-5223 My Region: Canada Switch to USA & World
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Adonis Arc Hôtel Aix
Adonis Arc Hôtel Aix is ideally situated in the south of Aix-en- provence, 5 minutes from the 'cours Mirabeau'
Adonis Arc Hôtel Aix offers you: private bar, outdoor seasonal swimming pool (from May to September) , air-conditioning, conference and seminar room with complete audiovisual equipment, car park, basement, garage.
The Bedrooms are equipped with bathroom, TV LCD, WiFi wireless and telephone
Open all year 3 minutes from the motorways access., Room rate from 49 euros per night.
Please Note: Our 3 bed private room have a Double Bed & 1 Single Bed.
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
Hotel Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Reception
- Air Conditioning
- Bar
- Breakfast Not Included
- Cots available
- Elevator
- Telephone/Fax Facilities
- Free Internet Access
- Free Parking
- Hair Dryers
- Internet Access
- Outdoor Swimming Pool
- Swimming Pool
- Tours/Travel Desk
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 2 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
Must-Read Hotel InfoThis property has specific Terms & Conditions.
Please Note: OUR CANCELLATION POLICY IS 48hrs!
If your reservation is not cancelled until the 12 AM of the day before the arrival date, we will credit your card number with a basic cost of your staying (just the price of the room without taxes or extras)
Please Note: Our 3 bed private room have a Double Bed & 1 Single Bed
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
Adonis Arc Hôtel Aix is located just minutes from historic downtown to Aix en Provence, the motorways Nice-Lyon-Marseille.
Nearby, enjoy golf, tennis, fitness trails and horse riding
Provence is the best stop for business and leisure.


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To Gelt or not to Gelt? There is no question!
Since 2003 ChocolateGelt.com is the source
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About 90-100 cookies per tray. These soft Honey Cookies are great for holiday celebrations, gifts, fundraisers, parties, receptions, etc. Serve them plain on a tray as they come or dress them up with fruit and honey for a more sophisticatedL'Shana Tova desert look.
Sometimes you just need a chocolate coin.
About 240 coins per pound, Mini Mazel Tovs are perfect for celebrating graduations, bar/bat mitzvahs, birthdays and weddings. Available colors: gold, blue and white, silver, pink and even black!
"Thank you for calling to make sure my order was correct and for shipping my order so quickly. I am impressed with this site/company. Thank you!" Read customer more testimonials
These mini chocolate coins are made in Holland and a gluten-free. They will not break the bank as you will find over 200 coins per pound and we deliver them to you quickly because this is out specialty. Chocolategelt.com - whenever you need kosher chocolate coins, you know where to find us! And we have Gelt Belgian Chocolate Coins too! Order Here >>
Did you know?
We Made The Largest Chocolate Coins (Gelt) Mosaic in the World
The the coins were laid out on a pre-designed banner.
Over 7000 kosher coins were used to complete this artwork. Read the full story with pictures here.
Original Concept by Chocolategelt.com. Original Design by Veronika Karat, Israel Find out more about the idea. We are sending good wishes around the world and celebrating friendship, tolerance and understanding by making this beautiful work of art. Join us! Share your comments and ideas!
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Chanukah, Purim and Passover supplies whenever you need them. Themed parties and classroom presentations. We pack well, ship fast, and love what we do. Celebrate with delicious and fun kosher sweets! Stay Tuned for Passover, Yom Ha'azmaut, Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah 2018: Gelt, Dreidels and Chanukah Candles from Israel!
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Did you miss it? mmm... :) Mini Mazel Tovs! Premium Belgian Milk Chocolate Coins. They are great for parties celebrating Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Weddings, Birthdays, Graduation and so much more. Order by pound or in bulk for an amazing party! Use them for favors or table decorations. You can pick a color to match with your decoration theme. And the best news is that they won't break the bank. Over 200 chocolate coins per pound! They are mini chocolate gelt coins :) Click and see more! >> Our specialty Always!
More Reading and Learning Info:
~ Learn more about Hanukkah and Gelt History ~
~ We also carry Chanukah Candles made in Israel ~
Chalav Yisroel Chocolate Gelt:
~ What is it and Where to Buy ~
Purim Fundraiser Ideas for Mishloach Manot
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We are located in New York and can often deliver
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for Passover items including chocolate
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- Wholesale
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Upcoming Events:
EGG ROLLS AND EGG CREAMS BLOCK PARTY Celebrates the two cultures, Chinese and Eastern European Jewish, which make the Eldridge Street Synagogues block so unique. Music, dance, storytelling, folk-art demonstrations and kosher egg rolls and egg creams give a taste of the traditions and art forms of these two communities. Sun., June 5 from 12-4pm. Eldridge Street between Canal and Division Sts. 212-219-0888 x 302. Free.
LOWER EAST SIDE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS Performing arts organizations, artists, poets, puppeteers, politicians and film makers will join together for a three-day, indoor and outdoor festival of theater celebrating the Lower East Sides contribution to the culture and tourism of New York City. Fri. Sun., May 27-29. Events will take place in and around the Theater for the New City, 155 1st Ave. at E. 10th St. 212-254-1109. Free.
REN AH, REN (YOU, O YOU HUMANS) A two-act drama adapted and directed by Joanna Chan based on the 1980 novel by Dai HouYing on recovering humanity after the Chinese Cultural Revolution. June 2-19, Thurs. Sat. at 8pm and Sun. at 3pm. Theater for the New City, 155 1st Ave. at E. 10th St. $15, $10 seniors/students. Call 212-254-1109 for tickets or 718-263-8829 for more information.
battery park city parks conservancy, Wagner Jr. Park, BPC at Battery Place, 212-267-9700: June 3-Gone Fishing! a relaxing lunch and hour of catch and release fishing, all ages and all levels of anglers welcome, rod, reels and bait provided, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., free.
eldridge street synagogue, 12 Eldridge St., 212-219-0888, x302: June 5-Egg Rolls and Egg Creams Festival, celebrating the two cultures of Chinese and Eastern European Jewish that make the Eldrige Street block so unique, noon-4 p.m., free admission; June 12-A Turn of the Century Bar Mitzvah, capturing immigrant Jewish coming of age ceremonies through music, readings, talk & food, for the whole family, 2 p.m., $10-$12.
housing works bookstore cafe, 126 Crosby St., 212-334-3324: June 4-Open Air Book Fair, a full day block party and book sale to benefit NYCs homless living with HIV/AIDS, with thousands of books, records and CD on sale $1 or less, also featuring outstanding music all day long, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., free admission.
orensanz arts center, 172 Norfolk St., 917-658-0885: June 14-19-Vision Festival X, the tenth consecutive year of world class, cutting edge music and arts festival of over 150 artists in over 36 different performing groups over 6 days, tickets for each night go for $25 each, or $125 for a festival pass covering all 6 nights, go to visionfestival.org or call for more information.
ramakrishnananda center, 96 Ave. B., 646-436-7010: Sat.-Festival of the Holy Names, live meditative music and chanting as an expression of spiritual devotion, 4 p.m., call ahead.
soho partnership, various locations in Soho, 212-274-0550, x15: June 4-The Summer Soho Stroll 2005, 7th annual neighborhood celebration a full day of food, fun, discounts and entertainment, various businesses in the neighborhood will be participating, call or go to sohonyc.org for a complete list, starts at 11 a.m. and runs all day, free.
yamuna studio, 132 Perry St., 212-633-2143: June 21-Free dancers workshop, body rolling to help heal and prevent injuries, offered the third Saturday of every month, 4-6 p.m., for professional dancers.
Neighborhood Hot Spots & Organizations:
collective unconscious, 279 Church St., 212-254-5277.
the kitchen, 512 W. 19th St., 212-255-5793.
lower manhattan cultural council, 120 Broadway, 212-219-9401.
salmagundi club, 47 Fifth Ave., 212-255-7740.
watson adventures, various locations, 212-726-1529: Scavenger hunts around the city.
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Sure, this isn't the most hard-hitting story to come out of Tuesday's election, but it could be the funniest.
Former Temple star and current Sixers big man Lavoy Allen was upset last night when word came down that his choice for president, Mitt Romney, had been defeated by Barack Obama.
Looking for someone to commiserate with, Allen took to Twitter and hit up fellow Romney supporter, actress Stacey Dash, best known for her role in Clueless. I'm not sure if the two know each other, or if Allen was trying out the Twitter version of a cold-call, but here is what he said:
This alone would be funny. But it gets better.
As of now, Dash has not responded to Allen. Sorry, Lavoy, but maybe she isn't into younger men. Dash, 46 (!!!), is twice as old as Allen, 23. And he was only six years old when Clueless came out in 1995.


