text:
San Francisco Полная занятость
SDN Job Profiles (USA)
SDN Solution Architect: Contrail vRouter, Networking and Contrail Cloud knowledge
- oContrail Architecture (Config, Controller, Analytics and vRouter)
- oContrail Analytics under standing
- OpenStack Architecture knowledge and deep understanding of how OpenStack works
- Data Center Architecture/Design understanding
- IP Routing and Switching knowledge will also add a lot of value
- Good knowledge of REST API and Contrail Analytics
- Data Center Design (Overlay/Underlay)
- oSpine & Leaf Architecture (CLOS)
- Virtualization Technologies (KVM, VMware ESXi, vCenter)
- Overlay Technologies (MPLSoGRE, MPLSoUDP, VxLAN)
- In depth understanding of OpenStack Neutron and Contrail Networking Features
- Mirantis Fuel & MOS
PS SND Integration Engineer
- Linux operation and administration (Ubuntu is used in ATT)
- Linux Shell scripting
- Integration of Contrail Networking with vanilla OpenStack and MOS (Mirantis OpenStack)
- Mirantis Fuel overview and understanding
- vRouter Troubleshooting, introspects and feature
- oContrail Logs and vRouter CLI tools
- vRouter feature testing (Service Chaining, L2/L3 VN, IPAM, ECMP Load balancing, LBaaS, NetNS, Security Group, Allowed Address Pairs, BMS..etc)
- Routing protocols (iBGP/eBGP), Overlay Protocols (MPLSoGRE, MPLSoUDP, VxLAN)
- Technical writing (Admin, Operation and Troubleshooting Guide)
- Heat Orchestration (HOT Templates)
- VNFs testing (Creating of Overlay networking and test traffic flow)
- Deep understanding of Nova, Cinder, Glance, Keystone, Neutron, Heat, Ceilometer
- On-site support for Contrail Networking issues
PS Automation:
- Understanding of Contrail and OpenStack will be plus.
- Python, Puppet and Chef knowledge (Automation and creating DevOPs tools)
- Good knowledge of REST API and how REST API use for automation scripts & tools.
- vRouter troubleshooting tools & CLI tools (Will work with SA to get exact requirements of the tools)
- Python based tool creation, scripts
- Heat Template writing (YAML & JSON), auto scaling (Heat & Ceilometer)
- Documentation of tools and automation work (Admin, Operation and Tools troubleshooting guide)
Контактные данные:firstname.lastname@example.com
Опубликовано 19 Августа 2015 —


text:
a guy at my old job got arrested for solicitation while he was employed. he was a great guy. it happens.(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3697050&forum_id=2#33955260)
$60/30mins for full service(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3697050&forum_id=2#33955256)
skin tone of the prostitute?
Called me last winter past midnight to tell me that he got arrested for solicitation and he needs 1k. Said he had to try out backpage before it closed ljl
He now has to explain this in his med school interviews its lulzy(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3697050&forum_id=2#33962979)
I told him that he really should've applied to USC Med though after that USC dean thing came out(http://www.autoadmit.com/thread.php?thread_id=3697050&forum_id=2#33963039)

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified human stool as a biological agent and determined that its use in fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) therapy and other research should be regulated to ensure patient safety.
To use FMT to treat recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (RCDI), an investigational new drug (IND) permit is not required, but is strongly encouraged and may ultimately be required.
To use FMT for research or to treat any condition other than RCDI, an IND permit is required.
The FDA has released clarifying guidance in March 2016 and the DRAFT of Guidance for Industry: Enforcement Policy Regarding Investigational New Drug Requirements for Use of Fecal Microbiota for Transplantation to Treat Clostridium difficile Infection Not Responsive to Standard Therapies (PDF) is available for review. This guidance document has not been finalized by the FDA and is intended for comment purposes only.
IDSA provides comments for the draft of Guidance for Industry regarding the enforcement policy of IND requirements for use of FMT to treat RCDI.
Further Information and Rationale for "known donor":
I. The donor most commonly "known" to the recipient is the spouse or significant/intimate partner which minimizes the likelihood of transmitting an occult pathogen with the stool sample.
II. The microbiome in health changes as we age. Most RCDI patients are Medicare age while commercial donors are young adults. It makes theoretical sense to rebuild the dysbiotic microbiome with components (bacteria) collected from a healthy donor of roughly the same age as the recipient.
III. Out-of-pocket costs for the donor and recipient will depend on insurance coverage design and will vary depending on whether a sample is obtained from a "known" donor versus a "universal donor" source. Assuming the "known" donor's insurance covers the costs of screening, the cost associated would be the out-of-pocket co-insurance/copay rate versus the cost of buying commercial stool. This is a case-by-case issue.
IV. There may be cases where a suitable stool sample may not be obtainable from a donor "known" to the patient or physician. As well, there may be cases where obtaining a suitable sample from a donor "known" to the patient/physician may be too time consuming given the severity of the case. In these situations, use of a suitable sample from a "universal donor" source may be warranted. The physician should ensure that the "universal donor" source employs rigorous screening and testing standards.
"Fecal Microbiota Transplantation: A Practical Update for the Infectious Disease Specialist," Clinical Infectious Diseases, published 2013.
"Investigational New Drug forms and Instructions," FDA.gov, updated 2010.
United States Fecal Microbiota Transplantation Provider Sites, Google Maps, updated 2014
Complete the FDA forms: Three copies required.
Mail all documentation to:
Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research
Therapeutic Biological Products Document Room5901-B Ammendale Road Beltsville, MD 20705-1266
More submission information from the FDA >>
1300 Wilson Boulevard Suite 300 Arlington, VA 22209 | Phone: (703) 299-0200 | Fax: (703) 299-0204
© Copyright IDSA 2018 | Sitemap | Terms of Use | Privacy
| HIVMA | Contact Us
© Copyright IDSA 2018 Infectious Diseases Society of America


text:
A version of this article appears in the January/February 2006 issue of Home Energy Magazine.
January 01, 2006
New York City Energy Use and More Recessed Cans
Average New York Energy Use? The article by Mr. Henry Gifford in the Sept/Oct '05 issue of Home Energy, "Third Street," (p. 24), shows the "Average NYC Apartment" heating energy use as 24 Btu/ft2/HDD. With 5,000 HDD, that means heating energy of 120,000 Btu/ft2/yr. He also claims the "Average NYC Apartment" uses 103,262 Btu/ft2/yr for hot water. Then he proceeds to make comparisons with the buildings described in his article. The following data come from "What Type of Heating Uses Least Energy?" by Segeler, Trunk, and De Pinto, in the August 1973 Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning magazine. These actual measured data are from existing New York City apartment buildings that were built and being operated before anyone ever heard of an energy code, before the 1973 Arab oil embargo, before energy conservation was well known, and when the price of oil was pennies per gallon. These buildings are likely uninsulated with singleglazed and drafty windows. For 18 New York City Housing Authority buildings with 16,934 dwelling units using oil, the average source energy for heating was 82,000 ...
To read complete online articles, you need to sign up for an Online Subscription.
Once an order has been placed there is an automatic $10 processing fee that will be deducted with any cancellation.
The Home Energy Online articles are for personal use only and may not be printed for distribution. For permission to reprint, please send an e-mail to email@example.com.


text:
Results 1 to 10 of 39
Thread: Mr. Pibb Back??
05-16-2003, 01:19 PM #1<keithk> Guest
I just went to the new Krispy Kreme in Cranston RI which just opened last wek. I noticed that they had Mr. Pibb in the fountain...everywhere i have been in the pastyear has changed to Pibb Xtra and since this store Just opened i found it weird that that had Mr. Pibb rather than Pibb Xtra..I hope its coming back!!
It's just a label, they probably didn't have any Pibb Xtra logos around, so they used up an old Mr. Pibb. I'd say the product is still Pibb Xtra though. Many fountains and vending machines here still have Mr. Pibb up instead of Pibb Xtra.
08-01-2004, 06:50 PM #3Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jul 2004
- Posts
- 12
I remember Mr. Pibb. I used to love Mr. Pibb. I used to drink that soda pop when I was kid. It tasted like Dr. Pepper. Does Pibb Xtra taste like Dr. Pepper.
10-13-2004, 10:50 PM #4<Rob> Guest
Pibb Xtra is like a watered down Mr. Pibb with a slightly altered taste. It doesn't come close to the great taste of Mr. Pibb. I buy Pibb Xtra only a fraction of the amount I bought of Mr. Pibb.
10-15-2004, 09:23 AM #5Senior Member
- Join Date
- Jul 2004
- Location
- Baton Rouge, LA
- Posts
- 15
I find Pibb Xtra more spicey than Mr. Pibb. It definetly has a kick to it.
01-03-2005, 07:55 AM #6<Jay> Guest
I loved the old Mr. Pibb, but I still will drink Pibb Xtra often.
02-15-2005, 08:08 PM #7Senior Member
- Join Date
- Feb 2005
- Posts
- 47
Pibb Xtra tastes EXACTLY like Dr Pepper, for the casual soda drinker there is no difference whatsoever. Mr Pibb definitely rocked though. I think the regular Mr Pibb definitely had more flavor to it than Pibb Xtra.
02-15-2005, 08:22 PM #8Originally posted by Red Fusion RoX:
Pibb Xtra tastes EXACTLY like Dr Pepper, for the casual soda drinker there is no difference whatsoever.Whatcha gonna do mama now that the roast beef is gone?
03-13-2005, 05:42 PM #9Senior Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2005
- Posts
- 14
segs segs segs segsegsegsegsegsegsegsegsegsegsegsegsegsegseg egsegsegs segseg
03-23-2005, 04:58 PM #10Spammer - Banned
- Join Date
- Mar 2005
- Location
- San Diego, CA
- Posts
- 2
Does anyone know where I can get Pibb Xtra? I live in San Diego,CA and I've seen it in restaurants here but I can't find it in stores. Help?


