text:
With no sunlight to set day apart from night on a submarine, the U.S. Navy for decades has staggered sailors' working hours on schedules with little resemblance to life above the ocean's surface.
Research by a Navy laboratory in Groton is now leading to changes for the undersea fleet. Military scientists concluded submarine sailors, who traditionally begin a new workday every 18 hours, show less fatigue on a 24-hour schedule, and the Navy has endorsed the findings for any skippers who want to make the switch.
The first submarine to try the new schedule on a full deployment was the USS Scranton, led by Cmdr. Seth Burton, a cancer survivor. He said the illness he experienced as a junior officer helped convince him of the health benefits of keeping a sleep pattern in line with the body's natural rhythm.


text:
ACI Worldwide, Inc. Reports Financial Results for the Quarter and Full Year Ended December 31, 2016
Thursday, March 02, 2017
Share this:
NAPLES, FLA — March 2, 2017 — ACI Worldwide (NASDAQ: ACIW), a leading global provider of real-time electronic payment and banking solutions, today announced financial results for the quarter and full year ended December 31, 2016.
- Revenue up 21% in Q4 and 4% for the year*
- Total bookings up 50% in Q4 and 16% for the year*
- New bookings up 3% in Q4 and 6% for the year*
- 60-month backlog up $126 million in 2016 to $4.0 billion*
- Signed Universal Payments contract representing the largest in history
- Providing 2017 guidance
*Adjusted for FX, the Community Financial Services (CFS) divestiture and PAY.ON acquisition
Download full release >
Download presentation >
"We delivered our strongest revenue growth of the year in Q4 and set another bookings record. We signed three new UP BASE24-eps deals, one new UP Immediate Payments deal and our largest ever Universal Payments contract," commented Phil Heasley, President and CEO, ACI Worldwide. "Entering 2017, we are signing some of the largest contracts in our history and we are very optimistic about ACI's growing opportunity in the rapidly changing payments landscape."
Net new bookings grew 3% and overall bookings, including term extensions, grew 50% after adjusting for foreign currency fluctuations and the CFS divestiture. Term extension growth was particularly strong, rebounding from earlier in 2016.
Revenue in Q4 was $343 million, up 11% from last year. Adjusting for the CFS divestiture, incremental contribution from the PAY.ON acquisition, and foreign currency fluctuations, Q4 revenue increased 21% from the same quarter last year.
Adjusted EBITDA in Q4 grew $50 million to $160 million, an increase of 46%, from $110 million in Q4 2015 excluding the CFS contribution and related costs. After adjusting for pass through interchange revenues of $39 million and $33 million in 2016 and 2015, respectively, net adjusted EBITDA margin in Q4 was 52% in 2016 versus 44% in Q4 of 2015.
Net income in Q4 was $67 million, or $0.56 per diluted share, versus $44 million, or $0.36 per diluted share in Q4 2015.
Full year new bookings grew 6% and overall bookings, including term extensions, grew 16% to $1.3 billion, after adjusting for foreign currency fluctuations and the CFS divestiture.
We ended the year with a 60-month backlog of $4 billion and a 12-month backlog of $816 million. Excluding the impact of the CFS divestiture and foreign currency movements, our 60-month backlog grew $126 million during 2016.
Full year revenue was $1.006 billion, up $39 million, or 4% over 2015, after adjusting for the CFS divestiture, the PAY.ON acquisition, and foreign currency fluctuations.
Adjusted EBITDA was $241 million, down $6 million compared to 2015, after adjusting for the CFS divestiture and related costs. After adjusting for pass through interchange revenues of $144 million and $129 million in 2016 and 2015, respectively, net adjusted EBITDA margin was 28% in 2016 versus 30% in 2015.
Net income for the year was $130 million, or $1.09 per diluted share, versus $85 million, or $0.72 per diluted share in 2015. Operating free cash flow for the year was $72 million, down from $143 million in 2015. Operating free cash flow was impacted by the timing of renewal events resulting in a $61 million higher accounts receivable balance compared to the prior year. Subsequent to year end, accounts receivable has declined $77 million. As of December 31, 2016, we had $76 million in cash on hand, a debt balance of $753 million, and $78 million remaining under our share repurchase authorization.
In 2017, we expect to generate revenue in a range of $1.0 billion to $1.025 billion, which represents 2-5% organic growth after adjusting for foreign currency fluctuations and the CFS divestiture. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be in a range of $250 million to $255 million, which excludes approximately $14 million in one-time integration related expenses for PAY.ON, the CFS divestiture, and data center and facilities consolidation. We expect to generate between $215 million and $220 million of revenue in the first quarter, which represents 3-5% organic growth after adjusting for foreign currency fluctuations and the CFS divestiture. We expect full year 2017 new bookings to grow in the upper single digit range.
Management will host a conference call at 8:30 am ET to discuss these results as well as 2017 guidance. Interested persons may access a real-time audio broadcast of the teleconference at http://investor.aciworldwide.com/ or use the following numbers for dial-in participation: US/Canada: (866) 914-7436, international: +1 (817) 385-9117. Please provide your name, the conference name ACI Worldwide, Inc. and conference code 66612410. There will be a replay of the call available for two weeks on (855) 859-2056 for US/Canada callers and +1 (404) 537-3406 for international participants.
About ACI Worldwide
ACI Worldwide, the Universal Payments (UP) company, powers electronic payments for more than 5,100 organizations around the world. More than 1,000 of the largest financial institutions and intermediaries as well as thousands of global merchants rely on ACI to execute $14 trillion each day in payments and securities. In addition, myriad organizations utilize our electronic bill presentment and payment services. Through our comprehensive suite of software and SaaS-based solutions, we deliver real-time, immediate payments capabilities and enable the industry's most complete omni-channel payments experience. To learn more about ACI, please visitwww.aciworldwide.com. You can also find us on Twitter @ACI_Worldwide.
© Copyright ACI Worldwide, Inc. 2017.
Investor Contact
For more information contact:
John Kraft, Vice President, Investor Relations & Strategic Analysis
ACI Worldwide
[email protected]
To supplement our financial results presented on a GAAP basis, we use the non-GAAP measures indicated in the tables, which exclude certain business combination accounting entries, significant transaction-related expenses, as well as other significant non-cash expenses such as depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation, that we believe are helpful in understanding our past financial performance and our future results. The presentation of these non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to our GAAP results and are not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with GAAP. Management generally compensates for limitations in the use of non-GAAP financial measures by relying on comparable GAAP financial measures and providing investors with a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures only in addition to and in conjunction with results presented in accordance with GAAP. We believe that these non-GAAP financial measures reflect an additional way to view aspects of our operations that, when viewed with our GAAP results, provide a more complete understanding of factors and trends affecting our business. Certain non-GAAP measures include:
- Non-GAAP revenue: revenue plus deferred revenue that would have been recognized in the normal course of business if not for GAAP purchase accounting requirements. Non-GAAP revenue should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, revenue.
- Non-GAAP operating income: operating income plus deferred revenue that would have been recognized in the normal course of business if not for GAAP purchase accounting requirements and significant transaction-related expenses. Non-GAAP operating income should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, operating income.
- Adjusted EBITDA: net income plus income tax expense (benefit), net interest income (expense), net other income (expense), depreciation, amortization and stock-based compensation, as well as deferred revenue that would have been recognized in the normal course of business if not for GAAP purchase accounting requirements and significant transaction-related expenses. Adjusted EBITDA should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, operating income.
ACI is also presenting operating free cash flow, which is defined as net cash provided by operating activities, net after-tax payments associated with employee-related actions and facility closures, net after-tax payments associated with significant transaction-related expenses, and less capital expenditures plus European data center and cybersecurity capital expenditures. Operating free cash flow is considered a non-GAAP financial measure as defined by SEC Regulation G. We utilize this non-GAAP financial measure, and believe it is useful to investors, as an indicator of cash flow available for debt repayment and other investing activities, such as capital investments and acquisitions. We utilize operating free cash flow as a further indicator of operating performance and for planning investing activities. Operating free cash flow should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, net cash provided by operating activities. A limitation of operating free cash flow is that it does not represent the total increase or decrease in the cash balance for the period. This measure also does not exclude mandatory debt service obligations and, therefore, does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures. We believe that operating free cash flow is useful to investors to provide disclosures of our operating results on the same basis as that used by our management.
ACI also includes backlog estimates, which include all license, maintenance, and services specified in executed contracts, as well as revenues from assumed contract renewals to the extent that we believe recognition of the related revenue will occur within the corresponding backlog period. We have historically included assumed renewals in backlog estimates based upon automatic renewal provisions in the executed contract and our historic experience with customer renewal rates.
Backlog is considered a non-GAAP financial measure as defined by SEC Regulation G. Our 60-month backlog estimate represents expected revenues from existing customers using the following key assumptions:
- Maintenance fees are assumed to exist for the duration of the license term for those contracts in which the committed maintenance term is less than the committed license term.
- License, facilities management, and software hosting arrangements are assumed to renew at the end of their committed term at a rate consistent with our historical experiences.
- Non-recurring license arrangements are assumed to renew as recurring revenue streams.
- Foreign currency exchange rates are assumed to remain constant over the 60-month backlog period for those contracts stated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar.
- Our pricing policies and practices are assumed to remain constant over the 60-month backlog period.
Estimates of future financial results are inherently unreliable. Our backlog estimates require substantial judgment and are based on a number of assumptions as described above. These assumptions may turn out to be inaccurate or wrong, including, but not limited to, reasons outside of management's control. For example, our customers may attempt to renegotiate or terminate their contracts for a number of reasons, including mergers, changes in their financial condition, or general changes in economic conditions in the customer's industry or geographic location, or we may experience delays in the development or delivery of products or services specified in customer contracts which may cause the actual renewal rates and amounts to differ from historical experiences. Changes in foreign currency exchange rates may also impact the amount of revenue actually recognized in future periods. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that contracts included in backlog estimates will actually generate the specified revenues or that the actual revenues will be generated within the corresponding 60-month period.
Backlog should be considered in addition to, rather than as a substitute for, reported revenue and deferred revenue.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Generally, forward-looking statements do not relate strictly to historical or current facts and may include words or phrases such as "believes," "will," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," and words and phrases of similar impact. The forward-looking statements are made pursuant to safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: (i) expectations that we are signing some of the largest contracts in our history; (ii) our optimism about ACI's growing opportunity in the rapidly changing payments landscape; (iii) expectations regarding revenue, adjusted EBITDA, and new bookings growth in 2017; and (iv) expectations regarding revenue in the first quarter of 2017.
All of the foregoing forward-looking statements are expressly qualified by the risk factors discussed in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such factors include, but are not limited to, increased competition, the success of our Universal Payments strategy, demand for our products, restrictions and other financial covenants in our credit facility, consolidations and failures in the financial services industry, customer reluctance to switch to a new vendor, the accuracy of management's backlog estimates, the maturity of certain products, our strategy to migrate customers to our next generation products, ratable or deferred recognition of certain revenue associated with customer migrations and the maturity of certain of our products, failure to obtain renewals of customer contracts or to obtain such renewals on favorable terms, delay or cancellation of customer projects or inaccurate project completion estimates, volatility and disruption of the capital and credit markets and adverse changes in the global economy, our existing levels of debt, impairment of our goodwill or intangible assets, litigation, future acquisitions, strategic partnerships and investments, risks related to the expected benefits to be achieved in the transaction with PAY.ON, the complexity of our products and services and the risk that they may contain hidden defects or be subjected to security breaches or viruses, compliance of our products with applicable legislation, governmental regulations and industry standards, our ability to protect customer information from security breaches or attacks, our compliance with privacy regulations, the protection of our intellectual property in intellectual property litigation, exposure to credit or operating risks arising from certain payment funding methods, the cyclical nature of our revenue and earnings and the accuracy of forecasts due to the concentration of revenue-generating activity during the final weeks of each quarter, business interruptions or failure of our information technology and communication systems, our offshore software development activities, risks from operating internationally, including fluctuations in currency exchange rates, exposure to unknown tax liabilities, volatility in our stock price, our pending appeal of the $43 million judgment, plus $2.7 million of attorney fees and costs awarded against us in the BHMI litigation, and potential claims associated with our sale and transition of our CFS assets and liabilities. For a detailed discussion of these risk factors, parties that are relying on the forward-looking statements should review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recently filed Annual Report on Form 10-K and our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
We are now offering the opportunity to purchase a full set of planning and construction drawings for the design schemes highlighted below.
0.1 Space 18R and 0.2 Space 18L are available for sale now and can be purchased through our Shopify Shop. These packages are the left hand and right hand versions of the same single storey rear extension.
Click here for full Terms and Conditions and further information on what is included in the package of drawings.
See the individual product pages for further descriptions and images of the schemes.