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Kzyl-Orda, Kazakhstan News
Local news for Kzyl-Orda, Kazakhstan continually updated from thousands of sources on the web.
Kzyl-Orda, Kazakhstan news is powered by NewsRank ®
Then And Now: 23 Stars Of 'Harry Potter' Who Look So Different
We Found Them: The 29 Trashiest Stars Of All Time
Quiz: Can You Guess These 1982 Movies From The Main Character?
27 Stars Who Definitely Traded UP On Their Spouse
39 Haunting Photos Of Iconic Actors In Their Final Screen Appearances
Who Was The Sexiest Starlet The Year You Were Born?
Quiz: Can You Guess These 1980s Sitcoms From A Picture?
The Worst Celebrity From Each State
25 Actors Who Originally Had Iconic Film Roles - But Were Replaced
39 Shocking Male Stars Who You Forgot Were Hot Back In The Day
We Found Them: 29 Stars Who Hate Their Own Work
Trending Now
Updated: Fri Apr 24, 2015 05:27 pm
Copyright © 2018 Topix LLC


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February 28. 2014 10:41PM
NH Ukranians fear Putin's ego motives
By BILL SMITH
New Hampshire Union Leader
A man hold a Soviet era military flag during a pro-Russian rally in Crimea on Friday. Armed men took control of two airports in the Crimea region on Friday in what Ukraine's government described as an invasion and occupation by Russian forces, raising tension between Moscow and the West. (REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili)
Obama threatens boycott over Putin's Ukraine actions
Obama warns Russia of 'costs' for intervention in Ukraine
— Members of the local Ukrainian community are casting a worried eye toward their ancestral homeland, concerned that a brutal Russian response could be coming to the uprising that displaced the country's pro-Moscow president.
"The feeling is that the president of the Ukraine, now that the Olympics are over, is in the waiting room of Putin's office, looking for help to squelch the uprising," said the Rev. Robert Smolley, pastor of Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish. The Manchester church is part of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, which follows the authority of the Roman Catholic Pope.
Smolley said the freedom that people in the Ukraine have enjoyed since the collapse of the former Soviet Union means they will not readily accept a return to domination by a regime in Moscow.
"In the 20 years that the Ukraine has been free, the educational system has been revitalized, the church has a been revitalized, people are more aware of what is going on in the world," Smolley said. "When the Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, news was filtered by the government and people were not aware of world situations as they are now."
The Ukrainian community in Manchester has become increasingly Americanized over the past few decades, as direct immigration from the Ukraine has dwindled with the closing of city mills and the decline in farming as a vocation in New Hampshire.
But Smolley sees deep concern his parishioners of Ukrainian heritage over the increasingly strident battle for the Ukraine.
"The fear would be that if there is a realignment with Moscow that especially the Ukrainian Catholic Church would come under gross attack just as it did before the Ukraine received freedom and the church was re-established."
Ukrainians in the United States fear that Putin will decide to crush their country's independence, as a first step toward re-establishing control over other, weaker former Soviet republics.
"Putin is an egotist and he would just be sticking another feather in his cap if he said 'I can take back the Ukraine, the biggest of the Soviet bloc countries that received their independence,'" Smolley said. "It would show how easy it would be to go back and annex Georgia and some of those other countries; there is a great deal at stake."


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NYSE Euronext outlined an aggressive plan to create its own clearing house for futures transactions on Wednesday, a move that leaves its current provider, LCH.Clearnet, without a key customer and ends talk the U.S. exchange may try to acquire it.
The move to launch its own clearing unit next year and start moving business off LCH at that point comes after NYSE's rival, the London Stock Exchange, entered exclusive talks to acquire LCH in September last year.
Continue Reading Below
NYSE Euronext was forced last month to drop a $7.4 billion merger with Deutsche Boerse, a development which had prompted talk it would look afresh at buying LCH.
Clearers are responsible for netting out the positions investors take when they trade on exchanges like the LSE and NYSE. The results are passed on to settlement businesses, which act as custodians of the resulting assets. Given increased regulatory scrutiny since the financial crisis, clearing has become a lucrative business.
NYSE said its British futures business will move to the new clearing facility in the summer of next year while its European futures business will follow in the first quarter of 2014.
"Our clients have long asked for a consolidation of clearing arrangements and the strength of our European derivatives business allows us to deliver meaningful benefits for them in the form of capital efficiencies and savings," said NYSE Euronext Chief Exec Duncan Niederauer.
NYSE Euronext said it would separately renegotiate the terms of its agreement with LCH regarding the provision of clearing to its stock exchanges in Europe, and the new arrangements will take effect from early 2014.
"NYSE has said it's taking derivatives and leaving equities with LCH, which is what we expected. The timing of the move may be later than expected, which is good for LCH, but there's no getting round the fact LCH is losing one of its biggest customers," said Richard Perrott, exchange analyst at Berenberg Bank.
NYSE, with the LSE and the London Metals Exchange, are LCH's largest exchange clients, providing the bank-owned clearing house with valuable sources of revenue.
The NYSE statement draws a line under speculation NYSE Euronext, which has ambitions to boost its clearing business, would bid to buy LCH, despite the Anglo-French clearer having opened exclusive sales talks with the LSE last year. [ID: nL5E8DS71N]
"If NYSE were going to move to buy LCH they would have done so already and the two firms are coming from different places - LCH operates a horizontal clearing model, whereas NYSE is shifting to a vertical structure to protect its lucrative futures business," said Perrott.
The LSE and LCH welcomed the NYSE pledge on Wednesday and said they look forward to working with their rival following the completion of their merger, expected later this year.
NYSE wants to start clearing trades executed on its many exchanges to open up a lucrative revenue stream at a time that regulators are looking to force more types of tradeable assets to use clearing.
Politicians in the United States and Europe want the vast over-the-counter markets, including some of the world's most toxic asset types, to start clearing to address some of the problems exposed by the financial crisis in 2008.
The LSE purchase of LCH is seen by analysts as a move to preempt this regulation by taking control of LCH's OTC clearing service Swapclear, the market leader in interest rate swaps.
The NYSE pledge to launch its own clearing house comes just two months after European competition regulators blocked its merger with Deutsche Boerse, which owns its clearing house, Eurex Clearing.
Exchanges, like the LSE, NYSE and Deutsche Boerse, use clearing houses, like LCH and Eurex, to mitigate risks by refunding exchange members in the event that a trading firm fails, like Lehman Brothers in 2008.
NYSE said on Wednesday it will invest around $85 million in its new clearing house and expects annual cost-savings of around $30 million.
"New revenue streams will accrue from 2014 from NYSE Euronext continental derivatives clearing and from other new post-trade business opportunities including OTC clearing," the exchange said.