text:
LG's first quad-core superphone will be making its way to store shelves in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Italy, and Poland next month. Powered by NVIDIA's Tegra 3 processor and a 4.7″ True HD IPS display, the Optimus 4X HD has its sights set squarely on the HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S III superphones, giving users a solid alternative if they haven't been blown away with either other device just yet.
The Optimus 4X HD takes full advantage of the larger display, and offers phablet features such as a new Quick Memo, which allows users of the 4X HD to jot notes over a screen image, and Media Plex, which provides desktop-like image and video playback.
The Optimus 4X HD will head to Asia, South America, and Central America in coming months, though no official word of a US release has been given. We expect this device to launch as the T-Mobile G4X later this year, perhaps shedding LG's updated UI Overlay in favor of stock Android 4.
Confirmed specs of the Optimus 4X HD include:
- Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich with updated LG UI Overlay
- 1.5 GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor
- 4.7 inch 720p True HD IPS display
- 8 megapixel backside illumination rear camera
- 1.3 megapixel front camera
- 1 GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage
- 2,150 mAh battery
- Bluetooth 4.0, NFC, WiFi 802.11b/g/n
- MHL, DLNA, etc.
- 8.9 mm thick
- SHSPA+ 21 Mbps support
LG Optimus 4X HD with Advanced User Experience (UX) Offers
Fast Performance, Superb IPS Display and Biggest Battery in its Class
SEOUL, May 15, 2012 — LG announced that the Optimus 4X HD, which was first introduced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February, will be available next month in key markets starting in Western Europe.
Beyond the fast NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, LG's latest Android 4.0 device boasts the biggest battery among Quad-Core smartphones at 2,150mAh and a superb high resolution viewing experience with in the 4.7-inch True HD IPS display. Since MWC, the Optimus 4X HD has been upgraded with new SiO+ battery technology, Quick MemoTM to enhance productivity and Media PlexTM for an advanced multimedia experience.
The Optimus 4X HD is fitted with NVIDIA's 4-PLUS-1â"¢ Quad-Core mobile processor, the Tegra? 3, which utilizes a fifth core for the best power efficiency and outstanding performance. For maximum performance, Tegra? 3 runs on all four cores but when in standby mode the processor defaults to the fifth, battery-saver core. In a future upgrade, LG will introduce Eco-Mode specifically for the Optimus 4X HD which will allow users to manually shut down any of the Tegra 3's cores for even more control over power consumption and performance.
The removable 2,150mAh battery utilizes advanced SiO+ technology to provide higher energy density for more power and longer run times without adding bulk to the phone's already svelte form factor.
"Beyond the fast processor, superb display and largest-in-class battery, the Optimus 4X HD is the first LG smartphone to feature the new User Experience (UX)," said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. "As the smartphone segment consolidates even further, it's becoming more and more apparent that both great software and great hardware are crucial to stay on top of the game. LG intends to be a strong contender in both areas and the Optimus 4X HD is our proof."
One of the new UX features in the Optimus 4X HD is Quick MemoTM, which first appeared in the Optimus Vu:. Quick MemoTM is not an app but is integrated into the operating system of the Optimus 4X HD so that it can be activated within any application, including games or video players. It gives one the ability to jot memos or notes over a screen image for saving or sharing with others. The version of Quick MemoTM found on the Optimus 4X HD is a newer version that allows URLs imbedded in memos to directly connect to web pages.
Media Plex TM is the newest addition to the Optimus 4X HD. This is a collection of software features that take image and video playback on the smartphone to a level that until now was only possible on a PC or laptop. Some of the innovative features offered by Media Plex TM include:
l Fingertip Seek that shows a preview of any video frame simply by touching the progress bar;
l Live Zooming which allows viewers to zoom in and out by pinching during video playback;
l Video Speed Control for precise control of the playback speed of a video;
l Thumbnail List Play which enables users to view thumbnails of videos playing while watching another video full screen.
The advanced 8.0MP BSI (backside illumination) sensor camera of the Optimus 4X HD comes with a powerful new feature that allows users to select and save the best shot among the images taken just before pressing the shutter button.
And with MHL (Mobile High Definition Link) and DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), there are multiple ways to connect the phone to TVs and other devices in the home.
The Optimus 4X HD will be rolled out in Europe followed by countries in Asia, CIS, South and Central America in the coming months.


text:
21 U.S. Code § 360bbb–1 - Dispute resolution
prev | next
If, regarding an obligation concerning drugs or devices under this Act or section 351 of the Public Health Service Act [42 U.S.C. 262], there is a scientific controversy between the Secretary and a person who is a sponsor, applicant, or manufacturer and no specific provision of the Act involved, including a regulation promulgated under such Act, provides a right of review of the matter in controversy, the Secretary shall, by regulation, establish a procedure under which such sponsor, applicant, or manufacturer may request a review of such controversy, including a review by an appropriate scientific advisory panel described in section 355 (n) of this title or an advisory committee described in section 360e (g)(2)(B) of this title. Any such review shall take place in a timely manner. The Secretary shall promulgate such regulations within 1 year after November 21, 1997.
Source(June 25, 1938, ch. 675, § 562, as added Pub. L. 105–115, title IV, § 404,Nov. 21, 1997, 111 Stat. 2368.)
References in Text
This Act, referred to in text, is the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, act June 25, 1938, ch. 675, 52 Stat. 1040, as amended, which is classified generally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 301 of this title and Tables.
Effective Date
Section effective 90 days after Nov. 21, 1997, except as otherwise provided, see section 501 ofPub. L. 105–115, set out as an Effective Date of 1997 Amendment note under section 321 of this title.
LII has no control over and does not endorse any external Internet site that contains links to or references LII.


text:
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia's competition regulator on Tuesday approved the takeover by Virgin Australia of budget rival Tiger Airways Australia.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said it will not oppose the transaction because it is unlikely to substantially reduce competition in the domestic aviation market. Commission chairman Rod Sims said in a statement that "Tiger Australia would be highly unlikely to remain in the local market if the proposed acquisition didn't proceed."
The proposed acquisition of a 60 percent stake in Tiger for 35 million Australian dollars ($36 million) still requires approval from Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board.
The commission noted Tiger Australia's poor financial and operational performance. During its six years in Australia, Tiger Australia had never made an operating profit, and its current losses were large.
Sims said Virgin Australia, the country's second-largest airlines, could now pursue its objective of transforming Tiger Australia into an effective competitor to rival low-cost operator Jetstar, a subsidiary of Australia's largest airline Qantas Airways.
Virgin Australia chief executive Jon Borghetti said the commission's approval was an important step toward completing the acquisition that would create an opportunity for strong competition in the budget travel segment.


text:
In open response assessments (ORA), learners submit essay responses and then go through a series of assessment steps (such as peer assessment and self assessment) to complete the assignment.
Open response assessments that are visible to all learners do not respect cohorts. In other words, it is possible for learners in one cohort to be asked to grade responses for learners in another cohort. If you want to make an open response assessment divided by cohort, you must create that assessment in a course component that is defined as cohort-specific. For more information about cohorts and creating cohort-specific course content, see
SOPHIA WEBSTER Designer Shoes Jute and Leather Tansy Espadrille Slippers LQvDP
and Creating Cohort-Specific Course Content .
The following topics provide conceptual information about open response assessments.
For information about creating and managing open response assessments, including step by step instructions, see the following sections.
For information about the learner experience with open response assessments, see Completing Essay Assignments in the edX Guide for Learners .
When you create an open response assessment assignment, you include several elements.
If you include a learner training step, you must also include a peer assessment step. The learner training step must come first, before the peer and self assessment steps. If you include a staff assessment step, it should be the final step in the assignment.
For step-by-step instructions for creating an open response assessment, see Create an Open Response Assessment Assignment .
A prompt is the question that you want your learners to answer. You can add more than one prompt in an ORA assignment. In addition to requiring a written response, you can require or allow learners to upload an image or other type of file to accompany their written response.
Within each prompt, you can include helpful information for your learners, such as the approximate number of words or sentences that their responses should have, the types of files that they can upload, or what they can expect after they submit their responses. For more information, see Step 2. Add Prompts .
In the learner view of the assignment, each prompt appears above the field where learners enter their responses. For more information, see
Reebok Classic FLOATRIDE 6000 Trainers blue 0d86SAfcgY
Your assignment must include a rubric . Grading for every type of assessment in an ORA assignment (self, peer, or staff) is done by comparing each response against the same rubric. You add one rubric for each problem, regardless of the number of prompts in the problem. The person performing the assessment sees the rubric when she begins grading, and compares the submitted response to the rubric.
Sometimes I like to drive myself absolutely crazy just for fun.
— Justin Cox (@justin_coxy)
One of the best things about the offseason is seeing all my favourite players update their social media with photos of their exotic vacations. I love to travel but lack the time and resources to visit the typical hockey player selected destinations. This way, for a few seconds at least, I get a glimpse of what it's like to visit these amazing places.
A post shared by
Nike Performance VAPORX 12 ACADEMY TF Astro turf trainers black/total orange/white 7VtaFS
(@zadorov_16) on
There are lots of Avs jersey numbers out there, past and present. Use them to count down the number of days until the season begins.
Hurry up, hockey!
91 days until the season begins…!?
— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche)
With 100 years of NHL history, and decades of game footage available, the summer is the perfect time to delve into the archives. Whether you want to revisit your favorite games, learn something new, or explore the history of the Avs, there's plenty to choose from.
The Avs are fortunate to have a very engaged social media team who love to chat with us across the various platforms. Whether your preference is
Therafit Austin Clog bTHmo14aM
, Instagram , Facebook or Puma Basket Classic Sneaker yscshezY
there are plenty of places for you to dive in and talk about the team. The summer is a good time to get involved in the social side of being an Avs fan because there are no new games to report on. It's all about the fans!
It's Day 77 without Avalanche hockey and we really miss you…
So we want to know: where have you taken (or worn!) the A this offseason!?
Use and show us
As well as being a hockey fan I am also a gamer and, to keep the spirit of hockey alive during the offseason, I like to play hockey video games. There are a couple which I particularly enjoy playing and they both provide different things.
If you're more interested in the numbers and tactics of managing a hockey team then I recommend Franchise Hockey Manager . The hockey games themselves are simulated so you don't play any actual hockey. Instead you play as either just the GM or the GM and Head Coach. You control all the signing, contracts, hiring of staff and (if you choose the Head Coach role as well) coaching of the team. You can either start with a minor league team and work your way up to the NHL or dive straight in and manage your favorite NHL team.
If you prefer to play actual video game hockey then NHL18 is a lot of fun. This version is particularly enjoyable because you have the option to create the 32nd NHL team, complete an expansion draft and design the uniforms and arena for your team. I am pleased to report that the Great Britain Goths are looking set to make the playoffs in their first year.
The only option to replace Garcia is Diggs. He has been a dangerous receiver for the Vikings, despite never having broken 1,000 receiving yards. Adding Diggs to a receiving corps of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders would give them a legit No. 3 receiver which they have been missing.
Original fifth-rounder : Lorenzo Doss , CB, TulaneOriginal fifth-rounder
It isn't hard to get an improvement over Doss. He barely played in a Broncos uniform and when he did it wasn't pretty to watch. Denver eventually moved on from Doss due to him being late to team meetings.
Re-draft : D.J. Alexander , LB, Oregon State
Alexander was one of two players considered here. There wasn't a clear-cut guy to make the re-draft pick. What ended up settling the debate was the fact that Alexander is a Pro Bowl-caliber special teams player.
Denver has some decent special teams coverage players, but they still need to improve there. Alexander makes a minimal impact on defense and this late in the draft an ace special teams player would've been nice to have.
Original sixth-rounder : Darius Kilgo , DT, MarylandOriginal sixth-rounder
Kilgo is another one of these 2015 draft picks that didn't last long on the Broncos roster. He did see time during their Super Bowl run, but was cut in November following that win. He has bounced around the NFL, and was part of a second Super Bowl team with the Patriots, since then. While he played, he didn't make much of an impact.
Re-draft : Trenton Brown , OL, Florida
Having drafted Brown, who has been a starter in the NFL at right tackle, the Broncos offensive line would have looked better in recent years than they actually have been. Brown would fit nicely into the Broncos scheme and give them an answer at right tackle.
Right tackle has been a big issue that they have hoped to finally get answered having traded for Jared Veldheer .
Writers note : Since the last three picks were in a row for the Broncos, the re-draft selections were from the pool after them and of the undrafted free agents. Normally the re-draft selections are players originally taken between Broncos picks, but that couldn't be the case here.Writers note
Original seventh-rounder
KENDALL KYLIE Giselle Sparkle High Heel Sandals iAIy20bGr
, QB, Northwestern