text:
Chinese Bamboo Flute 3.0
Flute is playing musical instruments, made with Bamboo, horizontal wind. Blow on the opening hole of a hole and film, according to the sound hole six, is used two to four out of the Department of the sound hole, range over two and a half degrees. Flute in China is rich in artistic expression of ethnic musical instruments, sound and moving back-wan,which is solo instrument. In the private sector, it is also widely used in instrumental music in...


text:
Nathan Tuckfield, or Tuck as many of us call him, was in a terrible accident last week while working around his house. Tuck and his wife, Megan, live in Guy, Ark., and each spring the area sees its fair share of tornadic activity. So, Tuck was taking the time to clear out the storm cellar, which had become overgrown with brush, trash and weeds, when the accident happened.
Tuck was burning the brush out of the cellar when the fire suddenly exploded, giving him second-degree burns on his face and arms. His decision to wear sunglasses probably saved his eyes. The image is pretty gruesome, but it also shows the severity of his burns.
Please keep Tuck in your prayers. He's a great friend of Ty's and one of the groomsmen in our wedding. He should make a full recovery, but the healing process will be painful. To prevent infection and to help the wounds heal, Megan has to scrub the wounds multiple times each day.
I can't imagine the pain he's enduring. But Tuck is a strong guy, full of cowboy wisdom, and definitely determined to get back on his feet as soon as possible.


text:
Thank you. Your inquiry has been received.
New construction home in the breathtaking Sea Summit Community just steps from the Pacific Ocean! This 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home models an expansive great room and outdoor living space that exemplify coastal living at its finest. The open concept plan wraps the kitchen and great room around the outdoor living room. An adjacent private dining room features additional cabinets, perfect for your wine collection. A separate downstairs bedroom or office with a private bathroom and shower opposite of the living area provides a private retreat. The master suite boasts a large walk-in closet, separate sinks, walk-in shower and tub. A generous covered deck located adjacent to the master suite to enhance your enjoyment of the outdoors. Each upstairs bedrooms include en-suite bathrooms. Sea Summit offers a resort-style clubhouse with a pool, spa, exercise room, BBQ lounge and gathering area all on top of the bluffs with panoramic views of the ocean and natural bluffs. This community includes 5 parks with four miles of walking trails, 100 acres of open space, all conveniently located just a minute off the freeway and within minutes of the brand new shopping center, beach and Amtrak station.
Pictures are of model actual home is under construction.


text:
American Elements is a manufacturer and supplier specializing in the chloride form of most metallic elements including cerium, lanthanum, erbium, ytterbium, neodymium, yttrium and other rare earth elements, gallium, hafnium, scandium, niobium, indium, ruthenium, zirconium, transition metals such as copper, nickel, tin and cobalt and precious metals such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium. These chloride compounds are available as both powders and solutions and marketed under the trademark AE Chlorides™.
Products by Form
Alloy & Alloy Forms Pure Metals & Metal Forms
Chemicals & Salts
Chemicals & Salts Acetates Aluminides Ammonium Sulfates Antimonides Arsenates Benzoate Bromates Bromides Carbonates Chlorides Chromates Fluorides Hydrides Hydroxides Iodates Iodides Lactates Molybdates Nitrates Oxalates Oxides Perchlorates Phosphates Selenates Selenides Selenites Silicates Stearates Sulfates Sulfides Sulfites Tantalates Tellurates Tellurides Tellurites ThiocyanatesVanadates
Foams: Metallic & Ceramic High Purity Materials Isotopes
Oxides Rare Earths Semiconductors Solutions Sputtering Targets
Products by Application
Additive Manufacturing & 3D Printing Battery & Supercapacitor Materials CatalystsDental Materials Electronics Materials Fuel Cell Materials Glass Manufacturing Green Technology & Alternative Energy Hydrogen Storage Laser Crystals Life Sciences & Biomaterials Metallurgy Nanotechnology & Nanomaterials Optical Materials Photovoltaic & Solar Energy Plating Pigments & Coatings Research & Development Space Technology Thin Film Deposition Water Treatment Weather Modification
Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China & Hong Kong Czech Republic Denmark Finland France Germany Greece Hungary India Indonesia Israel Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Netherlands Norway Philippines Poland Portugal Russia Singapore South Korea Spain Sweden Switzerland Taiwan Thailand Turkey United Kingdom United States
Services Safety Data CenterResearch CenterToolbox
Aerospace Agriculture Automotive Chemical Manufacturing Defense Dentistry Electronics Energy Storage & Batteries Fine Art Materials Fuel Cells Glass Investment Grade Metals Jewelry & Fashion Lasers Lighting Medical Devices Musem & GalleriesNuclear Energy Oil & Gas Optics Paper & Pulp Pharmaceuticals & Cosmetics Research & Laboratory Solar Energy Space Sports Equipment Steel & Alloy Producers Textiles & Fabrics Water Treatment Municipalities
Contact us / Request Quote
About Us