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The Younger Generation
August 1999
A note from TheBody.com: The field of medicine is constantly evolving. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!
"Simply Medical" presents information on a variety of topics in HIV/AIDS treatment and research. It is published as a service to our readers and is intended for information purposes only. Treatment decisions should always be made in consultation with physicians and other healthcare providers.
The most well-known type of drugs used to treat HIV are protease inhibitors. There are five protease inhibitors approved by the federal government, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. The currently approved protease inhibitors, sometimes referred to as first-generation protease inhibitors, are Crixivan, Norvir, Fortovase, Viracept, and Agenerase.
Although these drugs have been used in combination with other types of anti-HIV drugs for several years now, it's clear that they won't work forever. In fact, some drug combinations don't work well at all for some people. None of the currently approved protease inhibitors or other types of anti-HIV treatments are able to eliminate HIV from the body completely.
Fortunately, a younger generation of protease inhibitors, hoped but not yet proven to be stronger, easier to take, and better at getting rid of HIV throughout the body, is now being looked at in doctors' offices, clinics, and research centers throughout the United States.
Second-generation protease inhibitors will probably be taken once or twice a day. The hope for these new drugs, which behave differently in the body than do their predecessors, is that HIV will have less chance to develop resistance to them and that any resistance that does develop will be different from the resistance caused by the already approved protease inhibitors.
In some cases, these new studies are looking for people who need new treatment options because they are not responding well to already approved treatments -- always one of the main reasons that people consider joining research studies. In other cases, these newly opened treatment studies are looking for people who are treatment naive.
The clinical trials described below have specific eligibility criteria. For example, if you have already taken a protease inhibitor combination, you may not be eligible for some studies, while other studies have gone out of their way to test new drugs in people who have already taken quite a few other HIV drugs.
The CandidatesL-756,423. A new experimental protease inhibitor, L-756,423 is being compared with the already approved protease inhibitor Crixivan. The drug company Merck makes both of these drugs. L-756,423 is believed to stay in the blood longer than Crixivan, so researchers are trying to see if it should be taken once or twice a day. Participants in the study will be divided into four groups, each being given different dosages and combinations of L-756,423, Crixivan, and other HIV drugs.
Tipranavir. For several years the drug company Pharmacia & Upjohn has been studying a new kind of protease inhibitor that is not supposed to have the same resistance mutations as the currently approved ones. Several other companies are developing this kind of protease inhibitor, called non-peptidic- type PIs, as well. It is not yet known if these new drugs are safe and effective, but studies continue.
Pharmacia & Upjohn is actively recruiting participants for a study of one such drug, tipranavir. This study is for people who have used at least two protease inhibitors. Participants must have a CD4 count over fifty and a viral load over 5,000. Previous studies have shown that adding ritonavir increases levels of tripranavir in the body. Therefore, both groups in the study will receive both tipranavir and ritonavir, but in different dosages. In addition, both groups will take one new NRTI and one new NNRTI.
BMS232632. The makers of ddI, Bristol-Myers Squibb, have chosen to use a once-a-day dose of ddI in their study of their new protease inhibitor, currently called BMS232632. The control group in the study takes a combination of ddI, d4T, and the protease inhibitor nelfinavir. The other three groups take ddI once a day, along with the experimental protease inhibitor. Everyone also takes d4T, another Bristol-Myers Squibb drug, twice a day; studies so far have shown that d4T can-not be taken once a day.
Although little is known about how the new protease inhibitor will work, it is useful that Bristol is testing an unapproved dose of an already approved drug. Many doctors are already prescribing once-a-day ddI. Assuming that the study enrolls enough people to provide a solid basis for comparison, this study could add to our understanding of the drug ddI. The ddI used in this study, however, is not the new encapsulated version.
ABT-378(r). One of the promising second-generation protease inhibitors currently being developed is Abbott Laboratories' ABT-378(r). In clinical trials conducted so far, the drug had a very strong anti-HIV effect. The majority of people who took the drug reduced their HIV viral levels to undetectable in a matter of weeks and experienced increases in their T4 cell counts. It is hoped that ABT-378(r) will be effective against strains of HIV that are resistant to other protease inhibitors, although the HIV virus of the people in the studies has, in some cases, show signs of mutations that could lead to resistance.
Clinical trials have opened for people who have never taken any HIV treatments before, as well as for people who have. Both studies have highly restrictive eligibility criteria. Unfortunately, none of the currently enrolling clinical trials for ABT-378(r) allow people who have already taken an NNRTI type, such as Sustiva or Viramune, to join. There is no expanded Access program for the drug at this time.
Abbott plans to continue to develop the drug as a combination of ABT-378 and a small amount of their other protease inhibitor Norvir (ritonavir). The ritonavir is added because it greatly increases the amount of ABT-378 that gets into the body. It appears that using a small dose of the already approved PI ritonavir greatly increases the levels of ABT-378 in the body. This may allow the drug to overpower PI-resistant strains of HIV.
One study, AD-378, is for people who have had experience with at least two protease inhibitor combinations for at least twelve weeks apiece. Everyone in this study must have taken at least two protease inhibitors in the past. There is also another study for people with single protease experience, M98-888. You cannot ever have taken Sustiva, Viramune, or Rescriptor.
Some TipsA note of caution to people considering switching their current treatment: There are many "switching studies" that are closely looking at the effects of this treatment strategy. In most cases, however, you will not be eligible for a study if you have already switched to another class of drugs, even for a short time. Ask your doctor if a clinical trial would be a good idea if you were about to switch drugs. You would be making a very valuable contribution to everyone's knowledge of HIV treatment.
There is also another thing to keep in mind. Many studies require that you have never taken certain types of drugs before. But there is a little-recognized exception that might be of great benefit. Some studies are looking for people who are treatment naive, although the definition of naive doesn't always mean that you can never have taken the drug. In many studies, for example, it is all right if you have taken a protease inhibitor for less than two weeks or ten days. If you tried taking a protease inhibitor for a week, then stopped because you couldn't tolerate it, many studies will still consider you naive. This is often true regarding NRTI-type drugs such as ddI or d4T. In some cases, you are still considered eligible for a study if you have taken one or more of these drugs for less than four weeks.
People who have never participated in a research study, or who would like to know more about the process of testing HIV treatments, can request a free copy of The Network's handbook, Should I Join an AIDS Drug Trial?. This handbook includes important questions you should know the answers to before you agree to participate in any clinical trial. The Summer 1999 edition of The Experimental Treatment Guide is also available free of charge to people interested in knowing about the many different drugs and types of studies they may be interested in.
Ken Fornataro is Program Director of the New York City Case Management Program and Richard Jefferys is the Access Project Director at the AIDS Treatment Data Network. For more information, call (800) 734-7104. Affiliation is provided for purposes of identification, not representation.
A note from TheBody.com: The field of medicine is constantly evolving. As a result, parts of this article may be outdated. Please keep this in mind, and be sure to visit other parts of our site for more recent information!
This article was provided by Body Positive. It is a part of the publication Body Positive.


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By Brad Poole
TUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) - An Arizona man was set free on Tuesday after serving four decades for murder in connection with a 1970 hotel fire that killed 29 people, after new evidence emerged throwing his conviction into question.
"It's good to feel Mother Earth under my feet again," Louis Taylor, 58, told reporters seconds after leaving the prison grounds in a car with members of his legal defense team.
Taylor was freed after a Pima County Superior Court judge agreed there was sufficient evidence to grant a new trial.
During the same hearing, Taylor pleaded "no contest" to each of 28 counts of murder and accepted a plea agreement in which he would not admit guilt.
He was immediately sentenced to time served and agreed to seek no compensation for his time behind bars. He will not be required to pay restitution.
Paul D'Hedouville II, whose father, Paul D'Hedouville, died in the fire, read a statement to the court. He listed a few life moments his father - a 31-year-old attorney in 1970 - missed over the years. There were Christmases, anniversaries and weddings, soccer games, trips to the beach and camping trips, D'Hedouville said, at times choking back tears.
"He was never able to go to Ireland to meet my future bride," he said.
D'Hedouville, who flew in from Washington, D.C. for the hearing, harbors no ill will toward Taylor and observed that the man convicted of his father's murder can now do as he wants.
"Do as you choose, Mr. Taylor, but choose wisely. Do not waste your new beginning," he told Taylor, who was listening from his defense table wearing orange prison garb and shackles.
Taylor was 16 when the Pioneer Hotel fire broke out just after midnight on December 20, 1970. His accounts of why he went to the Tucson hotel vary, but he eventually admitted to putting on a bus-boy's smock to try to steal drinks from a Hughes Aircraft company Christmas party.
Hundreds of people were gathered for the party, and the hotel was packed with visitors from Mexico in town for Christmas shopping. The fire started on the third floor of the 14-story building and quickly spread upward through a stairwell, trapping people above the blaze. Some victims jumped to their deaths from the building to escape flames.
Twenty-eight people died that night from burns or smoke inhalation, and one died months later from injuries sustained in the fire.
Taylor was arrested within hours of the fire and lied to investigators about seeing others starting the fire. He gave conflicting accounts of what he saw, and he admitted to investigators that he had a history of starting fires.
Taylor was eventually convicted by a jury and sentenced to life in prison.
Doubts arose quickly about the conviction, with some observers saying the all-white jury made a racist decision about Taylor, who is black. In recent years, lawyers for the Arizona Defense Project took up the cause, calling for a new trial.
A Tucson Fire Department examination of the evidence earlier this year concluded that the origin of the fire would be deemed "undetermined" using current technology and techniques. That report was key to the request for a new trial. Judge Richard S. Fields on Tuesday agreed a new trial was warranted.
Taylor planned to spend his first night of freedom with Kristina Beckman-Britco, a volunteer for the ADP who became his friend while he was in prison. He has requested only bacon and ice cream, she said through tears as she watched Taylor get into a car to ride to freedom.
"I want to make sure he wakes up to the smell of bacon," she said.
(Reporting by Brad Poole; Editing by Mary Wisniewski and Todd Eastham)