text:
Probate & Property Magazine: November/December 2008, Vol. 22, No. 5
Trust & Estate
Intimacy in the Elder Law Setting
By Michael A. Kirtland and Catherine Anne Seal
Michael A. Kirtland and Catherine Anne Seal are principals in the Colorado Springs, Colorado, firm of Kirtland & Seal. Mr. Kirtland is group vice-chair of the of the Trust & Estate Division Elder Law, Disability Planning and BioEthics Group and Section liason to the ABA Senior Lawyers Division; Ms. Seal is chair of Surrogate Decision Making Committee of the Trust and Estate Division Elder Law, Disability Planning and BioEthics Group.
Like Dylan Thomas's poetic exhortation to his dying father, America's baby boomers have no intention of going gently into the night. The first of the "official" baby boomers began to collect Social Security this year. (Baby boomers are defined as those born between 1946 and 1964. The first baby boomer signed up to collect Social Security in 2007. Born January 1, 1946, she is defined as the "first baby boomer." Barbara A. Butricia et al., It's All Relative: Understanding the Retirement Prospects of Baby Boomers (Urban Inst. 2003).) Not only are baby boomers the largest group of Americans, but also their life expectancies and their health standards are such that their effect on American society has modified, and will continue to modify, standards of behavior and expectations for older Americans. Id. at 3. As baby boomers age, they are just as likely to shake up what they find, and expect to find, in assisted living facilities (ALF) and nursing homes, as when they redefined much of America in their earlier lives. From youthful expectations during the Cold War to life on college campuses during the Age of Aquarius, to Me Generation consumerism, and on to issues involving politics, and now retirement, baby boomers will shake things up and rage against the dying of the light.
Sexuality is among the many aspects of American life that baby boomers have affected. Their effect on sexuality is not likely to diminish as they go not so gently into the night. For attorneys, the question becomes what the rights to intimacy are for older clients, especially when those rights are affected in their later years by the potential for diminished mental capacity. The significance of this question will most likely manifest itself in the institutional settings of ALFs and nursing homes. Issues of sexuality in institutional settings are only beginning to be seen, and so far those institutions have simply turned a blind eye to the tsunami of change and challenge they will inevitably face as their populations increasingly are composed of individuals from the baby boom generation.
This article is not intended to answer questions surrounding intimacy, capacity, and the rights of older clients, but rather simply to present issues and background. The answers, quite frankly, remain to be found by senior living facility administrators, elder law attorneys, the courts, and American society in general. Nor is this article intended to discuss obvious issues of sexual abuse, such as facility employees taking sexual advantage of facility residents. Rather, it is intended to discuss the legitimate sexual intimacy desires of residents and attempt to prod the reader into considering when the legitimate rights of residents merge into issues of capacity, privacy rights, and the moral judgments of others.
At first blush the issue of intimacy in an institutional setting is one of the right to privacy. Although this may be logistically complex in situations in which privacy problems revolve around residents sharing semi-private rooms, those issues likely will be resolved as ALFs and nursing homes face demands for privacy from residents who share intimate activities with their spouses or other chosen partners. A recent survey in the New England Journal of Medicine found that 26% of the population over 76 years of age reported being sexually active. S. Lindau et al., A Study of Sexuality and Health Among Older Adults in the United States, 357 New Eng. J. Med. 762–74 (2007). It may be an issue the institutions would prefer not to face, but one they will deal with, progressively or begrudgingly. But, when the question is not one of where to find privacy for intimacy but one of the capacity to demand and enjoy intimacy, that will complicate policies for institutional senior living facilities.
Of the approximately 76 million people comprising the baby boom generation, it is estimated that approximately 10 million will develop Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association, 2008 Alzheimer's Disease Facts and Figures (2008). This figure represents a doubling of the current level of Alzheimer's disease patients in the population. Id. at 9. Alzheimer's disease is simply the best-known form of dementia, making up 60% to 80% of dementia cases. Other, less well known to the public, forms of dementia will affect the cognitive abilities of millions more senior citizens. Significantly, some of these other dementia forms, such as Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Frontotemporal Dementia, leave the individual with significant changes in his or her behavioral patterns, often including decreases in conformity to social norms and increases in sexual desires. Id. at 5, 6. The result of this is that, rather than the long assumed decrease in sexual interests and desires, at least a portion of the elderly population will actually have an increased libido, sometimes combined with a decrease in social inhibitions. S. Deacon et al., Sexuality and Older People: Revisiting the Assumptions, 21 Educational Gerontology 497–513 (1995). This portion of the dementia population may be in the neighborhood of 16%. J. Cummings & J. Victoroff, Noncognitive Neuropsychiatric Syndromes in Alzheimer's Disease, Neuropsychiatry, Neuropsychology, and Behavioral Neurology 3, 140–58 (1990). What is often seen as "acting out" in senior living facility residents, or anti-social behavior, is sometimes the result of their dementia instead. Dealing with these issues presents a challenge for elder law attorneys, who often deal with not just purely legal issues, but social and familial issues as well.
The right to sexual intimacy is at its core a right to privacy issue. Although restrictions are placed on the rights of minors to sexual intimacy, the right to sexual intimacy in competent adults is presumed in today's society. Many states have left their fornication, sodomy, and other similar statutes in their criminal codes. State and federal case law, however, has essentially abandoned any attempt to control or regulate the private sexual activities of competent, consenting adults on due process grounds, thereby relegating such sexually oriented statutes to the status of "blue laws." Lawrence v. Texas, 539 U.S. 558 (2003), essentially struck down laws against private, consensual homosexual acts and reversed Bowers v. Hardwick, 478 U.S. 186 (1986). See also Eisenstadt v. Baird, 405 U.S. 438 (1972), regarding the fundamental nature of the right to freedom from governmental interference in fundamental issues of procreation.
This, as a general rule, should counsel against attempts by the state, or a court, to define the meaning of a relationship or to set its boundaries absent injury to a person or abuse of an institution the law protects. It suffices to acknowledge that adults may choose to enter this relationship in the confines of their homes and their own private lives and still retain their dignity as free persons. When sexuality finds overt expression in intimate conduct with another person, the conduct can be but one element in a personal bond that is more enduring. Lawrence, 539 U.S. at 567.
As a result, the issue of the right to sexual intimacy in the institutional residency setting is essentially a logistical one, rather than a legal issue. But this in no way eliminates the many and varied issues remaining concerning what constitutes consent and how issues of competency enter into this discussion.
"Consent" as defined in Black's Law Dictionary is governed by "voluntary agreement by a person in the possession and exercise of sufficient mental capacity to make an intelligent choice to do something proposed by another." Black's Law Dictionary (6th ed. 1990), at 305. In the context of sexual intimacy, consent is normally defined in juxtaposition to lack of consent, resulting in rape or other forms of sexual abuse or misconduct. Lack of capacity to consent is seen as nonconsent and therefore results in a criminal act. (Various states use a variety of terms to define nonconsensual, and therefore criminal, sexual activities, ranging from the more traditional terms "rape" and "statutory rape" to "sexual abuse" and "sexual misconduct." Nothing in the use of these terms in this article is meant to be confined to the various state criminal code definitions of these terms. The reader should use the layman's definition of such terms and not attempt to parse them. It is beyond the scope of this article to delineate when sexual conduct becomes criminal.) From here, the subject quickly becomes quite complex. For example, Colorado's Unlawful Sexual Behavior statutes, Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 18-3-401 et seq., include in the definition of "consent" that "[a] current or previous relationship shall not be sufficient to constitute consent under the provisions of this part 4." Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-3-401(1.5). This language was undoubtedly intended to deal with nonconsensual sexual relations between married persons or those with an ongoing interpersonal relationship when both have capacity and to eliminate the historical marital privilege under which a husband by definition could not rape his wife. It would not be unreasonable to believe, however, that a zealous prosecutor might interpret this statement such that a person now lacking mental capacity, yet married to an individual for a lengthy period of time, could not consent to sexual intimacy with his or her spouse even though they were participating in sexual activities that had been the norm in their marital relationship for the entire length of the marriage. The substantive criminal code sections that follow specifically define "sexual assault" to include that the "actor knows that the victim is incapable of appraising the nature of the victim's conduct." Colo. Rev. Stat. § 18-3-402(1)(b). Similarly, Alabama 's criminal code uses essentially identical language to define "mentally defective" for the ability to consent to sexual activity. Ala. Code §§ 13A-6-60(5) and 13A-6-61(a)(2). Many other state statutes track this language, which stems from the Model Penal Code. Model Penal Code § 213.1(2)(b).
How does one interpret these statutes in light of the fact that mental capacity is not a light switch? The issue is not a bright line, black or white, test of whether an individual has capacity or does not have capacity to form consent. Under the uniform law on guardianship and protective proceedings, the modern trend is to recognize that mental capacity is a continuum on which an individual may have the ability to conduct certain activities while lacking capacity to evaluate and interpret other actions. National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act, Prefatory Note (1997). Under the standards of this uniform act, an adjudication of incapacity is not sufficient to relieve the individual of all of his or her decisional capacity or privilege. Even the judicial determination of the need for a guardian is not a finding that the individual lacks mental capacity in all activities and thereby may fail the threshold set by criminal law statutes concerning the ability to consent to sexual intimacy.
Complicating the issue is the practical reality of how courts issue their guardianship orders, even in states that have adopted the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act (UGPPA). In non-UGPPA states the order granting guardianship typically is an all encompassing order granting the guardian all powers set forth in that state's guardianship statute. Even in states that have adopted UGPPA, though the statute calls for a detailed description of the authority of the guardian, and limitations on the authority of the guardian to necessary functions to protect the protected person, the typical order does not do this. See, for example, Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-14-314. Assuming the statute is followed in spirit, the typical state law powers of a guardian do not come close to delineating the authority of the guardian, or the rights of the individual, for sexual intimacy. Attempting to obtain a court determination of the ability of an individual with diminished mental capacity to participate in sexual intimacy, or of the rights of that individual regarding his or her desire for sexual intimacy, is difficult at best, and a path likely to make the court significantly reluctant to act.
The issue of the right to sexual intimacy of an individual with diminished mental capacity is a difficult one under the best of circumstances, even when the individual has been declared legally incapacitated. Even more difficult is the question of the rights of an individual when incapacity has never been determined. When the individual, recognizing his or her impending incapacity, or simply through thoughtful estate planning, has executed medical and financial durable powers of attorney during a time when the individual held capacity, no judicial determination of incapacity would normally exist. One of the primary advantages to executing a powers of attorney is avoiding the need for guardianship or conservatorship proceedings and their inherent intrusion by the court in the private affairs of the individual. Without a judicial determination of incapacity, the rights of the individual are preserved, including the right to participate in sexual intimacy.
Even in situations in which the parties who have special concern and care for the individual recognize that the individual has diminished capacity, it is not likely that even the most liberal interpretations of the rights of an agent under a power of attorney would include the power to determine the right of the individual to participate in sexual intimacy. In any event, without a determination that the individual lacks mental capacity to make his or her own decisions, the agent would not have the ability to override the decisions and desires of the principal. General powers of attorney are designed to permit the agent to conduct business and financial activities on behalf of the principal. Nothing in a typical authorizing statute for a general power of attorney would permit the agent to make decisions concerning sexual intimacy. As agent under a medical power of attorney no such authorities would appear to exist either. Medical power of attorney statutes generally authorize the agent to make decisions concerning medical care. Although sex is a physical act, it strains credulityto consider sexual intimacy as medical treatment. See, for example, Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-14-506, authorizing the agent under a medical power of attorney to "act on behalf of the individual in consenting to or refusing medical treatment." In any event, an agent under a power of attorney is a fiduciary who must exercise his or her authority in conformity to the wishes of the principal and not to the agent's personal moral beliefs concerning the conduct of the principal. Colo. Rev. Stat. § 15-14-508(2).