text:
New Report Shows Corporations and Western Governments Continue to Profit From Looting of Africa
A recent report published by a coalition of African and British social justice organizations lays bare the truth that foreign corporations and wealthy governments continue to profit from the looting of the world's most impoverished continent.
In 2015, the year the most recent data is available, African nations received $162 billion in aid, loans, and remittances. At the same time, $203 billion was taken from these nations through resource extraction, debt payments, and illegal logging and fishing.
"We find that the countries of Africa are collectively net creditors to the rest of the world, to the tune of $41.3 billion in 2015," explain authors of the report, titled How the World Profits from Africa's Wealth.
"There's such a powerful narrative in Western societies that Africa is poor and that it needs our help," explained Aisha Dodwell, a campaigner with Global Justice Now, one of the organizations that authored the report.
"This research shows that what African countries really need is for the rest of the world to stop systematically looting them," Dodwell said. "While the form of colonial plunder may have changed over time, its basic nature remains unchanged."
For example, over half of the population of Africa lacks access to sufficient healthcare, with an average of only 14 health professionals for every 100,000 people.
However, Africa's wealth underground is extensive. In 2015, African nations exported some $232 billion worth of minerals and oil to the rest of the world, South Africa contains an estimated $2.5 trillion in mineral wealth, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) holds an estimated $24 trillion in untapped mineral reserves.
Read more


text:
Data scrappeing and import to magento
Budget $30-250 AUD
need to product from two website scrap and import to our magento with all attribute and match with product part finder
79 freelancers are bidding on average $129 for this job
Hello, I do have a website where i have listed all of my work / projects [login to view URL] Let me know if you would like to discuss it further. Thank You, Muhammad Relevant Skills and Experi More
Hello Sir, we have 8 member team and we can start work right now just give us one chance we will do our best,awaiting ur answer.
Hi, I have read & understood everything about your project. I will give you 100% accuracy work. I have a big team with 20 peoples for your work. I am waiting for your quick response. I want to start right now. Tha More
Greetings sir, i am an expert freelancer for this job and your 100% satisfaction is assured if you allow me to serve. i can do this Task as per your requirement. Relevant Skills and Experience I have the 5 years of More
Here are Magento Experts , please check Our profile for our skills and experience in Magento 1.9 and lataest version 2 Relevant Skills and Experience Magento , wordpress ,prestashop, Woocommerce, Joomla , php, shopify More
Hi I am a Magento developer/designer having 5 years of experience in Magento In Magento integration, Customization, Upgrade, Design and Developing ecommerce website. As a Magento developers have knowledge: P More
I can scrape product from two website scrap Relevant Skills and Experience I have done many similar projects .Let me send you a sample list Proposed Milestones $30 AUD - 1
Hello. Hope you are doing good. It's Umair here. I am expert in web scraping and data mining and have more than 5 years of experience in this field. I have scraped more than 1000 websites. Relevant Skills and Experie More
Hi sir, Thank you for giving opportunity for biding... we have gone through your requirements and we can do data scraping & import to magento with all attribute tasks as you need. Relevant Skills and Experience Plea More
I am interested for your project Relevant Skills and Experience data entry and web search Proposed Milestones $200 AUD - na
Hello Sir, I have 5+ member team i am done this type job last time with good result so plz give me one chance so i am done this job with good [login to view URL] Regards Relevant Skills and Experience Hello Sir, I have 5+ More
Have experience of web scraping as well as importing site let me know the source website. look forward to hearing from you thanks and regards, Nadeem Relevant Skills and Experience Web Scraping, Data Mining, product i More
Dear Sir. I had read your descriptions about project. Kindly give me a chance, i would like to discuss more about project and sure everything clear. I am a developer very strong in below skills. Relevant Skills and Ex More


text:
Zumba is one of the world's fastest growing exercise and weight loss programmes. It fuses hypnotic latin rhythms and music with easy to follow dance moves to create a dynamic fitness programme that will blow you away.
Zumba is a Latin-based dance aerobics class that has swept the nation. Zumba uses a mixture of international music and easy-to-follow moves to create an exciting and effective fitness workout.
The cardio based dance movements are easy to follow steps, targeting such areas as gluteus muscles, legs, arms, core, abdominals.
Please see www.zumbaloverlondon.co.uk for more information.