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The American Soybean Association's campaign to allow USDA to donate up to $1 billion in soybeans and soy products overseas is drawing opposition from what might be considered an unexpected source - a soybean farmer.
Harvey Joe Sanner, a former president of the American Agriculture Movement and a grower from Des Arc, Ark., says the campaign that ASA has been pushing for more than a year actually amounts to a form of "corporate welfare."
Last year, ASA began working with the major grain companies to develop a program where Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman could tap the Commodity Credit Corp. to buy soybeans and soy products for donation overseas - without displacing U.S. commercial sales.
Glickman approved the program, but it ran into a stone wall when it reached the White House Office of Management and Budget. Although not saying so publicly, OMB officials appear to believe that farmers have received all the help they need from the government.
ASA recently began a postcard campaign to persuade the secretary to try to get the program off center prior to the elections. The campaign prompted Sanner to level a blast at the Soybean Association. "As a member of the American Soybean Association from Arkansas, I'm appalled at this brazen appeal," he said. "With a marketing loan program in place that allows the movement of crops at world market prices, it is ludicrous to propose corporate welfare of this magnitude."
Referring to a spokesman's statement that the donation program would help ASA move closer to its affiliates, Sanner said the organization is already married to the grain trade.
"That marriage from hell helped push Freedom to Farm down the throats of the American farmer with little regard to the devastation it would cause soybean growers," said Sanner, who serves on Sen. Blanche Lincoln's Agricultural Advisory Committee and has ties to the Clinton White House.
In an open letter to Secretary Glickman, Sanner said he would propose an alternate plan: Apply the $1 billion to the soybean marketing loan program. "Using round numbers of a 3-billion-bushel soybean crop, that would mean a 33 cents per bushel increase for American farmers."
With redemption at the world price, "the market would still be able to acquire soybeans at bargain basement prices," he noted. "Thirty-three cents is not a lot, but at least it would benefit soybean producers. That is the segment of the farm population that ASA continues to ignore."
Before we're deluged with letters and phone calls, let me quickly say that this publication supports the objectives of farm organizations like ASA and of producer-funded programs like the soybean checkoff. And, we certainly are not opposed to food donations overseas.
But, we also believe that Sanner's comments reflect a growing sentiment among producers - that benefits from such programs should be targeted at their level rather than allowed to "trickle down" after the grain companies take a share of the proceeds.
We expect those feelings to be a major topic as farmers and their organizations begin to hammer out positions on farm policy issues for the next farm bill.


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Congratulations to Carl Schardt, Conan Witzel, and David Haycock for being some of our first readers to work out that the September puzzler showed part of Queensland's Channel Country. Carl quickly recognized it was the Simpson Desert, but it took Conan and David a few days to pinpoint the exact area shown.
If you missed it, check out the caption we published about the area back in September as one of our Images of the Days. We've published a few other images of Channel Country in the past that are worth a look, including a false-color MODIS image of flooding in 2011 and a false-color Landsat image of the Burke and Hamilton Rivers in 2000.
If you want to find out more about the geography of Queensland, we highly recommend heading over to Queensland by Degrees, a "community geography" project organized by the Royal Geographical Society of Queensland (RGSQ). As part of the project, folks are heading to the bush to take photos and record basic information about specific locations all over Queensland.
Their Eyre Creek site (25.000°S 139.000°E) is quite close to the spot we showed in the puzzler (139.216 E, 24.601 S). Go here for a full map of the areas RGSQ has surveyed. The picture below offers a glimpse of what the landscape looks like from the ground. No dunes in sight, but the group did report the area featured "undifferentiated Cainozoic gravel and pebbles of silicifed rock (i.e. gibbers)."


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The economies of China and the U.S. have become "interdependent and inseparable," a top Chinese official said Wednesday after high-level trade talks which were being watched for signs of how the two powers will cooperate after their respective political transitions.
Vice Premier Wang Qishan was speaking after the annual U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade. Tackling dozens of thorny, detailed trade issues, the two days of talks were short on big outcomes but set an upbeat tone for relations after President Barack Obama's re-election and the elevation of new leaders of China's ruling Communist Party.
Wang, who last month was elevated to a spot in the elite seven-man Politburo Standing Committee, said recovery of the world economy in the next five years will be sluggish, so the U.S.-China economic relationship has acquired critical importance.
"Our two countries have to strengthen our economic relationship. We have to come to terms with the fact that we have become interdependent and inseparable," he said.
The two nations share more than $500 billion in two-way trade, heavily weighted in China's favor. That is a longstanding bone of contention for Washington, which has stepped up its trade complaints against China. It also wants Beijing to stimulate domestic demand so its economy is less reliant on export growth and allow more market access for American companies.
New Chinese party leader Xi Jinping, who will succeed Hu Jintao as the nation's president in March, is already under domestic pressure to revive a Chinese economy that has slowed some after three decades of rapid growth.
Speaking to American business executives at a glitzy dinner after the trade talks, Wang drew a direct comparison between Xi and Obama, saying both had a "very heavy weight to bear" to make good on promises they have made to their peoples during the campaign for "election."
Wang said China was sticking to the path of economic reform. He said China would honor its promises to observe trade rules and give fair treatment to foreign companies — amid concerns over the reach of China's hulking state-owned enterprises and restrictions on investment in some sectors of the economy.
"When we say we are opening up in China, it's not just empty talk," said Wang, who has been China's point man on financial and trade policy with the United States. He will soon be giving up that portfolio to focus on the fight against corruption.
Both sides were upbeat about the wide-ranging trade talks.
The U.S. cited progress on intellectual property protection, market barriers and Chinese government procurement policies but said there was much more to be done.
"We have provided a new platform for a strong U.S.-China relationship," acting U.S. Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank told a news conference.
China pointed to U.S. reforms of its controls on high-technology exports and a commitment to fair treatment for Chinese companies investing in the U.S. China claims its companies are discriminated against in national security screening procedures.
Commerce Minister Chen Deming sounded a note of caution, saying China still needed to wait for a while to observe "what kind of measures the U.S. side is going to take." Wang contended that Chinese investors were being subject to political background checks.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said China's concerns on the investment screening would be referred to Treasury but defended the screening procedures as having affected few investors. He said Chinese direct investment in the U.S. had grown to $9 billion from $2 billion in just three years.


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The Honda Civic performed its civic duty for 2012 by remaining Canada's best-selling car for the 15th consecutive year.
Honda sold 64,962 Civics by the end of last year, edging out the second-place Hyundai Elantra by 14,012 cars.
In a press release, Jerry Chenkin, the executive vice president of Honda Canada, called the 15-year milestone "something very special to us."
"We truly value the trust that our customers put in us when they buy a Civic, or any Honda product," he said. "Buying a car is a big decision and we're thankful for the opportunity to be part of the lives of so many Canadians every year."
Since 1973, Honda Canada has turned out more than 3.6 million Civics from their Alliston, Ont., plant.
"It's a vehicle that has evolved and grown with this country," Mr. Chenkin wrote. "Fifteen years is an accomplishment that the entire Honda family can be very proud of; from our 4,200 associates in Alliston, to our dealers and regional and national staff across the country."
By the end of 2012, Hyundai recorded 50,950 Elantra sales, including the sedan, Touring, and GT models.


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Benedict Cumberbatch & Mystery Gal Hold Hands in London!
Benedict Cumberbatch holds hands with a mystery woman while leaving Cirque du Soir nightclub on Saturday evening (July 27) in London, England.
The 37-year-old actor was reportedly having a belated birthday party. His actual birthday was last weekend!
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict spent his birthday weekend in Spain serving as the officiant at a friend's wedding. He even went shirtless in a photo while hanging by the pool with his pals!
10+ pictures inside of Benedict Cumberbatch holding hands with a mystery woman…


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Reviewed by Dylan D. (age 6)
My favorite part of the story is when Arthur lost his chocolate chip cookie because it made me laugh. My least favorite character is Violet because she is annoying. This story relates to my life because I also go to school.
This story has pictures that are colorful and pretty. The pictures help explain the story. I think others should read this story because it is about four monkeys going to school.