The decision in Lawrence and other cases, combined with the traditional reluctance of courts to enter into issues of consensual sexual activities by adults, leaves little statutory or case law for guidance on issues that increasingly will be presented to ALFs and nursing homes regarding the rights of their residents to sexual intimacy. Compounding the question is the reality that no single set of facts and circumstances defines the question of the rights to sexual intimacy of individuals with diminished capacity.
Superimposed on the rights of individuals with diminished capacity to sexual intimacy is the moral judgment placed on such activities by other actors in the life of the individual with diminished capacity. Although often institutional administrators and employees are the objectors to such activities, they are not alone. Quite often it is the adult children of the individual who object to mom or dad's participation in sexual activities, for a variety of reasons. The objection may be to the parent having sexual intimacy with someone other than the other parent of the adult child. It may be the personal moral or religious values of the adult child that run against the grain of such activities. Or it may simply be the classic case of the adult child not wanting to have to contemplate sexual activity in their elderly parent. In American society it is almost impossible to discuss the subject of sexual intimacy without the imposition of personal moral values. In the case of sexual intimacy among elderly persons, especially elderly persons with diminished capacity, this is even more true.
A look at representative cases presented to elder law attorneys reflects the problematic issues that routinely present themselves concerning sexual intimacy. The following case studies, presented by elder law attorneys who deal with such issues as a part of their practices, reflect a representative sample of the multi-faceted questions that must be contemplated to deal with sexual intimacy among persons with diminished capacity. (Note: Although these case studies are based on actual cases, careful steps have been taken to mask the identities of the individuals and attorneys involved.)
In dealing with the question of the right to sexual intimacy for persons with diminished capacity, the old adage that where you sit determines what you see applies. Even in a particular case, the appropriate path is influenced highly by whether the attorney is representing the institutional facility, family members, or the individual with diminished capacity as legal counsel or as guardian ad litem. Consider the following.
Case No. 1
Mrs. A, a widowed 80-year-old, has mild dementia and lives in an ALF. She is quite physically active and has few inhibitions. She is charming and outgoing. She also has a strong sex drive. She is quite popular with the single male residents in the ALF, and with some of the married male residents as well. It is Mrs. A's behavioral pattern to engage male residents in sexual intimacy on a short-term basis and then "move on" to the next male. She makes it a habit to meet the new male residents, who then are added to her growing list of conquests. Although it is possible that her dementia may be decreasing her social inhibitions, in fact this behavior is part of a life-long pattern of promiscuity. Her adult daughters do not approve of their mother's promiscuity and never have. They have used their power of attorney to move Mrs. A from one ALF to another in an attempt to restrict her social contacts. As might be expected, just the opposite has occurred. Mrs. A sees nothing wrong with serial, short-term, sexually intimate relationships. You have been appointed by the court as her guardian ad litem.
As the guardian ad litem, the attorney's duties are to attempt to implement a plan that is in the best interests of Mrs. A. But, what are those interests? Although Mrs. A's life-long pattern of sexual behavior has been highly active and involved multiple partners on short-term bases, the question is not whether Mrs. A's behavior is "right" or "wrong," but whether her activities cause her to conduct herself in a way that is unsafe. As guardian ad litem, you must be a part of any effort to fend off the institution's efforts to restrict Mrs. A's activities on privacy grounds, as well as any efforts that may ensue to evict Mrs. A from the facility based on inappropriate grounds, as may well occur if the facility attempts to resolve its issues by the simple solution of moving the individual down the road to the next facility. At the same time, it is reasonable to take actions to ensure that Mrs. A is conducting her intimate activities in a medically safe way. The fabled fertile octogenarian of law school fame notwithstanding, reasonable efforts to protect Mrs. A from sexually transmitted diseases should be considered as part of the solution. Counseling the adult children is also a reasonable step. In a case such as the one presented here, insufficient grounds likely exist to attempt to restrict Mrs. A's activities. A "mild dementia" probably is insufficient grounds to determine if Mrs. A lacks the capacity to determine her own pattern of sexual behavior. Protecting Mrs. A's health, while at the same time ensuring that her rights to intimacy are protected, is the likely best course of action for the guardian ad litem.
Case No. 2
Mr. and Mrs. B are a couple, married for over 40 years. Mrs. B suffers moderate dementia and as a result lives in a nursing home. Mr. B is declining physically but could live in an ALF. By his preference, he lives with Mrs. B in a suite at the nursing home. Mr. and Mrs. B are sexually active, but the medical staff at the nursing home has expressed concerns about Mrs. B's ability to consent to such activity. On a recent occasion a member of the facility staff entered the Bs' suite and observed Mr. and Mrs. B engaged in sexual relations that involved sadomasochistic activity. On investigation it was learned from Mr. B that this was a life-long lifestyle of Mr. and Mrs. B. When questioned, Mrs. B told the investigator that she enjoyed such activities and considered it none of the investigator's business. You have been appointed as guardian ad litem by the court.
As with the first case, the attorney is dealing with a life-long pattern of sexual behavior. Perhaps even more so than the sexual promiscuity of Mrs. A in the first case, the nonmainstream nature of the intimate activities of Mr. and Mrs. B factor into the reaction outside parties have to the propriety of Mr. and Mrs. B's activities. Although there are few, if any, reliable figures on the number of people participating in such nonmainstream activities as Mr. and Mrs. B enjoy, some sources estimate that in the area of 7% of adults may practice such behaviors. Brian Alexander, All Dressed Up—In Latex and Dog Collars, America Unzipped, MSNBC.com, Oct. 27, 2006, available at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14061671. It is unlikely such people will cease life-long activities simply because they are growing older. Here the attorney is dealing with a married couple, individuals with inherent rights to private sexual behavior between themselves without any interference from others. Yet at the same time, state criminal statutes concerning nonconsensuality come into play, possibly complicated by state statutes concerning what constitutes assault. Mrs. B has not been adjudicated incapacitated in any way and has indicated to you, as guardian ad litem, that she enjoys her and her husband's activities and considers them no one else's business. Consultation with Mrs. B's doctors on her capacity is appropriate, as is possibly additional neuropsychological testing to further determine her mental capacity to consent. Here, the intimate desires of a married couple should determine your course of action as the guardian ad litem, without judging the nature of this couple's intimate activities. On the other hand, because of the type of activities involved, the guardian ad litem must also consider whether such activities are safe for Mrs. B to engage in and counsel the couple on this subject.
What is seen here is that in these types of cases the role of the guardian ad litem may go far beyond traditional legal considerations, into social and moral considerations as well. One factor that the legal system may need to address is the additional training and background necessary for the appointment of a guardian ad litem in any particular case, rather than the traditional method of simply appointing the next name on the court's guardian ad litem appointment list.
Case No. 3
Mr. C is a single, 84-year-old male, living in an ALF. In all aspects he appears to be a model resident. But he spends a great deal of his time viewing pornographic material and masturbating. He only participates in these activities in the privacy of his own single room. Because of the frequency of his activities, however, on multiple occasions members of the staff have entered his room and interrupted him during the course of his activities. You have been retained by the facility to determine a proper course of action to bring about Mr. C's removal from the facility.
Case No. 4
Mr. D is a single male with moderate dementia, living in an ALF who has recently become involved with Mrs. E., a widow who has for many years come to the facility to interact with residents to enhance their lifestyle and lead group activities at the facility. She is a volunteer from a local community service group. Mr. D and Mrs. E have become romantically involved and spend a good deal of their evenings in Mr. D's private room, where the staff believes they engage in sexual activities. The facility has contacted you as they have never had a policy on sexual relations for their residents, either with each other or with individuals who are not residents of the facility.
Both of these cases involve questions of facility policy. Unfortunately, as is too often the case in such situations, it appears that the core problem is not so much one of the activities of the individual facility residents as it is a question of lack of any facility policy statement concerning intimate activities. In the case of Mr. C, the staff seems to have little regard for the privacy rights of its resident, believing it their right as staff to enter into the private quarters of the resident as they wish. Although on the one hand this seems appropriate, because it is the obligation of the facility to ensure the safety and welfare of its residents at all times, on the other hand, the facility is the residents' "home." It is the only place where they can enjoy privacy and the satisfaction of their sexual desires. In the second scenario, it appears the facility has simply turned a blind eye to the possibility that its residents may desire privacy and space to enjoy intimate behavior. As legal counsel to the facility, encouraging the development of a general written policy concerning privacy and the right to intimacy is appropriate. The facility may resist such a recommendation, not wanting to consider its ramifications. But, as in these two cases, the failure to develop such a policy can have negative consequences, for both the facility and the residents. Legal counsel for the facilities may have to broaden their own backgrounds on the subject of privacy rights and administrative laws and procedure to develop a comprehensive policy on the subjects of privacy and intimate activities. Dealing with the issues on a case-by-case basis does not solve the problem and could lead to conflicting resolutions that may leave the facility in legal jeopardy in the future. Encouraging each facility to address the subject and assisting them to draft a policy is the appropriate course of legal action.
Case No. 5
Mr. and Mrs. F are a married couple, both of whom live in a local nursing home. Mrs. F suffers moderate dementia, and some have begun to question whether she really understands that Mr. F is her husband. Based on nursing home policy, though they are married they live in separate rooms, he on the all male wing of the facility and she on the all female wing. While they live separately in the facility, they do see each other and spend time together daily. Staff members have noticed that they seem to disappear from sight on a regular basis each week. On at least one occasion a staff member found them engaged in sexual activities in an empty room in the facility. They have been warned informally by staff that the facility does not permit sexual activity among its residents. As a result, Mr. F has retained you to advise him.
Here, the attorney's role is as advocate for the residents. It would seem that they reside in a facility that has failed to consider the ramifications of longevity and relative health increases in the aging population. Developing a knowledge base on residents' rights in nursing homes and ALFs is essential to the successful representation of your clients. Mr. and Mrs. F are a married couple, and the facility is denying them their fundamental rights as husband and wife. 42 C.F.R. § 483.10(m). As attorney for the couple you must investigate this alleged "policy" of the facility concerning denial of sexual intimacy rights. If, in fact, there is such a policy, it will be your duty to challenge the legality of such a policy, as well as to advocate for the individual rights of your clients to such activity.
Each of these cases illustrates the difficulties involved in determining a reasonable and proper course of action. Neither attitudes of moral outrage nor laissez-faire inaction will suffice. Yet, at the same time there is no inherently "correct" course of action, either. As attorneys, and as a society, we have started down a path into essentially uncharted territory. This territory is fraught with legal implications, moral dilemmas, and potential changes in social attitudes.
Baby boomers are beginning to make the transition from the dominant group in the work force to the dominant group in retirement. As they age, they will become the dominant force in ALFs and nursing home facilities as well. We, as attorneys concerned with our aging clients, must now begin to address the legal, moral, and philosophical questions concerning intimacy in this group. The solutions will not come easily.Return To Issue Index