text:
Views: 1165, Replies: 27 » Jump to the end
clifton, n.j. (Zone 7a)
Jun 4, 2016 7:48 PM CST
|I am an avid gardener who is getting older & have had brain surgery, big-time spinal surgery….. & joy of joys….I had a mild heart attack 5 weeks ago….sigh. I'm doing fine but am having to learn some new ways of doing gardening chores. Up until about 3 years ago there was literally nothing I wouldn't tackle & have always been a strong woman. Anyone else having to accept that they aren't superwoman any longer? Any tips for making gardening easier on the old bones & especially the spine. Also, safer ways to garden that will be a little more heart-healthy?
Jun 4, 2016 8:26 PM CST
|Welcome to Garden.org, @applevalle !
You will find plenty of company in "having to learn new ways of doing gardening chores" here ! Even without specific health problems, many (perhaps the majority) of us here are getting older and finding we need to make some modifications in our gardening routine ! So, pretty much everywhere you go here you will find someone referring to the fact that they apparently are no longer superwoman -- but you may find this thread, in particular, or interest: The thread "For Physically Challenged Gardeners" in Sandbox forum
I hope you enjoy the site -- I'm looking forward to "seeing" you around!
Cubits.org - A Universe of Communities[/I] / Share your recipes: Favorite Recipes A-Z cubit
C/F temp conversion / NGA Member Map
Jun 4, 2016 8:29 PM CST
|Welcome to NGA @applevalle
Raised beds are easier on the back and knees.
Plant native perennials as they require less care and time.
Check around, ask if there are volunteer programs with churches, schools or scouts. Often you can get help with garden tasks for little expense.
The Master Gardener Program and the County extension Service have loads of info about choosing and growing vegetables best suited to your area.
And for great moral support and good info, you already have the nicest group of folks to talk garden with right here.
Jun 4, 2016 9:32 PM CST
Life is short, Break the rules, Forgive quickly, Kiss slowly, Love Truly, Laugh
uncontrollably, And never regret anything that made you Smile.
Jun 4, 2016 9:56 PM CST
|What I did at my mothers house was set up containers on old picnic Table benches. Just about no bending over.
Jun 5, 2016 4:20 AM CST
north of Kansas city MO (Zone 5a)
Jun 5, 2016 6:07 AM CST
|Our 4h group has what they call the green team to help folks with gardening task.
I am also testing some ideas I have seen. I took pvc pipe (one rated safe for drinking water) will have to check the diameter but put them in the ground standing upright and put potting soil in each one and planted tomatoes in them. I saw this on a pbs gardening show, the gentleman was in a wheel chair and the tomatoes were at the perfect height. Course you will need help cutting and placing the pvc in the ground the first go around. I also built 2 raised vegetable beds using concrete block, 2 blocks high I can sit on the edge and garden. They are just wide enough I can reach the center on both sides. Husband was asking why we were building them, told him so when I get older I can still garden, he said building the concrete block bed was going to make us older....they are really heavy but don't cost alot.
Hope you can find help, and for everyone else it is always good to be ready for when we are older or have issues before hand. I know it is hard to believe but hopefully we will all get older.
Jun 5, 2016 7:50 AM CST
| applevalle
You will find lots of company and ideas here.
"Old gardeners never die----they just spade away"
"Old gardeners never die----they just go to seed"
Jun 5, 2016 10:32 AM CST
|Warm welcome from the Pacific NW! I'd suggest investing in a rolling stool of some sort, I find mine very helpful. Another thing I've found helpful is to use one of those big kitchen or workroom poly-mats for weeding. Easier than the tiny little knee pad mats and gives more room for comfort. Sometimes when I'm feeling punky, I just lay my mat down and tell myself to just do 'that much' -- often that much turns into much more but it sure is a doable goal!
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
Jun 5, 2016 11:15 AM CST
|Get 'em up high and put 'em on wheels.
Can't complain too loud about how the ball bounces when I'm the one who dropped it.
Jun 5, 2016 12:07 PM CST
| Welcome applevalle,
There are lots of folks here who are physically challenged and manage to keep their gardens going. Thankfully most people concentrate on what they do in the garden each day and not dwell on the negative stuff. (We do have a Grumpy Thread for when people feel like letting off steam.) I had to re-learn gardening about 10 years ago when I became disabled. Thought about not having a garden and nope, that was not gonna work for me. Even just a few pots or raised beds will keep you in the game. Just do what you can each day and no matter how independent you are, please ask for help when you need it.
All of the above are good answers. You could contact the local Boy Scout group to see if anyone is working on an Eagle Scout project. One surprising way I received help was from the missionaries from the Mormon church. They come around with a plan to talk about religion but I told them I had too much work to do and, sorry, had no time to chat. Their eyes lit up as they asked what they could do to help me. They returned the next day (without the white shirts and neck ties) and were happy to get good and dirty. Here is the mess that my garden was in before the young men helped:
After the two men and I worked all day the garden looked a lot better. All I had to do was add plants and water.
The young men even managed to move my 10 foot long table (a gift from Home Depot when they renovated their garden center). The table is a good height so I can sit and plant seeds or re-pot plants.
The landscape fabric was covered with bark chips as it is easier for me to walk on. All the plants are in raised beds and large plastic tubs that I get from local landscapers (free) when they plant trees in the area. Since the soil never needs to be tilled all I need is a hand trowel to do my planting. When I am too week to lift heavy bags of soil/mulch/manure I holler for help, even if I have to pay someone. Some of my neighbors work for money; some work for lemonade or a beer.
If I need to sit I use a shower chair to sit on while I am working in the yard. I had tried sitting on plastic milk crates but...well, my butt was too heavy. I was thinking of taking my old commode chair and adding wheels to use it as a gardening chair...with storage under the seat!!
My old body has good days and bad days. While resting in the house on the bad days I like to plan for the good days. Here is a super tall raised bed that I built (over several weeks) to keep out the rabbits. You can believe I had some help to fill it with planting medium.
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
Jun 5, 2016 1:49 PM CST
|I just found this thread and I want to welcome a fellow NJ gardener to this group. I almost said ATP but now we have a new name that I keep forgetting....I am the old one here. I live on the corner of Wrightstown Sykesville Rd. and Route 537. Near Wrightstown or Chesterfield, whichever you may have heard of. I am in Burlington County near the Joint Base MDL...in fact just up the road about a mile or so.
I had a mishap last July and it will be a year in a few weeks and I am still learning to change my way of living, playing and gardening as well as walking. Anyhow, keep your chin up and move on, but the trick is keep moving. I have a little red cart that you can sit on and it has a bucket and a swivel seat if I feel I can bend over without falling on my face that you can pull around and use to weed or whatever. I have severe vertigo which makes my balance a real challenge at times. Anyhow, I also use a golf cart to get around the farm if I feel I do not want to walk much. Otherwise, I use a cane and just hobble around and I have mostly moved all my plants into containers that can be moved into the greenhouse in the winter. Our veggie garden has been cut back to tomato and peppers in containers. I have a gardening seat that you can sit on or turn upside down and kneel on it if you can kneel, which just now I do not do too well. It depends on your ability and what you can and can not do. I love the bench that you can sit or stand to use. Greene has some great ideas. I feel sure you will be able to find what suits you. Many times I just do not feel like going out so I have taken up adult coloring books and decorate and paint horseshoes. All in all, I just thank God for what I can still do but I must admit, the first few months were not good for me mentally and I still find myself having a pity party once in awhile. Anxiety and depression are the most difficult to deal with when you have to give up so much of your activities that you love. Do not let them get the best of you and be sure to exercise. I found moving and exercise was the key to both mental and physical healing. I hope you feel free to get in touch with any of us if you want to chat or ask questions. We are always hanging around or checking in our favorite forums. Take care My friend and stay safe in this weather they are predicting for our area today. Talk again soon.
Jun 7, 2016 5:50 PM CST
|Hi applevalle. Welcome to NGA!
I agree with many suggestions, especially "raised beds" if kneeling and stooping are hard.
You might have to get someone else to build or assemble them and cart in improved soil.
You can also have the people building them dig soil from a "walkway" on one side of the bed so that your feet are 8-16" lower than "grade", and the soil surface inside the bed is 8-12" above grade.
It would be smart to have level walking surfaces without stones that will break your ankles.
My biggest help is to keep a sturdy chair on solid level ground right near where I am working.
Then I put a thick, firm cushion on the chair to reduce the sit-to-stand height.
And I usually park the chair near some sturdy pole I can grab, or keep a rake right there to use as a cane while sitting or standing.
If the chair is too low, you kill your knees going up and down every 20 minutes.
If the chair is tippy, eventually you'll brain yourself.
If the chair is too far from the work spot, you won't sit for 2 minutes every 20 minutes because it's a 2-minute walk.
Especially in heat, take frequent breaks!
And one thing that is really hard: stop doing the hardest tasks. If some plants won't grow unless you break yourself, give those plants away. Ask for help, and accept it. (Give away flowers and veggies so people will offer). Budget for paid help instead of buying new plants.
You've got to save your energy and money for what you want most. Every time you waste either one, its like deciding NOT to do something you wanted to do even more.
Just because it ISN'T complicated doesn't mean I can't MAKE it complicated!
Weather Links ~ Sunset Zones ~ Degree Days ~~ National Gardening Association
Kitazawa Seeds ~ Tainong Seeds ~~ ATP Member Map ~~ My Blogs ~~ Coop Extension Finder
Seriously Hot Peppers ~~ Seed Library Resources ~~ Piggy Swap Chat #11
Name: Linda
Southern NJ (Zone 7a)
Jun 7, 2016 6:36 PM CST
|Welcome! I, too, am from NJ (30 miles north of Atlantic City)
As they say.....you're going to like it here!
Jun 10, 2016 9:10 AM CST
|Linda, if you decide to drive up Rt. 537 let me know....I am just about an hour father North from you. Actually I am very close to the Joint Base MDL in Wrightstown. We have the Christmas Tree on the corner of 537 and Wrightstown Sykesville Rd. Drop in if you get up this way.
Jun 13, 2016 12:06 PM CST
|Drink ALOT of water. Alot. I find that I start to feel dizzy if I don't drink alot and I end up w a headache. The dr told me that as you dehydrate the heart has to work harder. Take frequent rest breaks, I have been out today in 90 degree temps, so I think I rested more than I worked but I did get it done. I have even set up a light at night and worked after dark when it was cooler. For some of the heavy jobs like digging/dividing a few times a year you may consider paying a college student to help you. I also started using more potting soil mix that I buy at Lowes, because I find it so much lighter, easier to dig than the natural soil here which is hard and heavy-it is just so difficult to dig. So I started working in the bagged mix to everything when I plant. It makes it so much easier to pull weeds and to dig/divide my plants later on. Also wear a good quality pair of shoes-your knees, back and hips will notice. I bought a shovel at Lowes that has a wider step area-where you put your foot, it is heavy but it makes digging so much easier on my feet.
Use a cart or a wheelbarrow (they make some smaller styles), do not try to carry stuff that is heavy. (guilty! I think, it's only a few feet...... )
As soon as you are done working for the day, lay down for just an hour to rest everything before doing your regular housework ect. Also I am sure w back problems you already know this, but find a chiropractor you like and keep him on speed dial ... I have went to some I did not like at all, they are all different, so keep trying until you find some you are comfortable with. Mine does all kinds of stuff, deep tissue massage, and muscle taping, and that sort of thing. IcyHot is one of my best friends, I love that stuff! It smell kind of minty, but it is not a bad smell like some of the creams are.
Finally, it you don't LOVE it, toss it. Make a long term plan and work toward that a little at a time, In 10 yrs what do I want to take care of? Will I be able to keep this up? How much can I afford to pay someone to help me maintain? What plants can I trade out for plants that take less work? What do I want in a garden-veggies? cutting flowers? to attract birds? foliage or winter interest? something my grandkids find interesting? fragrance? lots of color I can see from a certain window? ect.
You may even consider dressing up your space with items-not plants. Birdbath, gazing balls, stones, birdhouses, large pots, bench, or with shrubs and plants that take hardly no care instead of annuals and flowers that need frequent water ect.
Jun 13, 2016 1:24 PM CST
Frillylily said:Drink ALOT of water. Alot.
I'm not a medical professional or anything like that but water is not enough - you also need potassium and sodium and a few other things. If a person sweats and drinks too much water they can upset their electrolyte balance and yes, the heart will have trouble keeping up. The electrolytes need to be replaced in the same proportion they are lost. There are products such as Gatorade, Powerade, etc., or Emergen-C or you can Google to find recipes:
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
Jun 13, 2016 9:00 PM CST
|Yes! I had a cousin once who when he was little drank alot of water for several days and he started having seizures and the dr said it was an electrolyte imbalance, the water flushed too much out and he wasn't eating to replace it. He was like 3? So that is important. I just drink fruit juice, but that's just me, I don't drink anything w artificial coloring or sweeteners in it on a regular basis. There are some vitamin water drinks and such that I think are natural.
Jun 14, 2016 8:42 AM CST
|I agee with not using artificial color or sweeteners. I usually drink a glass of water with vinegar (either apple cider or Balsamic), water with lemon juice and a dash of sea salt, a banana, grapefruit juice and water, watermelon...in other words I consume different liquids-not just one thing. That way I feel like I have it covered. Oh, and coconut water - that stuff is fantastic.
Here is a link with a receipe for an electrolyte drink you can make at home:
http://awomanshealth.com/elect... ounces water
And here is the recipe from that link:
Put into a blender:
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon high quality sea salt
1-2 cups of fresh fruit
Sweetener of your choice (optional) (maple syrup, honey, agave)
Sunset Zone 28, AHS Heat Zone 9, USDA zone 8b~"Leaf of Faith"
Jun 14, 2016 8:57 AM CST
|Sounds awful. My outlaw-sister is a big fan of tepid water with apple cider vinegar. I've tried it and...yuk. And any of those gater-drinks are really blech for me. Way too sweet. Plain ol' water for me. Lots of it. Keep it simple.
I want to live in a world where the chicken can cross the road without its motives being questioned.
|« Garden.org Homepage
« Back to the top
« Forums List
« All Things Gardening forum