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Interview: Liza Johnson from "Hateship Loveship"
Kristen Wiig's latest film "Hateship Loveship" is a very pleasant surprise as the comedian takes on a very dramatic role. Not only will you love Kristen's performance, but you will also find yourself captivated by all the actor's performances in the film including: Guy Pearce, Hailee Steinfeld, and Nick Nolte. Director Liza Johnson has done a wonderful job bringing this story to the big screen and Movie Room Reviews was lucky enough to get her thoughts on making this wonderful film.
Nick Leyland from Movie Room reviews: Hi Liza! Congratulations on your new film "Hateship, Loveship" which is now on VOD.
Liza Johnson: Thank you.
MRR: Now the film has some wonderful actors in it and obviously the biggest surprise for people will be the performance from Kristen Wiig, which was a brilliant and wonderful performance, but it's not the performance that people are used to by her. Can you tell us a little bit about her character and why people are going to enjoy her in a dramatic role?
Liza Johnson: Well, maybe you can tell me too, but I wanted her to do the role because I just thought she would really understand the character and really embrace it. For me, I think you can see from her other work that she is wildly talented and she obviously knows how to create a character like on Saturday Night Live, you have to communicate so much in such a short period of time. I think she's a very warm actor and, for me, that was important for this character because the character doesn't... Like most Alice Munro characters, she doesn't always say what she thinks in words. I felt that if it were an actor who were less warm, you might just have no idea what's going on.
And, although the movie is not humorless, it's by no means comic. I would say that it's a big dramatic character role for her. Alice Munro is a very restrained writer who is somewhat restrained culture of taciturn Midwestern people. I just really felt that Kristen could bring her warmth to that role, but also her skills at thinking about a character and, in particular, a character like that. I just felt from the characters I've seen her create, she would understand what it means for this woman to sort of come from a place where it doesn't do her any good to want things that she can't have, and then suddenly develop this desire and have to really figure out how to realize that desire.
I just think she's such an intelligent actor and she's also very good at communicating an inner life without saying it in words. So, I just really felt that she would be the right person for this role. And I think it will be surprising for people to see her be so restrained, but I hope it will be a pleasant surprise. I mean, some people have been saying to me that they forget that it's her when they're watching the film, and I think when you see a kind of well-known actor in a realist drama, that's a big compliment if people are seeing her disappear.
MRR: Right. It's great because I couldn't tell if Johanna Parry, who's the character played by Wiig, if she's either this completely pathetic person or if she's the strongest woman alive. How did you two try to balance that together? You have this woman who can barely speak to people but she works harder than anybody you know and takes the biggest risk of her life. How did you guys balance that?
Liza Johnson: I think that we just always knew that she goes to a place that's new to her, so she's unfamiliar with it, but we never felt like she was stupid or never felt like she was pathetic. You know what I mean? We felt like she was in a new world and trying to figure things out. And I think that her strength gets revealed across the course of her character's arc.
MRR: Now we also see some great performances from Guy Pearce and Nick Nolte, and a few other people. Tell me what you think these veteran actors brought to their roles?
Liza Johnson: Oh gosh. Well, it was a pretty big thrill to just get to work with people who have that level of craft. And Guy is so nice and so hard working and he has an amazing range. His Andy Warhol is one of the best Andy Warhols I've ever seen and then he also can do these egregiously masculine kind of cowboy roles too. He just is such a serious actor and he's so nice to work with, and we had a really good time. Nick also is really very committed to his craft and he's actually from Iowa where the film is set. Even the first time I met him, he was coming out with his method-y research and showing me the pictures of the houses he grew up in Iowa. I'm also from Ohio, so to prepare the character, we talked a lot about the worlds that we came from and how people act and react and the kind of contacts, the kind of worlds that we lived in, which are similar to the one where the film takes place.
And I mean the other actors are also just wildly talented like Hailee Steinfeld is a pretty young person, but she's really earthy and really natural, and also just really serious about her craft, and she's a very impressive person. And even in some of the smaller roles, like Jennifer Jason Leigh comes into that movie like a little tornado, and it's kind of amazing to get to work with her and with Christine Lahti who's a really sophisticated person who just brings a lot of craft to the movie. For me, it's my second movie. So all of those people have made a lot more movies than I have, and it was pretty thrilling to get to see them bring their skills to realize my vision.
MRR: Well, can you tell us how this story was adapted from the Alice Munro story, The Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage?
Liza Johnson: I didn't write it. It's written by Mark Poirier who, I don't know if you know his work, but he also is a very lovely literary writer. You know, he writes fiction and screenplays. When the book first came out, "Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage," he and the production executive were both reading that book at the same time, and they both had a real passion for it, and so that's how they started doing it. It's a pretty interesting case study in a way because Alice Munro is such an amazing and vivid writer of the inner lives of everyday people, and she really uses all the techniques that literature makes available including some of the most exquisite moments in the source material just happen inside people's heads. You know what I mean? Really stuff that you can't photograph.
If you shot her story literally, the most interesting moments you would just see people standing in a room or something because a lot of the crucial elements happen inside people's emotional life. So, I was really impressed with the way that Mark worked to make that literary form into something that can be a movie where on some level, to understand anything, either someone has to do a meaningful action or they have to say something or they have to react to each other. You know what I mean? And so, it's actually a pretty big transposition from one art form to another, and I think that because of the way that he wrote that and because of the ways that the actors really seemed to also understand the tone of what we were trying to accomplish, that the movie has a plot and it has many... It's not a totally different plot, but it has more plot, let's say, in order to try to make clear some of the goals of the story. But I hope that it's accountable to the tone of the original story because it's really like a very beautiful story.
At school, they told me that you should always adapt mediocre literature so that your movie can be better than the book. That's not really an option here because the story is just a very well made story and our hope was that the strength of the source material would support a good movie, but there's no way you can do better than the story.
MRR: Right. I was gonna say that you did a brilliant job at balancing in this film because you basically had these two stories that needed to meet up. You had the grandfather and the granddaughter and then the son, the drug-addicted son. You have these two sides that you need to show people about, and Kristen Wiig's kind of like the catalyst for the plot. How did you end up balancing all of these different stories and have all the characters so well put because I got to know all the characters and in a lot of films like this I feel like I didn't learn a bunch about certain characters that I think I should have known about?
Liza Johnson: Oh, that's such a nice compliment to the writer. I'll tell him that you said that. I think that Johanna, the character that Kristen Wiig plays, is really the core of the story, and to me even the source material that Alice Munro wrote suggests that really in a way all of us are kind of just responding as best we can to the things that happen to us, and that we actually do affect each other. And often in her work, that doesn't go well for people, and in this story, the people seem to be able to accommodate themselves to each other, but I think in some ways, even her material asks you to think about the ways that the strange gestures that you make end up actually having a big impact on other people's lives. So that in this story, the girls do a trick to someone, and then the implications of that really play out for everyone.
MRR: Well, you did a really great job with it, and I really enjoyed the fact that I got to know at least the main characters that I needed to know.
Liza Johnson: Thank you.
MRR: So one of the fun things that I liked about it was, because since I'm from Ohio, watching or looking at Kristen Wiig's wardrobe. Now they weren't exactly the hippest clothes on the block [chuckle] and I don't know if people from Ohio actually dress that way, but how did she feel about having to wear that wardrobe?
Liza Johnson: Well, we really like our costume designer, Jennifer Von Mayrhauser, and all three of us are very character-driven in our intentions, and I don't think we were trying to make her look like she was from Iowa so much as we were thinking about the idea that she's a frugal person that's been living with an old woman for 15 years. And so what kind of clothes would she have access to, where would she be buying her clothes. And we were thinking about that she probably just wouldn't have new clothes. That she would recycle things or buy things from church sales and thrift stores, and things like that. So her clothes, I think, in a way, seem to be recycled in away that the other characters don't.
I will say, at the end of the shoot, we're all a little bit sorry that the shoot was over, but Kristen was excited to put her own clothes.
MRR: And Guy Pearce, all he had to do was show up with what he wore last night to bed, right? Pretty much?
Liza Johnson: He's mostly wearing costume clothes in that his actual clothes are cuter.
MRR: Well, what else could we look forward to seeing from you in the future now that this movie is out on VOD?
Liza Johnson: Well, I'm writing something that actually takes place in Ohio, so I'm intrigued to see if I could actually shoot that in Ohio. It's a story about a surprising thing that happens to a group of teenage girls. And I also... I'm working on a project with Michael Shannon that I'm excited about, and they're both, I think, really good performance movies. They're not as quiet as this movie, but I think there's a thread of thematic continuity.
MRR: Cool. Well, I hope you get to come to Ohio and shoot it.
Liza Johnson: Awesome. Well, thank you so much for your interest.


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The Watchlist allows you to target Twitter users to see how their posts may be handled by (OSINT) gathering systems.
Up to 5 handles can be added to an agent's watchlist.
Tweets from targeted users are searched daily, and will be added to the results as they become available. Suggestions for handles to add include:
Watchlist results can be sorted by handle name.
The metadata for each targeted post contains evaluations from two machine learning classifiers.
You have the option to evaluate the post yourself.
Providing evaluations and feedback helps to improve the classifiers' predictions.
Click here for more details
Informational Video
The Watchlist allows you to create a list of Twitter handles to monitor.