text:
Student 3/4 Double Bass by Gear4music
Student 3/4 Double Bass by Gear4musicDetails
The Student 3/4 Jazz Size Double Bass by Gear4music is a reliable and affordable instrument ideal for beginners. A laminated Spruce top and Basswood sides form a hard-wearing body that produces a rich, warm sound. Four geared brass tuners are helpful for fast and accurate set-up. This double bass includes a lightweight case, rosin and hardwood French bow so beginners have everything they need to start playing straight away.
Product Ref: 2161View Full Description
Full DescriptionView Full Description
Comments from customers who bought this item:
Robust Student Instrument
This student double bass is a sturdy and reliable instrument ideal for beginners and younger musicians. The body is made from a varnished laminate Spruce top and Basswood back and sides, making it lightweight, tough and flexible. The inlaid purfling helps to protect against cracks forming at the edge of the instrument and allows the top to flex more freely.
The Ebonized Hardwood fingerboard prevents the build-up of moisture and ensures a long lasting instrument. The fitted Maple bridge and metal tailpiece are hard wearing and durable fittings. Easy to use, geared brass tuners on the head allow for simple and quick tuning.
Warm Tone
This double bass produces a warm and even sound throughout the registers. The steel core strings create a clear and crisp tone as the beginner develops proper playing technique. Each string has silk wrappings to help students identify the notes and to create friction against the tuning pegs.
3/4 Jazz Size Bass
This Jazz Double Bass has been designed for all types of music. The instrument has a resonant body that is easy to reach around, even for smaller players. The fitted Maple bridge provides optimum height above the fingerboard, making it suitable for both bowing and plucking.
Includes Bow, Rosin and Case
The bass comes with everything the beginner needs to get playing straight away. The bow, made from hardwood and hair, is easy to use and robust, meaning it will withstand the stresses of students learning proper bowing techniques. A half mounted frog and Ebony adjuster make it easy to use and comfortable to hold.
The canvas covered case is easy to carry and provides reliable protection for the instrument. Wheels on the bottom mean it can be rolled around and shoulder straps mean it can be put on your back with ease. Pockets both inside and out are handy to store the included rosin and other accessories.
Features & Specifications
Double Bass:
- Body: Hand finished laminated wood
- Top: Canadian spruce
- Sides: Linden
- Back: Linden
- Finish: Orange-brown oil varnish
- Bridge: Fitted maple
- Neck: Maple with ebonized fingerboard
- Tuning Pegs: Brass Geared
- Endpin: Ebony
- Tailpiece: Metal
- Nut to Tailpiece: 121cm
- Nut to Bridge: 99cm
- Body Length: 102cm
French Bow:
- Type: Round stick hardwood with horsehair
- Adjuster: Ebony with two nickel bands
- Lapping: Nickel silver with leather thumbpiece
- Tip: ABS
- Case: Canvas covered featherweight hard case with zips, straps and zippable sheet music pocket
- Rosin: Included
Please note - Gear4music orchestral stringed instruments are packed for transport and therefore require a small amount of setting up. For more information, please click here.
Gear4music - a revolution in competitively priced, high-quality musical instruments and equipment.
Gear4music have teamed up with some of the best manufacturers from around the world to develop our own line of music equipment. Our goal is to provide our customers with a wide choice of high quality, sensibly priced musical instruments.
Using our many years of collective experience we have developed a wide range of instruments and equipment including drum kits, acoustic and electric guitars, woodwind, brass, string instruments and speaker systems. We are proud to offer these to our customers alongside hundreds of other well-known brands. Working closely with our carefully chosen manufacturers, we endeavour to produce reliable, great sounding instruments at a price that is accessible to all. Our musical equipment is made to the same exacting standards that you expect from other highly regarded brands - this is backed up by our standard 30 Day Money Back Guarantee.
Gear4music products are produced ethically and responsibly to meet the expectations of a caring world.
The product price includes 3 years' warranty and 30 day money back guarantee.
However, the Gear4music extended warranty scheme provides an enhanced service, and is designed to offer a higher level of protection than many 'free' warranties offered by some retailers and manufacturers.
The highlights of this enhanced warranty service are:
- Warranty is extended to 3 years from the date of delivery.
- Our Money Back guarantee is extended from 30 days to 30 days (terms apply after 30 days)
- Collection and delivery costs are included for the first 2 years
- Claim 50% cash back on the cost of the policy after 3 years if it has not been used!
- Warranty is transferable if the item is re-sold
- Loan or replacement equipment will be provided if the product isn't repaired within 30 days
- If an item can not be repaired, a similar alternative product or cash discount (as defined in this policy) will be offered
- The policy can be cancelled within 30 days, and at any time after that for a pro-rata discount
Please note that this extended warranty is currently only available on products sold within the EU or EEA, and is subject to the terms and conditions as detailed on the extended warranty certificate provided.
For customers in outlying areas of the country, the price of the Extended Warranty may be marginally higher, due to the potential for higher collection and redelivery transport costs.
This enhanced warranty is in addition to the standard Gear4music and manufacturer warranty policies, and the Gear4music terms and conditions of trade. No statement or condition of sale contained within these terms affects or restricts your statutory rights as defined under the Consumer Contracts Regulation 2014.
Once the product is delivered, you have 30 days to decide that you definitely want to keep it. If you decide it is not suitable for any reason, you can return it back to us for replacement or full refund, including standard delivery charges.
All Products are new unless stated, and include a minimum of 2 years warranty.
Some items are only eligible for money back guarantee if they are returned to us unused and sealed in the original packaging, and in the case of software, unregistered. These items include:
- Software
- CDs & DVDs
- In-ear Monitors
- Earplugs and Ear Protection
- Mouthpieces, Reeds etc… for Woodwind and Brass instruments
- Mouth / Lip Care Products
We are unable to accept returns of any custom made items designed to work together as a unique package, such as computer system built to a customer's personal specifications. Exceptions may only be possible with prior agreement of the vendor, and may be subject to a cancellation fee.
If you also purchase items that do not qualify for free delivery, some delivery charges may be applied to your order which will be shown in your shopping basket.