text:
Slot game free online raonline
Play free online Book of ra Slot the most popular slot game. Find your own divine mythological book by playing the best online slot game completely free on our web site. To play Book of Ra online games you do not need. Respecting the tradition of games with 9 lines and bonus feature, Novomatic hit the market with this Book of Ra slot game. Even after so many years of the.


text:
Joomla is an open source content management system (CMS). Joomla is available for download at https://www.joomla.org.
Why Joomla? We use Joomla as it gives us a solid platform with many free or paid add ons allowing us to integrate utilities into your website. We are experienced in creating custom designs for Joomla. This means we can match your company color schemes, quickly integrate your clubs logo into a design, and modify a design to meet your needs.
Web on Fire hosting platforms are setup perfect for installing your Joomla site. Call today!


text:
Energy Efficient Housing
Energy efficient windows have multiple layers of glass. The reason for this is because the more layers of glass you have the better it insulates the house. Three or four layers of glass are one of the best because you have more airspace in between layers.
A smaller airspace doesn't insulate the building as well as a thicker airspace would. The thickest an airspace should be is 1 inch because any thicker than that will cause the glass of the window to no longer insulate the building.
The air in between the layers of glass should be thick and dense, so that it can save energy. One of the most common airs used in-between glass is argon. When argon is used heat loss is reduced. You could also use carbon dioxide or sulfur hexa-fluoride between glass.
Another type of window that is used commonly to keep the home cool is tinted glass. Tinted glass and tinted window films are used on buildings to reduce heat gain through windows. Advancements in tinted glass have now allowed us to make the glass appear just as a regular window that you can see through. The tinted glass solution is also used in many vehicles and private rooms for privacy and to keep them cool in the summer to save on energy costs.
When choosing a proper type of window frame, fiber glass is the number one choice. Fiberglass is the strongest material to use for the job and it also involves a smaller amount of maintenance compared to vinyl or wood.
Glazes on windows are one of the newest methods for energy efficient windows. Glazing is a way of changed the glass so that the light reflects off the window or absorbs the light and brings it into the building. Photo-chromic is the best product for glazing, as it can be switched so that it both reflects the light and absorbs it. Photo-chromic is a product called a switchable glazing. All switchable glazing products are useful for reducing cooling loads and for minimizing the shine off the sun from coming in the house. It would be most useful is Saskatchewan because it brings heat into the house for the winter, and also protects heat from coming in during the summer.
Windows should be made longer on the south side of the house and smaller on the other sides. Don't use low e glass on south windows, but low e glass on the other sides of the house is fine. North windows should be made large to bring in the sun light. East and West windows should have shade to protect the winds from coming into the building.
The advantages of energy efficient windows are that they reduce heat loss in wintertime and reduce heat gain in the summer time.
Energy efficient lights are used in homes because they:
1. Use less energy than standard bulbs
2. Lower the electrical bills
3. Produce just as much light as standard bulbs
4. Last longer than regular light bulbs
Fluorescent bulbs are more efficient than regular bulbs because they don't produce as much heat. They are thin lights that are tubular shaped. Their life span is 10,000 to 20,000 hours, which means that they last 10 times longer than the regular bulb.
Compact fluorescent bulbs provide just as much light as standard bulbs but they use one fourth (1/4) the energy. For example, a 15-watt compact bulb produces the same amount of light as a 60-watt normal bulb. Just like the fluorescent bulb, they are energy efficient and less heat is given off from them.
Lights in a year don't usually show up as a heavy expense on your electrical bill. A standard bulb costs about $4.80 a year to use (not including the cost of a bulb). A compact fluorescent bulb may only cost $1.20 a year to use. But when you think about it, having 10 bulbs in your house can equal up to 50 dollars where 10 fluorescent lights will only cost you 15 dollars or so.
Solar Energy
Solar energy is designed to bring the sunlight into the building during the winter. Once the sunlight is converted into energy, it is...
Please join StudyMode to read the full document


text:
Find out your estimated tax payments for the year. Enter in your annual income and relevant tax bracket and the calculator will estimate how much tax you should pay.
Now you have an idea of how much income tax you will pay, it's a perfect time to talk to a mortgage broker. Our Choice Home Loans brokers can help you navigate the home loan maze and get into the home of your dreams.
Contact a Choice Home Loans broker
Enquire online
Complete our online form and we'll arrange for a broker to contact you.Enquire now >


text:
It resides on 35 acres on the west side of Paso Robles in the formidable Willow Creek AVA. This area, renowned for hot days, cool nights and soil riddled with calcareous stone, provides a perfect environment for making exceptional wines.
Specializing in wine varietals native to France's Rhone Valley & Bordeaux regions, Four Lanterns focuses on making estate wines in order to capitalize on the natural strengths of their land. The resulting wines are beautifully complex, balanced, and wonderful to drink.
Open daily 11am - 5pm
Please make reservations for groups larger than 8
(805) 226-5955
2485 West Highway 46
Paso Robles, CA 93446


text:
NEWBURGH, N.Y. (AP) -- Replicas of two of Christopher Columbus' ships are sailing up New York's Hudson River and will be open to public tours this month.
The Nina and Pinta will be docked Thursday afternoon at Newburgh and will be open to tours Friday through Tuesday before setting sail early Wednesday. The ships will be at Albany Yacht Club July 14-16 and at Oswego July 21-23.
When the ships depart Albany, they will travel along the Erie Canal to Oneida Lake, then go from the Oneida River to Oswego River all the way to city of Oswego.
The 65-foot (19-meter), hand-built Nina is a replica of the ship Columbus sailed across the Atlantic in 1492. The floating museum is owned by the Columbus Foundation, based in the British Virgin Islands, and is supported by tour fees.
The 85-foot (25-meter) Pinta was recently built in Brazil to accompany the Nina. The organization doesn't have a replica of Columbus' third ship, the Santa Maria.
- Will Muoio contributed to this report.
Send us your photos of Columbus replica ships in Upstate NY for a chance to win $100


text:
Raw Eggplant Fries @ Rawmazing.com
raw ice cream pops!
Vegetarian Mini Pizzas. #Foodies
Spent all night thinking about Breakfast.. I just LOVE food!! You wouldn't leave your car running on empty for days or fill it with the wrong fuel so why do it to your body? #fitness #food #health #breakfast
Cheesy chicken and rice casserole


text:
Monday, April 2, 2012
Sidewalk Siblings
This was probably the reaction to the announcement that broccoli was for dinner. Tyrannosaurus boy is holding out. Maui girl's not sure. If you have any misgivings, fear not. Here's a little recipe for a fabulous broccoli smoothie that will get you off the sidewalk, because when it comes to basic nutrients, broccoli is a winner!
1 chopped carrot
4 florets broccoli
1 or 2 handfuls of spinach
1 chopped apple
2 oranges peeled and quartered
More orange juice
Ice cubes if desired
Blend all of the above in a blender and enjoy!
All natural, flirty soap.
Posted by
The Soap Tart
Email This
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
No comments:
Post a Comment
Newer Post
Older Post
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Windows XP
- Connect to SamNet and autheticate using your SHSU username and password
- SamNet-Guest will not work for wireless printing
- Go to https://ipp.shsu.edu/printers
You will be redirected to a site where you can see the printers available.
Type in the first few letters of the printer you are looking for and search.
Once you locate the printer you need to print to, click on the printer. You will want to copy the url listed in the browser once you have selected the printer and note the drivers that will need to be installed on your computer from the manufacturer's website.
Go to Control Panel, Printers and Faxes then Add a printer.
Click Next, and choose to install a network printer.
Choose Connect to a printer on the Internet and paste the url that you copied in Step 5. Click Next.
You will be prompted to select the printer driver. Refer back to the information you gathered in Step 5. You can go to the printer manufacturers website to download the drivers if they are not listed in the wizard.
Click Ok, then Finish.
Open Printers and Faxes, right click on the Printer you added and go to Properties.
Print Test Page.