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Venezuelans oppose Chávez attempt to nationalize private food company
Friday, July 9, 2010
As in all major government takeovers of private companies in Venezuela, President Hugo Chávez declared that seizing beer-and-food giant Polar's facilities here would mark another victory for the poor in the country's march toward socialism.
"Why is it that Polar has so much money?" Chávez asked in a February speech made in this city in northwest Venezuela. "I say to the owner of Polar: Start making plans, because you are going to be out of here."
Weeks later, a decree expropriating Polar's warehouses and offices in an industrial zone of Barquisimeto was signed. And Venezuelans, after nearly 12 years of state interventions under Chávez, expected the government to quickly sweep the company's facilities in the country's fourth-largest city from their current location and replace them with apartments. Chávez suggested that he might even nationalize the entire company, which has plants and distribution points nationwide.
Except this time, the president's plans went badly awry, exposing mounting national opposition to a policy under which oil companies, supermarkets and factories have been taken over by the state, only to founder under the control of government functionaries.
Not only did Polar fight back by taking its case to the Supreme Court, but its employees have risen up, too, rallying in opposition to Chávez's edict and holding all-night vigils to prevent a takeover. Among those who joined the uprising was Henri Falcón, the popular governor of Lara state, a former ally of Chávez's who says the president has not considered long-term consequences when nationalizing companies.
"The president arrives and it occurs to him to say, 'This has to be expropriated,' without taking into account the technical or legal criteria," Falcon said in an interview last week. "We oppose this because it does not make sense. It is more an impulse of the president."
The government has characterized the struggle with Polar as one between good and evil, with Chávez giving several speeches in which he has mocked Polar's owner, Lorenzo Mendoza, who is one of Latin America's richest men.
"We will see who can last longer, Mendoza, you with your millions or me with my morals," Chávez said in a nationally televised speech in June. "Because you are the rich one. You are going to hell, to heaven you will not go."
The president has also called on workers to rise up against the elites. "I invoke the real Venezuelan working class for economic war against the bourgeoisie," said Chávez, who directly warned Mendoza that he could nationalize the entire Polar company, which accounts for 2.4 percent of the country's non-oil gross domestic product and is the country's largest private company. Its polar bear logo is well-known throughout Venezuela and other countries.
Mendoza, 44, has not publicly responded to the attacks, and Polar officials declined to comment about Chávez's efforts to nationalize the installations in Barquisimeto.
But employees said they oppose the government intervention because they think workers have fared badly at nationalized companies, where they have faced reduced wages and been unable to bargain collectively.
"At no time have we been taken into account and asked to say if we agree," said Richard Prieto, head of one of the two unions that represent more than 800 workers here.
Workers also said Polar offers wages and benefits that far outstrip those of other employers in Venezuela, including the state.
"We are saying no because we have seen the experiences of other expropriated companies," said Juan Tacoa, president of the other union. "Here in Polar, we have benefits we know we would not have with the government."
The stand taken by the workers has gone beyond the metal gates that surround the facilities from which the company distributes beer, wine and other beverages. A poll by Consultores 21, a Caracas firm, showed that 84 percent of the residents of Barquisimeto oppose the takeover. Nearly 70 percent said they thought the government would never build housing for the poor on the site, which is what Chávez says he envisions once Polar is removed.
The revolt against the president's plans has been particularly embarrassing because it has come during a roiling scandal involving the state's mismanagement of food distribution. Over the past two months, tens of thousands of tons of imported food bound for state-subsidized markets has been found rotting at ports and in warehouses. Petróleos de Venezuela, the state oil company, was responsible for distributing the food, which included chickens, cereal and powdered milk.
Food production has fallen precipitously under Chávez, while imports have sharply increased. Food scarcity and high prices have become nagging realities, which recently prompted the government to nationalize a string of supermarkets.
Polar, meanwhile, has grown in recent years into a behemoth that employs 30,000 workers and operates 14 plants and 75 distribution centers in Venezuela. Since Mendoza's grandfather founded the company in 1941, it has expanded to produce everything from beer to butter to cooking oil to mayonnaise. Its most famous food product is the popular precooked flour needed for the cornmeal cakes that are a national staple.
"It's a company like Kraft or Procter & Gamble which sells a lot of staples, things that people use," said Robert Bottome, editor of VenEconomía, a Caracas business journal. "And it has a tradition that goes back 60 years of maintaining quality and treating its customers well and its workers well. It should be a model for what all companies should be. Sounds corny, but that's the reality of it."
Last week, workers played dominoes and ping-pong as the sun went down -- another night approached in which they would make sure Chávez's supporters did not storm the gates.
Big wooden pallets blocked entrances, and banners that were draped on fences and walls read "Polar is everyone" and "You're not alone." A bus filled with workers from another Polar facility arrived to help.
Taking a moment from playing dominoes, Santos Freites, 42, who helps load trucks, said he had worked all day, gone home to eat and was now ready to settle in for nine more hours.
"This is our fight, our cause, and the reason we are here is our jobs," he said. "We are here because we need to defend our jobs, for our children and our families."


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WATCH: Witnesses describe bloody horror of Las Vegas massacre
LAS VEGAS (Sinclair Broadcast Group) - It was supposed to be a fun night out, but soon, people attending a country festival concert were quickly fleeing what some described as a war zone.
Watch the video above to hear the stories from some of the people who were able to escape to safety.
CLICK HERE for the latest information on this breaking news story.


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The Path Of Resistance
Another way of explaining this practice is through the concept of physical resistance. All weight training, bodybuilding, and other fitness modalities are built upon this one inescapable law of physics. For example, a person's muscles may reach failure and soreness after their first attempt at lifting a designated amount of weight. After the proper sequences of rest and further attempts are followed, the 20th attempt at lifting this same amount of weight may feel effortless, and the weight must then be increased so that the muscles can be challenged to grow stronger once more. In essence, if you undertake some type of challenge enough times in a controlled manner, the task will eventually become easier. Apply the weight resistance metaphor to anything difficult you've worked on in your life, and you'll quickly see a correlation…
More than just a metaphor, physical training of any variety is an immediately accessible, concrete way to engage in a self-challenge practice, for those able or inclined. Moreover, there's a degree of mental challenge incorporated into all physical challenge, which makes those types of activities doubly beneficial. Of course, not everyone is inclined towards physical or athletic pursuits, but what seems to be so overlooked in our modern convenience-based lifestyle is that we can challenge our minds in the same structured and intentional manner as a bodybuilder or athlete, in order to make them stronger and more adept at meeting the challenges of living.
The bottom line is that learning occurs in both the body and the mind, simultaneously or separately. Not to mention, learning also occurs in animals, plants and all forms of life as a matter of survival and beyond that, surthrival. Learning via resistance is quite simply a primal, universal force that drives all life, and we can tap into it as much as we'd like.
(Nick can be found here: www.nickbaxter.com)


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October 03. 2013 8:38PM
Allen Lessels' College Football: Highly ranked Towson a tall order for UNH
By ALLEN LESSELS
New Hampshire Union Leader
Towson, no doubt, desires to make its statement in even stronger terms.
The University of New Hampshire Wildcats, especially the folks on the defensive side of the ball, are looking for a little redemption with a dash of payback on the side.
There's motivation galore and much on the line in Saturday's UNH-Towson game at noon (CSNE) at Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md.
UNH slipped to 1-2 on the season with last week's 34-27 loss to Lehigh and slid to No. 19 and No. 18 in the national polls this week.
Towson is flying along with a 5-0 record and is No. 2 in one poll, No. 3 in another.
The Tigers are fueled by last season. They beat UNH 64-35 in the last game of the regular season and figured the next day they were going to receive a bid to the FCS tournament.
They did not.
UNH got in with an 8-3 record and Towson stayed home at 7-4.
This year, the Tigers plan to leave no doubt about their qualifications for the tournament and are well on their way to doing just that.
This is a game the UNH guys on the defensive side of the ball circled when the schedule came out.
Towson and running back
Terrance West
in particular ran all over them — the Tigers and he have done that the last two years actually — and they have something to prove.
West, a 5-foot-11 and 223 pound junior, is at it again. He's leading the Colonial Athletic Association at 129 yards rushing per game and his 12 touchdowns on the ground are twice as many as anybody else has scored.
"He's explosive," said UNH coach
Sean McDonnell
. "He's a forward-pad leaning runner. He has great size. He has great acceleration. He's as good as we've seen in this league in a long time."
West teams with
Peter Athens
— a senior quarterback who likely has his own payback in mind against UNH — in the Towson backfield.
"He's done a great job of picking up where they left off at the quarterback position," McDonnell said. "If you watch him, he finds open guys. He's making the checks with his eyes, going through the progressions, and he's doing a very good job. I think the offensive line protects him quite well, and I think they've got a great bunch of guys."
Athens has been around. He opened his true freshman season as Towson's starter in 2009, back when the Tigers struggled.
He was the starter in a 57-7 loss to UNH on Oct. 3 that year and had the roughest of days. He attempted 20 passes and completed seven. UNH intercepted five of his passes and
Dino Vasso
(31 yards) and
Ryan McGuinness
(96 yards) each ran a pick back for a touchdown.
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DARTMOUTH, 1-1 overall, opens its Ivy schedule with a game at Penn, also 1-1, on Saturday at 1. The Quakers are the defending Ivy champs, have won three of the last four titles and were picked in the preseason poll to win another.
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ST. ANSELM, 0-4 overall and 0-3 in the Northeast-10, plays at Bentley, 2-2 and 1-2, on Saturday at 1.
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PLYMOUTH STATE, 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the MASCAC, plays Westfield State, 2-1 and 1-0, in its Homecoming game on Saturday at 2.
Jake Matthews
, a senior defensive back out of Windham and Salem High, leads the Panthers with 30 tackles and has an interception..
firstname.lastname@example.com On Twitter: @AllenLessels