text:
more reviews
Coupe buying guide
Unlock guaranteed savings and exclusive offers up to thousands off MSRP on your perfect Mitsubishi. Only with Edmunds.
New Car Resources
Used Car Resources
Car Articles & Advice
Follow Edmunds
An email has been sent with a link to reset your password.
Know your password? Sign in now


text:
I am trying to figure out the easiest way and most effective way of creating this:
I was asked to develop an area where people can type a story then upload a picture or pictures along with it. However the stories will not automatically be generated it will go into review and then when the story is reviewed it will be published. However, I would like to be able to build it into database form so that I can sort all those entered and so on.
What do you guys think? This maybe unclear workin on only a few hours of work.
- MilitantEidolon


text:
Arts & Mysteries: The Lost Arts & Mysteries
Revealing centuries-old secrets to working quickly and efficiently.
By Adam Cherubini
Pages: 32-36
From the December 2005 issue #152
Buy this issue now
Arts & Mysteries is a phrase that oft appears in the contracts or indentures between master craftsmen and their apprentices. Exact usage varies, but the context is usually something like "… the apprentice shall keep secret his Master's Arts & Mysteries …" or "…the Master shall teach the Arts & Mysteries of his trade…." Nowhere was the phrase "Arts & Mysteries" ever defined. It may have been a purposely ambiguous "term of art" with a nonspecific intended meaning.
A notion of secrecy is usually associated with the phrase. We know little about the state of the art of the craft during the 18th century. Not a single book was written on the subject in the English language throughout the entirety of the 18th century.
From the December 2005 issue #152
Buy this issue now


text:
Once an extreme weather event such as Hurricane Sandy is over, various estimates of damage costs start pouring in. Cost comparisons with various past catastrophes are ubiquitous in the media. But these costs are mostly of the tangible nature, such as costs incurred from physical property damages. Many intangible costs, such as loss of life and psychological impacts, are neglected in national accounting estimates.
Flooding in Haiti from Hurricane Sandy – Developing countries and low-income communities are often more at risk to the impacts of extreme weather events, yet current damage accounting does not reflect this fact. (Source: Flickr.com, User: United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti)
The result is widespread under-reporting of the range of damages caused to those populations that are most affected by extreme weather events. Historically, most extreme weather hotspots have been in low-income developing countries, where people often live in sub-standard dwellings located on marginal, low-lying plots of land, making them more vulnerable to the effects of hurricanes and floods. Even in industrialized countries, studies show that low-income groups have tended to be the most sensitive to the impacts of extreme weather events and face the slowest recovery of basic amenities and repopulation of affected areas.
To ensure environmental justice for these poor and vulnerable communities, a more accurate measure of the costs of extreme weather events is necessary.
The economic costs of extreme weather
In extreme weather cost accounting, even the tangible economic costs run into the billions. In a recent press release, the world's leading re-insurer, Munich Re, stated that between 1980 and 2011, the overall loss burden from weather catastrophes in North America was $1.1 trillion (in 2011 dollars). The insured losses amounted to $510 billion, and some 30,000 lives were lost.
According to Munich Re, the number of weather-related loss events increased by approximately 500 percent in North America over the past three decades, compared with an increase of 400 percent in Asia, 250 percent in Africa, 200 percent in Europe, and 150 percent in South America. Another report, published in 2011, notes that the United States set a record with 12 separate billion-dollar weather or climate disasters that year, with approximately $52 billion in aggregate damage. Hurricane Sandy is estimated to have caused economic damages worth $10–20 billion.
Economic analysts have been quick to point out that, in terms of damage costs, Sandy still falls short of Hurricane Katrina, which dealt a massive $113.4 billion in damages. Additionally, experts point out that the initial economic loss estimates are often far below the final figures. For example, the final costs of tropical storm Irene were estimated to be twice the initial estimates.
Under-accounting of damages
Yet accounting for tangible economic costs alone does not reflect the true costs of these catastrophic events. When these true costs are under-accounted, the underlying causes that exacerbate such events—such as climate change—seem less threatening. As a result, the multi-faceted impacts of climate change on poor countries, from sea-level rise to widespread flooding, fail to receive the global attention they deserve.
According to experts, countries that rank low on the Human Development Index (i.e., the world's least developed nations) account for only 11 percent of the people exposed to extreme weather conditions. Yet despite this lower share of exposure, these nations account for more than 53 percent of recorded deaths from extreme weather events, compared to industrialized countries where 15 percent of people are exposed but they suffer less than 2 percent of deaths.
Because these least-developed countries have a very low GDP, stating their loss in terms of the percentage loss of global GDP means very little. According to Global Risk Index 2012, the countries that were most affected by extreme weather events between 1990 and 2010 include Bangladesh, Haiti, Myanmar, and Honduras. When one looks at the GDP (adjusted to Purchasing Power Parity) in any of these countries, it is clear that their share of global GDP is very insignificant. Even if the economies of these countries are brutally devastated by hurricanes or floods, it causes less than a dent in the global economy.
Overall, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that between 2001 and 2006, losses in low-income countries due to extreme weather, climate, and geophysical events amounted to only 0.3 percent of their GDP. But this masks the widespread damage in terms of loss of life, destruction of livelihood, and other significant effects.
Alternatives to GDP
So, what could be a better indicator of the true cost of extreme weather events? Many experts agree that indices such as the Happy Planet Index or Genuine Progress Indicator give more wholesome estimates of costs than does GDP. These indicators cover additional environmental factors, such as the costs of water, air and noise pollution; loss of biodiversity; loss of natural habitats; and other environmental degradation. Many also include social indicators such as the costs of lost leisure time, psychological trauma, hardship in commuting, increased crime following extreme weather events, forced relocation, displacement, separation from families, and forced migration to marginal land.
Sensitivity to extreme weather is dependent on numerous socio-demographic factors, such as age, gender, housing, material constraints, and health conditions. Demographic studies on the vulnerability of certain groups facing extreme weather events project that the impacts will be felt more severely by children living in vulnerable urban settlements, individuals living in isolation, an increasingly aging population, and various macro-scale drivers of adaptive capacity such as political stability, governance, civil and political rights, literacy, growth rate and demographic trend of populations, social equity, and distribution of income.
It is easier and less time-consuming to account for physical or material damages after a hurricane or heat wave, which is precisely why we are still over-dependent on such estimates to assess losses and damages.
The IPCC admits in its report that "loss estimates are lower bound estimates because many impacts, such as loss of human lives, cultural heritage, and ecosystem services, are difficult to value and monetize, and thus they are poorly reflected in estimates of losses." The report goes on to state that, although "impacts on the informal or undocumented economy as well as indirect economic effects can be very important in some areas and sectors, [they] are generally not counted in reported estimates of losses.
With the scientific community predicting increasing frequency of extreme weather events and increasing intensity of these events in future, it is time for governments and policymakers to reconsider the accounting methods of these extreme weather events as a starting block toward environmental justice for vulnerable communities, populations, and nations.
Suparna Dutta is a Climate and Energy Intern at Worldwatch Institute.