text:
Ross's Story
Two days before Christmas, last year, Ross bought his first flat. He had a job he loved and the future looked bright and exciting. He was however, fighting a battle against constant tiredness. Over the next month he visited the doctor's four times. By the beginning of February he was feeling much worse. He went to A and E and after tests was admitted to the neurological intensive care ward.
What the consultant diagnosed was an unbelievable shock. He had an aggressive, malignant brain tumour in an inoperable position, accompanied by considerable swelling of the brain. His world, and that of those close to him, seemed to have to come to a shuddering halt. His hopes and dreams for the future were over!
Ross was a normal twenty five year old. He was bright, kind and fun. He played lots of sport, had never smoked and had always worked hard. So why him?
Everybody did all they could to make the best of his short remaining time and his ability to stay positive, happy and loving over the following months was inspirational. He was surrounded by friends and family who cared desperately but, although he had shunts fitted to relieve the pressure together with radio and chemo-therapy, sadly Ross died at home, with his family and girlfriend around him on October 28th. What marked Ross out to make him vulnerable to this dreadful cancer? Surely we must be able to do something to prevent others experiencing the devastating loss of someone so young and full of potential.
As a family we are committed to doing all we can to support the Christopher Clarke charity as every penny raised will go directly to fund the research post.
The following paragraph explains what we hope to achieve following the tragic deaths in 2006 of Christopher Clarke and Ross Cooper. Our hope is to raise awareness of the need for further research into this terrible disease. Specifically, the aim is to fund a research post, at the Christie Hospital, examining the causes and treatment of brain tumours, as this is one of the few cancers with which there has been very little progress.
If you feel able to support the charity in any way please contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com or via the web site. May we thank you in anticipation of any support you feel able to offer.


text:
On Tuesday, the Producers Guild of America announced nominees for its television awards, which echo those of the most recent Emmys. Indeed, just as the guild follows the motion picture academy's eligibility period by considering films released during the 2013 calendar year, so too it heeds to the TV academy's schedule and nominates programs airing between June 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013.
Four-time Emmy winner "Modern Family" defends its PGA title against three-time PGA winner "30 Rock," returning nominee "The Big Bang Theory," the reboot of "Arrested Development" and category newcomer "Veep." All but "Arrested" contended at the Emmys too.
Five of the six Emmy nominees for top drama series are also in contention for the PGA prize, with only two-time PGA winner "Mad Men" snubbed. Reigning Emmy winner "Breaking Bad" faces off against reigning PGA champ "Homeland" as well as past PGA winners "Boardwalk Empire" and "Downton Abbey," which won Best TV Movie/Miniseries in 2011, and returning nominee "Game of Thrones."
Among non-fiction programming, reigning PGA champ "American Masters" and "Deadliest Catch" were snubbed in favor of "30 for 30" and "Duck Dynasty" which contend against returning nominees "Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown," "Inside the Actors Studio" and "Shark Tank."
Two-time live entertainment/talk PGA winner "The Colbert Report" is up against the same lineup as last year: "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "Real Time with Bill Maher" and "Saturday Night Live."
Ten-time Emmy winner and current PGA champ for competiton series "The Amazing Race" contends against 2010 Emmy winner "Top Chef," "Dancing With the Stars," "Project Runway" and "The Voice."
The nominees for top TV movie or mini-series will be announced along with the film contenders on Jan. 2. The 25th annual PGA Awards will be handed out on Jan. 19 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.
"30 Rock"
"Arrested Development"
"The Big Bang Theory"
"Modern Family"
"Breaking Bad"
"Downton Abbey"
"Game of Thrones"
"House of Cards"
"30 for 30"
"Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown"
"Duck Dynasty"
"Inside the Actors Studio"
"Shark Tank"
"The Colbert Report"
"Jimmy Kimmel Live"
"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon"
"Real Time with Bill Maher"
"Saturday Night Live"
"The Amazing Race"
"Dancing With the Stars"
"Project Runway"
"Top Chef"
"The Voice"


text:
Britney Spears: Back in a Bikini!
Britney Spears shows off her bangin' body in a hot white bikini during a poolside photo shoot in Los Angeles on Thursday (August 6).
The 27-year-old Mississippi-born entertainer will be heading back home for the 2009 Teen Choice Awards where she will be receiving a special award. She will be receiving a special surfboard for her "extraordinary contributions to the entertainment industry."
WHAT DO YOU THINK of Brit-Brit in her hot white bikini – YAY or NAY?
10+ pictures inside of Britney Spears back in a bikini…


text:
'It's merely a flesh wound!'
There was definitely something of Monty Python's Black Knight in Admiral Blas de Lezo (1688-1741). In the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, whilst guarding what he perceives to be a strategically placed plank of wood leading over a stream, the Black Knight loses his arms and legs in a sword fight with King Arthur. 'Come back and fight, you coward,' the mutilated Black Knight calls after King Arthur, 'it's merely a flesh wound.' Continue reading "THE BATTLE OF CARTAGENA DE INDIAS (1741)"