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CANANDAIGUA � A trial is underway at Ontario County Courthouse for the third of three defendants charged with arson and conspiracy stemming from a house fire on Dec. 22, 2013. That blaze destroyed a 41 Saltonstall St. home and damaged two adjacent structures.
On trial is Shallamar L. Hayward-Crawford, 29, appearing Tuesday to be in very late stages of pregnancy and using a walker to navigate in and out of the courtroom. Hayward-Crawford, of 2110 Route 21, Canandaigua, is charged with one count of third-degree arson for the fire at her 41 Saltonstall St. property, two counts of fourth-degree arson for damage to adjoining properties, and attempted insurance fraud. All are felonies, said Ontario County First Assistant District Attorney Brian Dennis. Hayward-Crawford also faces a conspiracy charge, a misdemeanor.
If convicted, Hayward-Crawford could serve between seven-and-a-half to 15 years in state prison, Dennis said.
Previously found guilty of identical charges in separate litigations, and awaiting sentencing, are Hayward-Crawford�s husband, Samuel F. Crawford, of 2110 Route 21 in Canandaigua, and William Bradley Jr., of 3773 Route 247, Canandaigua.
According to trial testimony, Hayward-Crawford and Crawford � who are married and are the owners of the residence � allegedly committed the arson on Dec. 22, 2013, in an effort to receive proceeds from their insurance company. The couple allegedly approached William Bradley, Jr., who was an acquaintance, and asked him to help with the arson in the presence of his wife, Jessica Bradley.
Tuesday�s testimony before a jury of eight women and four men and Judge Craig Doran focused on text messages and recorded, monitored phone calls between Hayward-Crawford and Jessica Bradley.
Hayward-Crawford's defense counsel Aaron Sperano said Jessica Bradley �had a cooperation agreement which gave her immunity from any indictment and prosecution because she testified in grand jury and she cooperated with the police.�
�Today we heard some of her controlled phone calls that she made, with investigators present, to Shallamar Hayward-Crawford, basically trying to get her to confess to asking Bill Bradley to start the fire and telling him that they�d pay him $1,000 to do that,� said Sperano after court on Tuesday. �Shallamar did not admit anything on the phone calls.�
In contrast, ADA Dennis characterized the controlled phone call as �pretty damning,� following adjournment Tuesday.
Text messages between Hayward-Crawford and Jessica Bradley�that were entered into evidence showed Hayward-Crawford telling Bradley, as Bradley was being interviewed by police, �I can�t protect you if you throw yourselves to the wolves. Please don�t do anything stupid � we will all lose everything.�
Among Bradley�s texted responses was, �... the only stupid thing I did was letting Bill do this for you ��
Also testifying was Joseph Kusczkowski, a special investigator of suspicious claims at Allstate Insurance, who said Hayward-Crawford and Crawford had increased their insurance coverage of the home on Dec. 11, 2013, upping it from a $100,000 homeowner�s policy to a $180,000 landlord policy. The fire occurred on Dec. 22, 2013.
�The ADA is going to pitch to the jury that she did this in preparation of burning the house down,� said defense counsel Sperano. �It�s our position that Miss Hayward-Crawford was directed by her Allstate adjuster to get a new policy. ... She�s not going to gain anything more from doing it, other than spending more money on premiums. She�s doing it because her adjuster told her to.�
The trial will resume at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 7, and is likely to spill over into next week.
�I don�t think we can get it all done in a day,� said Dennis, �and the judge has indicated he�s booked in the morning and afternoon on Friday.�
On Thursday, Dennis plans to play a video of the fire in progress, and will call neighbors and possibly William Bradley Jr. as witnesses, he said.
Dennis said defense counsel Sperano said Monday in his opening statement that "he was going to drop some bombshell��
�I�m waiting to see what it�s going to be,� said Dennis. �We�re wondering �what is the defense?��
On July 17, Samuel Crawford was convicted of three counts of arson, one count of attempted insurance fraud and one count of conspiracy. The 33-year-old construction worker could face up to 15 years in prison in connection with the December fire. Judge Frederick Reed will sentence him on Sept. 25.
William Bradley Jr., 21, pleaded guilty to all counts on Monday, July 13, and will be sentenced on Sept. 3.
Hayward-Crawford is currently being held in Ontario County Jail, Dennis said.
None of the three has any previous convictions for arson-related offenses, and Crawford was on New York state parole for an unrelated offense, according to Canandaigua Det. Sergeant Scott Kadien.
Court record shows that Bradley did not receive payment from Crawford or Hayward-Crawford.
Trial begins for third co-defendent in Canandaigua arson cases
CANANDAIGUA � A trial is underway at Ontario County Courthouse for the third of three defendants charged with arson and conspiracy stemming from a house fire on Dec. 22, 2013. That blaze destroyed a 41 Saltonstall St. home and damaged two adjacent structures.


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Liberty Ross: I Felt 'Vulnerable' After Kristen Stewart Scandal
Liberty Ross grins from ear to ear as she leaves a Dior party held at Harry's Bar on Thursday (March 14) in London, England.
The 34-year-old model hugged a male pal goodbye as she exited the party and checked messages on her cell phone.
Liberty recently opened up about getting back on the runway for Alexander Wang after news of her estranged husband Rupert Sanders' cheating scandal with Kristen Stewart came to light.
"I was not in a good way at that point in my life and felt incredibly vulnerable," Liberty told The Edit (via E! News). "Doing the show was daunting, but it was wonderful to get up there, show my strength and shine for someone who believes in me. I was very grateful."


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Gossip Girl's Zuzanna Szadkowski Will Be on the New Season of Girls
Gossip Girl ended a year and a half ago, but there's still a Chuck-and-Blair-shaped hole in our hearts. Now comes news that the most easily beloved actress from the series will be popping up on another New York–set show: Zuzanna Szadkowski, who played Dorota for six glorious seasons, is headed to Girls. At last night's Gordon Parks Foundation Awards, Szadkowski was with BFF Andrew Rannells, who seemed thrilled about the whole thing. "This [new] season [of Girls] has felt like I'm much more part of the cast," Rannells says. "Also I think it's cool to say that my friend Zuzanna here also did several episodes this season, so that was really fun." Szadkowski says the two, who have been friends since high school, haven't worked together since they first moved to New York years ago. "She was going to Barnard and I had just dropped out of college, so Girls is our big professional reunion," Rannells says. As for what we can expect from season four, Rannells and Szadkowski are mum except for one tidbit: "I'm definitely showing some flesh, I can say that," Rannells admits. "Big spoiler, though. It's Girls."