text:
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I (previously known as Project Needlemouse) will bring back the addictive side scrolling action that Sonic fans love in an all-new 2D adventure.
Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I, the first Sonic game developed exclusively for download, brings back the adventure that Sonic fans have been waiting 16 years for. It will offer the classic Sonic moves that fans love including Spin Dash and Rolling Attack and will also feature Homing Attack, all in beautiful CG rendered environments. Packed with special stages, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Episode I will take players through a variety of different Zones, inspired by the Genesis-era style. Longtime fans will not be disappointed as they face some intense boss battles against everyone's favorite villain – the always devious and evil – Dr.Eggman.
More articles about Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I


text:
CHICAGO (AP) — Power wholesaler Edison Mission Energy and its Chicago-based subsidiary Midwest Generation filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Monday to try to restructure about $5 billion in debt.
But the companies said there were no plans for layoffs affecting Midwest Generation's almost 1,000 employees in Illinois.
In bankruptcy petitions filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court Chicago, Edison Mission Energy listed $5.13 billion in assets and $5.1 billion in debt. The Santa Ana, Calif.-based company blamed its financial troubles on low power prices, high fuel costs and the need to retrofit coal-fired power plants to meet environmental regulations.
Edison Mission Energy is owned by the California utility Edison International. Edison Mission Energy President Pedro Pizarro said the hope is to emerge from bankruptcy as a separate company independent of Edison International.
"This is an important first step in the process to reduce our debt, enhance our liquidity profile and position EME for continued operation and future success while preserving our ability to generate power safely and reliably at our electric facilities across the country," he said in a news release. "Throughout this process, business operations will continue in the normal course, and we will continue to support our customers, suppliers and employees."
Edison Mission Energy said the bankruptcy filing shouldn't have any immediate effect on the operations of either company, which include Midwest Generation plants in Joliet, Pekin, Waukegan and Romeoville.
The business information website Hoover's says Midwest has about 960 employees. According to its website, Edison Mission Energy through its subsidiaries owns or leased more than 40 power plants in California, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Illinois and other states capable of producing more than 10,000 megawatts of power. The company also has a plant in Turkey.
In the news release, the companies said they plan to separate from Edison International by the end of 2014.


text:
SYDNEY, Australia --Australian police seized 237 million Australian dollars ($246 million) worth of cocaine and methamphetamine found inside a steamroller shipped from China.
Australian Federal Police say they arrested a Canadian man and a U.S. man in Sydney after finding 350 kilograms (770 pounds) of cocaine and meth. The men were charged with importing drugs and face a maximum of life in prison if convicted.
It was the police agency's second major drug bust in a week. On Friday, police said officials had tracked down a boat carrying 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of cocaine to Australia after it ran aground in the small island nation of Tonga. A corpse was found on board. Officials are trying to determine the cause of death.


text:
GPSOLO January/February 2010
Title IX
I have always enjoyed sports and am a strong believer in the positive impact sports have on children. Every person should have the equal right to participate in sports, regardless of skin color, social status, or gender. Sports builds character and emphasizes the values of teamwork, perseverance, and hard work.
I will first of all admit that I am not, nor do I consider myself, an expert in the area that forms the topic of this article. I do not practice in this area and have no desire to do so. Therefore, this article will not examine the merits of Title IX. I only attempt here to educate others (as I have educated myself) and allow them to form their own opinions about the utility and validity of this legislation. Admittedly, this legislation is the subject of some controversy.
Originally Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. Section 1681, et seq., the act was renamed in 2002 as the Patsy T. Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act in honor of its principal author, who passed away in 2002. The law states: "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance. . . ." The act specifically applies to "institutions of vocational education, professional education, and graduate higher education, and to public institutions of undergraduate higher education." The act specifically exemptseducational institutions controlled by a religious organization if the application of the act would not be consistent with the religious tenets of the organization; educational institutions training individuals for military services or merchant marine; institutions that "traditionally and continually" have had admissions policies admitting only students of one sex; social fraternities or sororities or voluntary youth organizations such as the YMCA or YWCA, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, Boys and Girls State and Boys and Girls Nation; father-son and mother-daughter activities at educational institutions; and institution of higher education scholarship awards in "beauty" pageants.
Although the major emphasis and impact of Title IX appear to have been in the area of intercollegiate athletics, the original statute made no mention of athletics. The act covers all aspects of education such as admissions, math and science education, as well as access to health care and dormitories. In the area of athletics it applies to grants-in-aid, graduation rates, the provision of tutors, and coaches' salaries, among other items. It also applies to non-sport activities such as bands, cheerleaders, and clubs, except as noted above. There has been litigation in such areas as art museums, buildings and grounds, prisons, state high school athletic associations, and student grants. In fact, the use of Title IX has been expanded to employment discrimination cases, such as sexual harassment, maternity leave, equal pay cases, and the denial of tenure.
Because Title IX applies only to public and private schools that receive federal funding, several states have enacted similar laws to prohibit discrimination based on sex. Those states are Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. The activities and extent of coverage of these laws vary from state to state. For example, the legislation in my home state of New Mexico prohibits discrimination but only imposes a duty on the local school districts to study and file reports. It was a compromise bill; the original legislation had much broader coverage that was eliminated in the final version, in particular the requirement to examine areas such as graduation rates, equalization of academic opportunities, athletic facilities, the provision of tutors, and coaches' salaries. Opponents of this legislation argue that the net effect of the law will be to decrease the amount of funds available for interscholastic athletics for both sexes because the local districts will have to hire a person to compile the data and prepare the reports at the very time when statewide financial constraints are forcing school districts to reduce their budgets by 5 percent across the board.
In 1992, 20 years after the enactment of Title IX, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that schools that failed to comply with Title IX could be sued for compensatory and punitive damages ( Franklin v. Gwinnett County Public Schools, 503 U.S. 60 (1992)). The Franklin case involved a female high school student who had been sexually harassed by her high school teacher. Interestingly, this case did not involve a claim alleging discrimination in athletics.
Section 844 of the Education Amendments of 1974 gave the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW, now the Department of Health and Human Services) the mandate to develop proposed regulations implementing the provisions of Title IX. By the end of July 1978, HEW had received nearly 100 complaints alleging discrimination in athletics by 50 institutions of higher education.
In response to the high number of complaints, HEW issued in 1979 a policy interpretation for Title IX, including what has become known as the "three-prong test" of an institution's compliance. Under prong one, institutions must provide athletic opportunities that are substantially proportionate to student enrollment. Prong two requires that institutions demonstrate a continual expansion of athletic opportunities for the underrepresented sex. Prong three requires that institutions provide full and effective accommodation of the interest and ability of the underrepresented sex. Satisfaction of any one prong represents compliance with the provisions of Title IX.
One area of concern involved football. Clarification was needed because of the large number of male participants and the cost involved; many major institutions were concerned that they would not be in substantial compliance.
The policy interpretation stated that with regard to financial assistance, all such assistance should be available on a basis that was "substantially proportionate" to the number of male and female athletes in the institution's athletic programs. The governing principle is that male and female athletes should receive "equivalent" treatment benefits and opportunities; this principle applies to equipment and supplies, games and practice times, travel and per diem, coaching and academic tutoring, assignment and compensation of coaches and tutors, locker rooms and practice and competitive facilities, medical and training facilities, housing and dining facilities, publicity, recruitment, and support services.
With regard to prong three, meeting the interests and abilities of male and female students, the governing principle is that interests must be "equally effectively accommodated." This language has led to some very interesting policy interpretations by the courts.
One such case is Pederson, et al. v. Louisiana State University, et al., 213 F.3d 858 (5th Cir. 2000). In this case, Beth Pederson and other female students at Louisiana State University brought a Title IX class action against the university seeking to force it to establish and support women's soccer and fast-pitch softball teams. After an exhaustive analysis of these students' standing to sue, the court concluded that these female students lacked standing to bring an unequal treatment claim and unequal accommodation claim regarding soccer. However, the court found that these students did have standing to bring an unequal accommodation claim regarding fast-pitch softball and that the university violated Title IX by not providing a fast-pitch softball team for women. The court also held that these students could recover attorney fees for certain discovery violations.
In a "shoe on the other foot" case, the board of regents of Western Kentucky University (WKU) decided to upgrade its football program from 1-AA to Division 1-A, a classification that would result in more grants-in-aid to male athletes. However, at the time WKU was in the unique position of having a disproportionately larger number of female athletes on scholarship, thus placing WKU out of compliance under Title IX. By upgrading its football program, WKU increased the percentage of male athletes on scholarship. However, the next year, WKU dropped men's soccer.
There's the rub and the source of controversy between some advocates and opponents of Title IX. The opponents argue that Title IX, particularly at mid-major and lower-level institutions, discriminates against male students; they contend that "minor" sports such as wrestling, soccer, and tennis must be cut for men as a result of the requirements Title IX places on the institutions. The advocates of Title IX respond that Title IX does not require that an institution cut these sports, and that it is an institution's choice to cut back in this manner. The courts have found that decisions to cut these sports are not discriminatory, and that the institutions have a legitimate basis for their decision.
As we all know, college athletics is big business. Athletic budgets run into the millions of dollars, and many institutions depend on "major" sports such as football and basketball to raise the revenue necessary to fund the non-revenue-producing sports. Opponents of Title IX argue that the decision to fund some sports and not others—particularly for male sports—is predicated by compliance with the act; if the institution does not have the money to field men's and women's sports in all areas, then it must make the difficult decision to cut sports teams. I will leave to the advocates and opponents the debate over whether this is truly the effect or the intent of Title IX.
I will say, however, that this is a fascinating area of the law and possibly a burgeoning one because of the expansion of Title IX to other areas of discrimination in institutions of secondary and higher education. Although there have certainly been increases in the number of females participating in athletics, the debate continues as to whether these increases would have occurred even in the absence of Title IX. There have been attempts to do away or significantly reduce the impact of Title IX. In these difficult economic times, such attempts may increase.
Florencio (Larry) Ramirez is a former children's court judge of the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and a former chair of the GPSolo Division. He is of counsel with Carrillo Law, L.L.C., in Las Cruces and may be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com .