text:
Final status of scientific developments of METOXIA
The METOXIA project has been operational from February 2009 until July 2014. It has now officially been closed as an EU-funded project, though the research of METOXIA will continue as part of the activities of the participating organisations. Below is a summary, as provided in the final report submitted to the EU on 1. October 2014.
METOXIA main findings - a summary description of project context, objectives and results
Scientific background of METOXIA
The METOXIA project has an over-all focus on the increased understanding of the regulatory mechanisms which help cancer cells survive under unfavourable micro-environmental conditions characterized by low oxygenation (denoted hypoxic areas). Solid cancers generally contain areas with lower levels of oxygen than what is usual in normal tissues and thus, the cancer cells learn how to adapt to such conditions.
The METOXIA project furthermore aims to use the increased knowledge of the protective regulatory mechanisms to develop new principles for cancer detection and treatment: Since only cancer cells and not normal cells experience hypoxia one can develop cancer-specific detection and treatment by attacking molecules specific to the protective regulatory mechanisms activated by the cells under hypoxic conditions.
It has long been known that the problems created by hypoxic areas in solid cancers are serious for the patient: In short, cancer cells in such hypoxic micro-environments represent a reduced chance for successful treatment. With respect to radiotherapy the problem relates to increased dose tolerance for individual cells under hypoxic as compared to well-oxygenated conditions while for chemotherapy there is in some cases both increased dose tolerance and reduced drug access to the hypoxic as compared to well-oxygenated areas. Even if the patient is treated with surgery alone there are indications that the amount of tumour tissue which is hypoxic correlates negatively with the outcome for the patient. Recent research has furthermore shown that variable hypoxia in tumours is one of the major drivers of metastatic spread of cancer, the major cause of death by the disease.
Thus, hypoxia is responsible for a double effect of reducing the potential of a successful treatment of the cancer patient: Resistance to treatment and ability to spread to distant parts of the body. The positive side of this problem is that the very low level of oxygen found in solid tumours is specific to cancer. Therefore, if one could develop new methods to specifically detect and inactivate cells in hypoxic areas one might obtain a cancer-specific effect, selective for the most harmful of the cancer cells.
In the original call which METOXIA answered it was made clear that the research should not be limited to pre-clinical biological models, but should include proof-of-principle clinical research. As part of the consortium some of the leading cancer clinics in Europe are partners.
Main Objectives of METOXIA
On basis of the clinical problems raised by hypoxic tumour micro-environments the work within METOXIA encompasses increasing the knowledge concerning the metastatic process in the hypoxic micro-environment at the molecular level in order to develop novel strategies for modification of this micro-environment and thus improve the efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Major objectives are:
- Gain new knowledge about molecular mechanisms behind hypoxia-driven metastasis in order to reduce metastatic spread and increase patient cure rate.
- Develop improved methods to detect the propensity of a cancer to metastasise before the metastatic spread has become manifest clinically.
- Develop new treatment management of metastatic disease.
- Develop new methods to increase the effectiveness of treatment in hypoxic areas of the primary tumour.
- Development of new methods for detection/imaging of hypoxic areas.
- Generate pre-clinical models for the study of the role of hypoxia in metastases.
- Development of new tools for monitoring and control of peri-cellular micro-environment in vitro.
The partner organisation
There are at present 21 partners in the consortium. The work was partitioned in 8 Work Packages (WP) of which one (WP9) relates to management and one (WP6) is empty (the activity originally included in WP6 was during the 2nd period amendment moved into WP5, WP7 and WP8 after a decision made at the 2nd General Assembly in June 2010). This reorganization turned out to be a success and no further reorganization of the consortium has been done during the 3rd, 4th and 5th periods.
Largely the non-management WPs can be divided into 2 main groups (WP6 is now empty):
- Work involving cancer patients (WP1, WP5 and WP8).
- Work involving primarily fundamental research, divided into two sub-areas:
- Studies of primarily biological nature (WP2, WP3, WP4)
- Development of more technical nature (development of equipment for monitoring and control of micro-environmental parameters related to hypoxia) (WP7).
The WEB-site of METOXIA is on the following address: http://www.metoxia.uio.no/ In line with the consortium agreement some of the reported material is confidential. The WEB-site thus is divided into an open area accessible for all and a restricted area accessible for partners only.
The work performed since the beginning of the project and the main results achieved so far
Over the 5.5 year total duration of the METOXIA project 105 scientific deliverable-reports have been completed and, in addition also 18 management deliverables. Thus, considering the amount of work here reported only some major findings can be dealt with in a summary.
The line of research which has led to the most optimistic results concerning the possibility to develop a new drug for cancer therapy has the following background: The hypoxic micro-environment in solid cancers influences several regulatory cascades in cells. Since cancer cells in solid tumours experience such conditions over a long time these regulatory mechanisms represent a selective pressure of cancer cells into more hypoxia-tolerant phenotypes. This development correlates with a higher degree of malignancy and furthermore, with higher metastatic potential. For development of new diagnostic and treatment concepts it is important that these findings are connected to knowledge of hypoxia-regulated molecular pathways with which we can interfere. Even a small reduction in oxygenation results in regulatory consequences for a large part of the genome of our cells. There are several key regulators of these cascades, but the one responding to the smallest reduction in oxygenation is the protein HIF (Hypoxia Inducing Factor). This protein is what we denote a transcription factor; meaning that it can regulate activation of certain genes on DNA. It turns out that HIF-regulation involves a large number of genes and several processes which are vital for the cells and tissues to survive hypoxic conditions: Cell metabolism, energy production, angiogenesis (i.e. formation of blood vessels), extracellular matrix properties (EMT-epithelial mesenchymal transition) and pH-control. All these have been thoroughly studied within the METOXIA programme and valuable new knowledge has been accumulated. Notice however, that since HIF itself regulates so many processes it can hardly be considered as a target for treatment. Attacking HIF might affect too many normal processes and might not be cancer-specific. The focus for development of new cancer therapy therefore is not primarily on this central regulator, but rather on several of the cascades it regulates. One such mechanism has been developed into METOXIA-patented products of potential value as new anti-cancer drugs. This relates to certain small-molecular inhibitors of the HIF-regulated protein Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CAIX) involved in cellular uptake of CO2 for bio-mass synthesis and pH-regulation. These CAIX-inhibitors have in pre-clinical experiments shown a great potential for specific treatment effects on reduction of the metastatic potential of the primary tumour and also to some extent seem to increase the effect of traditional radiotherapy and some chemotherapy.
Two arms of development have been worked out:
- Several METOXIA-partners collaborate on the development of small-molecular sulfamate compounds (patented). These include chemicals with high specificity to the active site of the CAIX-protein. By specifically inhibiting CAIX our findings indicate that we have not only new possibilities for cancer treatment, but also new diagnostic principles. Thus, the METOXIA results point to new possibilities for drug development. Still, we need to add that we have also experienced the threshold for such development through our contact with large pharma: The practical problems related to development of hypoxia-specific treatment seem to exceed those of more traditional drug development. The reason for this is that the killing of hypoxic cells alone by no means can be expected to have a major influence on the primary tumour. Hypoxic cells proliferate less than well-oxygenated cells (i.e. they do not give rise to more cells as long as they are hypoxic). The problem they create is resistance against traditional treatment and increased ability to form distant metastasis. Thus, they are expected to be responsible for relapses after completed treatment. Development of a new hypoxia-specific agent therefore will have to be done in combination with traditional treatment and in the short run it may become difficult to observe an extra effect on the primary tumour compared to the effect of the traditional treatment alone.
- As a possible improvement of the combination treatment a sub-group of METOXIA partners have synthesized a group of chemicals (patented) having a dual effect: These chemicals both have the ability to inhibit CAIX and to increase radiosensitivity of hypoxic cells. To follow up the development of these chemicals a new company (an SME) was founded shortly before the end of METOXIA and the aim is to perform preclinical and clinical studies of the effect of these compounds given simultaneously with radiation therapy.
Targets other than the HIF-regulated pathways have also been investigated and some found to be of great potential interest as targets for hypoxia-specific markers and treatment. Two targets of interest related to pH-regulation and metabolism are the lactate transporter MCT4 and its subunit CD147/Basigin. Our partner 13/CNRS has tested an MCT4-inhibitor produced by AstraZeneca and confirmed its specificity for MCT4 and reports this compound to be ready for clinical trials in the near future. Also the two stress-related processes initiated under hypoxic conditions denoted unfolded protein response (UPR) and the mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) have been investigated by several partners with 20/GROW-UM as most central. Both processes act as hypoxia sensors in the cells. UPR is a process which leads to an accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum while mTOR is a protein kinase which regulates cell growth. In a collaboration between 20/GROW-UM, 2/MAASDTRO and 5/UOXF.BP it was shown that hypoxia activation of UPR induces expression of the metastasis-associated gene LAMP3, thus identifying LAMP3 as a new candidate biomarker of UPR activation by hypoxia in tumours and a potential mediator of hypoxia-induced metastasis. Regarding mTOR-inhibitors, these have been introduced as anti-cancer drugs for renal cell carcinoma (tensirolimus and everolimus).
Another field which has led to filed patent applications is the induction (and also counteraction) of radiation-induced resistance to chemotherapeutic compounds by low dose-rate irradiation. During the 3rd and 4th periods this research at 1/UIO indicated that radiosensitivity of cells can be modified even several hours after the cell was irradiated and that the effect is easily induced also in animals. The relevance to METOXIA stems from our finding that the mechanism activated by low dose-rate irradiation is also activated by variable hypoxia. Thus, we have the possibility to attack mechanisms responsible for adaptation to chemotherapy resistance during hypoxic conditions. So far we do not have a patented compound for this action, but in the 5th period we have shown in animal experiments that the protein to inhibit is transforming growth factor b3 (TGF-b3), and we have shown that at least one commercial chemical, not developed into a drug can inhibit TGF-b3 and counteract radio- and chemo-resistance.
Various new biological test models as well as technical measurement devices have been developed. New in vitro 3D-models as based on purified alginates for pre-clinical studies of efficiency of new modalities have been taken into use towards proof-of-principle testing of treatment benefit. Also new animal models for pre-clinical studies of efficiency of new modalities have been developed towards proof-of-principle testing of treatment benefit. Special emphasis has been placed on development of CAIX knock-down models so that the effect of CAIX-inhibitors can be assured to result from a specific effect on the CAIX-protein and not result from some unspecific toxicity. For the testing of effects on metastasis orthotopically implanted tumours have been used. Development of new sensor- and micro-fluidic technology and instrumentation for detection and control of oxygen and other substances in the cell and tissue micro-environments are being developed. A disposable cell culture flask with a sensors molded into the flask bottom has been developed.
A central clinical investigation is the study of micro-metastases (i.e. circulating cancer cells) as a means for individual evaluation of the metastatic potential of cancers in patients. Also our effort to develop a comprehensive classification of tumour hypoxia, anoxia and reoxygenation has been highly prioritized as it aims to allow clinicians to predict response to targeted agents which include those activated by hypoxia. In this connection detection and visualization of hypoxia in patient tumours are highly prioritized and a promising new method passed phase I study during the 3rd period and protocols have been completed during the 4th period for this to continue with 3 phase II studies which has been ongoing during the 5th period of METOXIA.
This method involves non-invasive PET imaging of tumour hypoxia by use of a radioactive tracer denoted [18F]HX4, a member of the 2-nitroimidazole family of chemicals. The special quality of these chemicals, denoted bioreductive compounds, is that they are chemically modified under hypoxic conditions and thereby can represent both chemotherapeutic drugs specific to hypoxic cells and also offer PET-imaging of reactive activity. This particular study was not included in the plans of METOXIA from the start, but is an example of the importance of amendments of new possibilities coming up during the development of the project.
Although the idea of targeting a sub-set of hypoxic tumour cells to improve treatment outcome is intriguing, clinical studies proving that not only do hypoxic intervention work but it does so only in patients with hypoxic tumors has not been conducted until now. In this context, the development of a hypoxia gene signature at 6/AUH,AS which, when tested in material from a large randomized phase III study, was able to identify those HNSCC patients which benefit from hypoxic intervention with Nimorazole (radiation sensitizer) was an important step forward. As a direct spin-off, several multi-center clinical projects that will further clarify the full potential of this gene signature to identify patients suitable for hypoxic intervention has been launched.
Also development of bone-seeking α-particle-emitting radio-nuclides (Alpharadin®) for localized treatment of bone metastases has been involved in METOXIA. As α-particles deliver their energy concentrated (i.e. with high LET) this type of radiation is equally effective under hypoxic as under aerobic condition and is thus expected to abolish the radioprotective effect of hypoxia. This project was started before METOXIA by the Norwegian company Algeta. A global phase III clinical trial (ALSYMPCA) with Alpharadin® in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and bone metastases was successfully completed in June 2011. Algeta was recently bought by Bayer Pharma AG for more than 2 billion euros and Alpharadin is presently manufactured under the trade name Xofigo.
METOXIA furthermore takes part in the large-scale randomized trial started several years ago in the Netherlands comparing Accelerated Radiotherapy (AR) with Accelerated Radiotherapy plus Carbogen and Nicotinamide (ARCON) in laryngeal cancer. In this large multi-centric trial METOXIA has taken part in the evaluation of consequences of Carbogen and Nicotinamide in relation to degree of tumour hypoxia. Despite lack of benefit in local tumour control for advanced laryngeal cancers the results are promising, indicating a significant gain in regional control rate, with equal levels of toxicity, and even indicating increased disease-free survival for the patients having the most hypoxic tumours.
The expected final results and their potential impacts and use (including socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far).
The METOXIA consortium answered a call which was ambitious, aiming to translate knowledge on the molecular machinery responsible for survival and spread of metastatic tumour cells under hypoxic conditions into innovative and validated molecular targets with therapeutic applicability that target the cancer cell or tumour stroma. The wording here can hardly be understood in any other way than to accept that the consortium also would have to protect its IP with the aim to try and secure a potential drug development. The level of ambition was furthermore strengthened by the statement that the consortium should include participants with ample clinical expertise to guarantee a clinical proof-of-principle. The METOXIA-consortium met all these premises. It was a large consortium, involving expertise over such a broad range as clinical and experimental medicine, molecular biology, synthetic chemistry, biophysics and electronics. As indicated above several product developments are successful as planned.
The greatest challenge is however the aim for the research to result in a new drug introducing a new principle into cancer therapy. As the project stands by the end of METOXIA there are patents in international phase which can be further developed. We now see the possibility that inhibition with small molecules of a mechanism in the molecular machinery causing hypoxic cancer cells to survive and spread may come as far as to clinical tests in the relatively near future. There are several challenges to face before one reaches this goal, but we hope we have laid an important basis for the development.
During the 3rd and 4th periods we sub-contracted the company Cyprotex Discovery Ltd, to perform professional preclinical testing on 8 selected compounds from our patented sulfamates and dual-activity compounds. We have used these data together with our various partner's effect testing in animal- and in vitro-models to complete a report which the patent owners can use for further development of the compounds in collaboration with large pharma industry.
Our view is that the potential social-economic impact of a new low-toxicity cancer treatment, halting or even stopping metastasis and improving the effect of conventional therapy can hardly be over-estimated. In our clinical programme we have cancers of the lung, breast, prostate, colon-rectum and head-neck; altogether some of the dominating cancer types in the world. So far we have reason to expect, although this has not been proven, that at least some patients within all these groups may benefit from a hypoxia-specific drug. We expect that the new knowledge brought up by the METOXIA-consortium will be of utmost value for future pharmaceutical development within this field.