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Alachua County has a much lower rate of influenza-induced emergency room visits among children and adolescents than elsewhere in the state and nation, due in part to its nationally recognized FluMist vaccine program.
Alachua County has a much lower rate of influenza-induced emergency room visits among children and adolescents than elsewhere in the state and nation, due in part to its nationally recognized FluMist vaccine program.
This is the main message of the annual Control Flu Celebration scheduled for this afternoon at Littlewood Elementary School.
Since the program's inception in 2009, the county has distinguished itself from others in the state for high vaccination rates in the schools — especially elementary schools. This year, 61 percent of students were vaccinated, which is inching toward the goal of 70 percent, said Dr. Parker Small, who helped develop the school vaccination program and is a professor emeritus at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
That is the estimated percentage of kids that would need to be vaccinated, Small explained, in order to protect the entire community, according to predictive models developed at the University of Florida.
"This is groundbreaking stuff," said Paul Myers, administrator of the Alachua County Health Department, explaining that the county's low flu rates support the UF models, a situation that "has gotten the attention of pediatricians and public health officials not only from around the state, but around the country."
Dr. Kathleen Ryan, clinical associate professor in the pediatrics department at UF, added: "This year, we've had really bad flu all over the place, and we aren't seeing it in Alachua County."
The administrators of FluMist also are celebrating the fact that the Alachua County Commission has committed $1.5 million for the program to continue over the next 15 years.
Ryan said the program's success hinges on the commitment of both the school system as well as local pediatricians and doctors. In addition to the students vaccinated at schools, another 10 percent or so — in elementary schools — will get vaccinated at the doctor's office, she said.
Elementary school children are easier to target because parents are still generally in charge of their children's care, whereas in middle and high schools, some children start to oversee their own care and can more easily fall through the cracks, said Jackie Johnson, public information officer for Alachua County Public Schools.
"As kids get older, parents back off," Johnson said. "You've got teens who think they are invincible, and some still think (the vaccine) is a shot." The FluMist vaccine is a nasal spray.
Johnson added that middle school vaccination rates are about 40 percent; high schools, by comparison, have a rate of about 20 percent.
To work on high school students, an initiative spearheaded in part by Small effectively increased vaccination rates at Buchholz High School. Working with a biology teacher there, Small played a "community immunity" game with freshman biology students in which he handed out playing cards to students and called out which ones had the flu and would subsequently give it to two other people — the average number of people infected by someone with the flu.
Then they played the same game with half the students having been vaccinated. Forty-seven percent of students who initially had said they would not get vaccinated had changed their minds. The main reason? To protect their friends and families.
"A significant number of students are altruistic, so (you're more successful) if you can get to that," Small explained, adding that the term "community immunity" is more effective than the more common term of "herd immunity," given the sense of individualism that high school students often endorse.
A follow-up survey showed that the Buchholz students did in fact have higher vaccination rates than their peers at other schools. This year, Small and colleagues will take the game to the other area high schools.
Flu season generally starts right before Thanksgiving and lasts through early March.
Small added that another improvement to the program since its inception is that the administrators now are asking for all parental consent forms back, even if parents don't agree to have their children vaccinated. Before, they asked only for the positive consent forms back.
"They aren't just yes or no questions," Johnson added. "Parents have to answer some medical questions." She added that the district leaves phone messages at home and also provides the consent form online in case children lose it.
"We try a number of different ways to reach out to parents," Johnson said.
Four elementary schools had 100 percent consent form return rates: Archer, Glen Springs, Newberry and Norton.
The FluMist Celebration begins at 3 p.m. inside the Terrell Auditorium at Littlewood Elementary School at 812 NW 34th St. The guest speaker is Dr. John Robbins, chief of the Laboratory of Developmental and Molecular Biology in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, a division of the National Institutes of Health.
Refreshments will be provided by Eastside High School students from the school's culinary arts program.
Contact Kristine Crane at 338-3119 or email@example.com.


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The winners of the 2002 Peanut Profitability Awards achieved phenomenal yields this past year, and they did it while maintaining cost-efficient farming operations.
"Just look at the yield averages of this year's three winners — 5,850, 4,925 and 5,300 pounds per acre. These are incredible yields, but the growers who achieved them didn't do it at the expense of making a profit," says Marshall Lamb, economist with the USDA National Peanut Research Laboratory and advisor for the Peanut Profitability Program.
The Farm Press awards, sponsored by BASF, were presented during a breakfast at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Panama City, Fla.
This marks the third year of the Peanut Profitability Program.
Honorees for 2002 include Chuck Rowland, Gaines County, Texas, Southwest Region; Jamie Lee, Courtland, Va., Virginia-Carolina Region; and Jeff and Jerry Heard Jr., Newton, Ga., Southeast Region.
"Farmers need to be proud to make a profit," says Lamb. "And I don't mean proud in the false sense of the word. We need to be thankful for our blessings, but we shouldn't be ashamed if we are making money and working hard for our families. The Peanut Profitability Program recognizes just such efforts."
The awards program, he says, is based on a producer's entire peanut operation.
"We're not talking about small plots in select fields," Lamb says. "Rather, we look at the overall management of these growers. This includes yields, costs and marketing management for the entire farm, and all of our winners come from sizable farms."
The winners, he says, kept in mind the equation that profit is equal to yield times price minus cost. "As complex as it might seem, it all boils down to those three variables. Each of our winners is effectively managing many acres."
The grower nomination form for the Peanut Profitability Award is very extensive, notes Lamb, and considers both fixed and variable costs.
"We've had nominees in this program who had higher yields than most, but they did not correctly manage their cost structure. We're looking at per-unit costs, and how effectively these farmers manage their cost structures," he says.
Looking at the production practices of the winners, Lamb says there were three common variables — irrigation, rotation and timing of practices.
"This year's winners managed their costs very well, but they did not skimp on inputs, and they were rewarded in the end."
The Peanut Profitability Awards honor the innovation and production efforts of peanut growers, says Patrick Bracey of BASF. "We see a couple of trends in each of our winning grower's production practices. They rely upon innovation and recognize the need for making changes, and each of them comes from a strong tradition of peanut production."
Farm Press, in cooperation with the Southern Peanut Farmers Federation, established the Peanut Profitability Program to recognize and reward growers from each peanut-producing region who have found innovative methods of improving bottom-line profits, says Mike Gonitzke, publisher of the Farm Press publications.
"Our 2002 Peanut Profitability winners are the ultimate survivors," says Gonitzke. "In the past year, they've faced severe weather problems, uncertain market conditions and a complete overhaul of their crop's government program, all the while maintaining superior production efficiency."
In addition to the efficiency awards, a second major component of the Farm Press program is education, he adds. "Southeast Farm Press and Southwest Farm Press have accomplished this in the past year by publishing a series of articles focusing on peanut production efficiency," says Gonitzke. "It is also our hope that farmers throughout the Peanut Belt will learn from the production practices of our winning growers."
The 2002 Peanut Profitability winners shared some of their efficient production practices during a grower panel session immediately following the awards breakfast.
Chuck Rowland of Seminole, Texas, says his recipe for maintaining high yields includes three main ingredients: rotation, adequate water and proper soil mix.
By far, the most important is rotation, he says. "A three-year schedule is essential. Four years is better.
"I stayed on a four-year system for a long time, but I had to increase peanut acreage the past few years to survive low cotton prices. The shorter interval has not hurt yet."
A grain crop — wheat or rye — included in the rotation mix helps, he says.
He likes rye in sandy soil because it provides a cover quicker than wheat will.
As for the future, Rowland expects his peanut acreage to remain steady at its current level.
"My operation will stay about the same," he says. "My rotation is in place. We have a third of cotton, a third of peanuts and a third of wheat or rye and small grains. That's the way we'll stay."
"Rotation probably is the single most important thing we do to cut costs and maintain high yields," says Jerry Heard Jr. of Newton, Ga. "We're growing 700 acres of peanuts, 700 acres of cotton and 700 acres of corn.
"That's an ideal rotation for a peanut crop."
Planting peanuts in twin rows has been a boost both to yields and to the bottom line for the Heard brothers. "The most immediate advantage of planting in twin rows is better yields," says Jerry.
"In our first year of planting in seven-inch twins, we averaged 4,750 pounds per acre. This past year, we averaged 5,850 pounds per acres. Twin rows also give us better grades and helps us with weed pressure."
The Heard brothers also plan to maintain their current peanut acreage. "Our operation will stay about the same because of rotation considerations," says Jerry. "But we must continue to look at our inputs and find ways to grow peanuts cheaper and still maintain quality.
"Quality will be very important in the future of U.S. peanut production."
Jamie Lee of Courtland, Va., also is a firm believer in the value of crop rotation. On irrigated land, peanuts follow two years of corn. On non-irrigated land, peanuts are on a three-year rotation with corn, wheat and soybeans. He uses a cover crop of wheat, which he turns in the spring.
Following corn with peanuts adds organic matter to the soil.
Lee's future in peanut production is less certain. "Our situation is different from the rest of the Southeast," says Jimmy Lee, Jamie's father who represented him at the awards breakfast.
"Our production costs are higher, and the new peanut program won't be an advantage to those of us in the Virginia-North Carolina area.
"We've cut back 30 percent on our peanut production. We hope an improved supply and demand picture will help us. We like growing peanuts, and we hope to continue growing peanuts. But we don't intend to go broke just to continue a tradition."