text:
Huge interest at the DLR exhibits during the Berlin Air Show (ILA 2008)
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) had a stand at the Berlin International Air Show (ILA 2008) displaying many exhibits from its various fields of research. Trade representatives and the general public alike flocked to the stand in the Raumfahrthalle (Spaceflight Hall) and to the research fleet on the tarmac.
The ninth ILA, which ended in Berlin today, was accompanied by fine weather and a possible record number of visitors. Up to Saturday, 185 000 visitors had come to Schönefeld Airport. It is possible that today will see the previous record of 250 000 visitors (in 2006) broken. Chairman of the DLR Executive Board, Prof. Johann-Dietrich Wörner, was clearly highly satisfied when he today said: "This exhibition has not been just about setting new standards in visitor interest. We, too, can look back at a successful presence at the exhibition and look forward optimistically to the future. With the partnership agreements signed at ILA, DLR is demonstrating itself as an invaluable partner in the international aviation and spaceflight industry."
Numerous conferences and workshops were held under the auspices of ILA 2008, and it was also the venue for the signing of many a partnership agreement. DLR entered into a maintenance contract with LufthansaTechnik for the high-tech research aircraft, the ATRA, the newest member of the DLR research fleet. A further success, from a German point of view, was the re-establishment of the system capability for the construction of small geo-stationary telecommunications satellites, the 'SmallGEOs'; signatures were set to a similar contract for the construction of the 'Advanced Generation 1' with the Spanish company Hispasat. The requisite technology was developed in Germany, and supported by DLR.
Coming in at nearly 600 square metres, the huge DLR stand in Hall 9 saw its scientists and engineers display a representative cross-section of their R&D work in the fields of aviation and spaceflight, energy, and traffic and transport between 27 May to 1 June. There were 22 exhibits on show, some of which were 'hands-on' exhibits that could be tried out. Scientists showed how technology applications from space can be used here on Earth. In the field of aviation research, exhibits showed how flying could be made more environmentally friendly, among other things.
The theme in the Spaceflight Hall, constructed by the combined energies of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), the European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) was integration of national activities in international spaceflight missions. Among other things on show were the German Spaceflight Control Centre in Oberpfaffenhofen - near Munich - and a model of the ISS research lab COLUMBUS (launched in March), which is carrying out experiments controlled by DLR's Bavarian establishment.
On the exhibition site next to Hall 8 were four DLR aircraft (DLR has the largest fleet of research aircraft in Europe): the EC 135 FHS helicopter, the world's only fly-by-light aircraft, the Cessna 208 Caravan, a "flying lecture theatre" for the education of aviation and spaceflight students, and the VfW 614 ATTAS, used as a flight simulator for flight-system research. ILA 2008 was also the first opportunity to show the public at large the A320 ATRA research aircraft. Together with Airbus, DLR demonstrated the use of fuel cells in this ultra-modern research aircraft.


text:
Meet thousands of Arrowhead singles through one of the best Arrowhead online dating sites. Matchmaker.com has great instant messenger and live video Arrowhead chat service for our members. Arrowhead dating has never been easier with our show interest feature that will allow you to break the ice with attractive local singles.
Matchmaker.com has some great services for Arrowhead singles looking for a longer term relationship. Besides our great Arrowhead chat product with live video matchmaker users can send email messages to people in the area. The Arrowhead dating scene can be hard to find the right person at times; however, we are here to help and our Arrowhead online dating service is free to register.
ArrowheadJoin Now Free!
Arrowhead Girls | Arrowhead Men | Arrowhead Gay | Arrowhead Lesbians
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
More Arrowhead Links:
Arrowhead Personals | Arrowhead Speed Dating | Arrowhead Chat | Arrowhead Singles | Arrowhead Love
Senior Dating | Catholic Dating | Christian Dating | Muslim Dating
Black Singles | Asian Singles | Latin Dating
Try our Arrowhead dating service today. Matchmaker.com is one of the oldest Arrowhead online dating services on the Internet and has brought thousands of couples together from the area. Test drive our Arrowhead Chat room with one of the best online communities for the Arrowhead single person. Also, keep in mind that we have a huge member base of Arrowhead singles and that we also cater to members of the many backgrounds.
Still not convinced that matchmaker is the free Arrowhead dating service for you? Once you've filled out the quick registration process you will be to see full size photos and profiles of thousands of Arrowhead singles. Did you know that free Arrowhead dating is a few clicks away? Find love and romance in Arrowhead at matchmaker today!


text:
Mercer County, NJ
Garden Artisans LLC is a premier landscape design-build and maintenance firm specializing in planting design and custom natural stone installation. Serving both residential and commercial customers, Garden Artisans LLC provides complete property management and maintenance services. Garden Artisans LLC has helped design, build, and maintain beautiful living environments and turn visions into reality.
For more information or to contact Garden Artisans LLC, give us a call at 609-371-0099, contact us through our website by clicking here, or email us at firstname.lastname@example.com for Design and Build inquiries or firstname.lastname@example.com for Maintenance inquiries.


text:
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A Salvation Army bell-ringer from Springfield kept at it for 80 hours straight, breaking his own record from a year ago.
In a local competition aimed at bringing in more donations for the needy, Darrell Tureskis rang the bell near his collection kettle for three days, except for quick bathroom breaks. That was almost 20 hours longer than last year.
Two other bell-ringers refused to be beaten and kept up with him. But all three decided to call it quits together Friday night in response to the Connecticut school shooting.
Tureskis explained that after the tragedy it didn't seem right to seek attention.
He told The (Springfield) State Journal-Register that the 3 of them then held their bells over their hearts in silent tribute to the shooting victims.
Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Medication Summaries
Clinical Studies
Clinical Studies
Slide Decks
Browse the Online Course Materials
Sign In and Track Your Progress
Free Continuing Education
Browse or create an account and track your progress as you work through the course. After registering, you can obtain free CME or CNE credit.
Since you've received 80% or better on this quiz, you may claim continuing education credit.
You seem to have a popup blocker enabled. If you want to skip this dialog please Always allow popup windows for the online course.


text:
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Three men were injured on Monday when a whale leaped out of the water and landed on their inflatable boat off South Africa's south coast near the harbor city of Port Elizabeth, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said on Tuesday.
The weight of animal, believed to be a humpback whale, pushed the craft underwater but the boat popped back to the surface and one of the men was able to raise the alarm with a cell phone, the NSRI said in a statement.
Illuminating flares were then used to search for the men and their stricken boat on a moonless night.
"The boat was found about one nautical mile off-shore with all three men clinging onto the hull," said Ian Gray, NSRI Port Elizabeth station commander.
One of the men was in a stable but serious condition, having sustained suspected rib fractures, an arm and a leg injury. The other two escaped with lesser injuries, the NSRI said.
(Reporting by Sherilee Lakmidas; Editing by Ed Stoddard and Paul Casciato)


text:
- Home
- Editor's Desk
- Features
- Columns
- Arts & Culture
- Special Editions
- Advertising
Wednesday September 19, 2018; 05:44 am EDT
Quietly and with hope
The tide was beginning to briskly move out as I lowered the hydraulic spike on my shallow-water anchor. Positioned a dozen or so yards off a long, heavy rock jetty in four feet of water, my skiff came to an abrupt stop, then swung about with the current. The light was already getting low in an overcast early evening gloom.
I took my time getting my tackle ready and letting the water settle. When the bite has been difficult, it's always a good idea to be cautious with sound and the effects of a boat's intrusion, especially in skinny water.
If there are fish in the area, they know something has arrived, make no mistake. But if you don't create any additional disturbances, they'll usually forgive your presence and resume their hunt for food.
The rockfish bite is slowly improving on the Western Shore. From Chesapeake Beach down, fishing is much better than above. But if you want more consistent action and larger fish, the Eastern Shore, especially the Eastern Bay and points south, are where to look.
Rigging one outfit with a top-water plug, the second with a rattle trap-type crank bait and the third with a Bass Assassin on a light jig head, I felt ready. If there were fish and they were feeding, the odds were good one of those three baits would get them.
I started with the surface lure, working it gently in a fan-shaped pattern toward the rocks. Hitting the best-looking areas first, I hoped for some quick success. I had been skunked my last three outings, and the frustration was beginning to weigh on me.
Since early August, I had been enjoying superb shallow-water action with lots of good-sized rockfish. Then Lee creamed the Chesapeake with a deluge of rain followed by a torrent of silt and storm debris washing down the Susquehanna.
Dirty water and striped bass rarely mix. During the past few weeks, my favorite sweet spots remained empty. No one I spoke with who fished the Western Bay areas I frequent had found fish, either.
Assuming perseverance to be the antidote, I kept fishing. I knew the stripers would eventually return — though it was beginning to feel as though it might not be in my lifetime.
Getting no response from my surface plug, I switched over to the rattling bait, a Red Eye Shad. Swimming the fast, wiggling lure deep and bouncing it off of the rock-strewn bottom, I finally hung my first fish. It was a sweet feeling, and I played the schoolie carefully. Netting the thrashing, not-quite-legal striper, I gently unhooked it and eased it over the side.
A couple of weeks earlier I would have been irritated at the intrusion of an under-sized striper. Today I was thankful. A few casts later I hooked another, a twin of the first, then another, and another.
For a time that evening, I hoped there would be some sizeable fish in the mix, especially when a few of the scrappy schoolies fooled me into thinking they were much bigger than they were. Eventually I settled down and enjoyed the bite. It lasted until full dark.
I turned on my navigation lights and continued to cast for another half-hour, hoping that the big brothers would show up. But the show was over. Finally, wiping my hands and stowing my tackle, I prepped the boat, levered the anchor spike up into its place on the transom and fired up the Yamaha.
It may not be rational for an adult's mood to depend on success in fooling a cold-blooded aquatic vertebrate of dubious intelligence. But such is the fate of the fervent rockfish angler. So I was merry as I stood at the console of my skiff, riding on a soft, slow plane, peering into the darkness for floating debris and carefully making my way back to the boat ramp.
Though the fish had been small, they were enthusiastic, and so was I. Barring another nasty storm, fishing would, I knew, continue to improve.