text:
Officially Licensed KISS MLB Graphic T-Shirt, Tee, designed and printed in the USA by Liquid Blue.
Posted by Unknown on 14th Jan 2016
Posted by StratinPhx on 14th Aug 2015
The print and fabric are both decent quality. It would be hard to hit "Rock Bottom" with this combo.
Posted by Gene Simmons on 11th Jun 2015
Great quality shirt and graphic. Shirt was true to size.
Posted by Unknown on 16th Feb 2015
Great quality and I received it very quickly!
Posted by Steven Lambias on 23rd Aug 2014
One of my favorite album covers ends up being a t-shirt for my favorite team. KISS/MLB has put out an excellent product. With good quality screen print and a size that has a little extra room, this shirt should be a big hit with all KISS fans of baseball.
Posted by Unknown on 7th Aug 2014
I was excited to receive the shirt. Was better in person that picture on line. Will wear at the concert this week.


text:
The week began with quite a splash! The Zone Leaders have volunteered to keep our front lawn trimmed. We don't think they had any idea what they were getting themselves into but..Monday morning bright and early they were out with the machetes chopping grass. They took a basketball break and returned with a couple of branch missionaries for reinforcement. Three large garbage bags of clippings later they were finished. Then, things went a bit whacko! The Sisters had been cleaning and they were all on P-day. The Sisters decided to help the Elders cool off and a monster water fight ensued.
You'll notice that the pics are all from a distance as it was quite a war zone. Elder Smith thanked everyone afterward for not only cutting the grass but watering it also!


text:
Jennifer Lawrence Triumphs Over Her Fear of Singing with the Help of Letterman
Jennifer Lawrence has proven herself to be one of the most fearless young starlets of her generation–except when it comes to singing.
Maintaining that as a child she was scarred when she realized she had the voice of a "tone-deaf Amy Winehouse," JLaw admitted to David Letterman on The Late Show that she's terrified of singing publicly. She then explained to Letterman how she was forced to sing while filming for the upcoming Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1, and the day of her performance wasn't her favorite on set.
"I do not like singing in front of other people. It's like, my biggest fear. I cried on set that day," she said.
Lawrence also joked with Letterman that she was hoping someone like Lorde had been dubbed in over her own voice, but much to her chagrin–her solo singing has been left untouched.
In an attempt to help JLaw overcome her singing phobia, Letterman closed the segment by offering her an opportunity to sing Christmas songs live on national television.
That's one way to get over your fears.
Find out how Letterman helped Jennifer Lawrence overcome her fears!


text: Congratulations to Junior Adam Davis who recently received a United States Attorney's Ambassador for Justice award. This award recognizes students devotion to justice, citizenship and serving others and also who demonstrates an outstanding character and a strong ethical compass. Adam was nominated for the award by the faculty of Madonna High School. A ceremony was held on March 12, at Independence Hall in Wheeling, WV recognizing the Ambassadors for Justice from each high school in West Virginia. Congratulations, Adam!


text:
Voilà! The fridge list:
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Ms. Organised, bad photography and what about the chia?
Voilà! The fridge list:
6 comments:
Organization? Ha!ReplyDelete
I like your fridge list idea... awesome. Bummer on the lack of chia.... doesn't seem to be a problem here in Aussie, if anything EVERYONE is stocking them now, so the price of them has come down a lot, WIN :)Replies
Maybe I wasn't quite clear. I don't see it becoming a problem for the end user because if a smaller supplier runs out, you can just buy from someone else, or another brand. The problem is for the smaller retailers/wholesalers that can't secure supply because the big companies have snapped it all up. What happens in that case is that a smaller company ends up buying, not from the grower as they used to, but from another company, which pushes their prices up. This is one way that big companies get bigger and richer, and smaller ones have to struggle harder. It's a technique used by bigger companies to try and shut down the little guys and unfortunately it often works. Because, to control society, all you have to do is monopolise the food chain.Delete
I'll see your leg wound and raise you an ear infection! The worst bit was when smelly cat shook his head and infected ear gunk hit me in the face. As with yours, some antibiotics and painkillers later and he's pretty much back to his old self, and thankfully no longer smelly.ReplyDelete


text:
Research Project
Grant-in-Aid for Developmental Scientific Research (B)
Using a co-culture system of mouse osteoblastic cells and bone marrow cells, we have established reliable assay systems for examining osteoclast development and function. In a assay system for osteoclast development, chronological changes in phenotypic expression by postmitotic osteoclast precursors were examined during their differentiation into osteoclasts. The mechanism of action of bone resorption-inhibiting agents such as calcitonin and bisphosphonates in bone resorption was also examined in the present study using those assay systems.(1) Characteristics of postmitotic precursor cells that differentiate into osteoclastsCharacteristics of osteoclast precursors that differentiate into osteoclasts were examined using a co-culture system of mouse osteoblastic cells and bone marrow cells. Postmitotic osteoclast precursors were mononuclear cells which expressed macrophage-associated phenotypes such as nonspecific esterase (NSE), Mac-1 and Mac-2. Some of the macrophage-associated phenoty
… More
pes in osteoclast precursors disappeared rapidly during their differentiation into osteoclasts.(2) Establishment of assay systems for examining osteoclast functionWe have previously established a method for preparing a large number of functionally active osteoclasts from cocultures of mouse osteoblastic cells and bone marrow cells. To examine effects of bone resorption-regulatory factors on osteoclast function, we have developed assay systems for pit formation and actin ring formation using osteoclasts formed in vitro. We have shown that osteclast function is regulated by several signaling patheays mediated by cyclic AMP dependentprotein kinase, tyrosine kiases, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, and small GTP binding protein, rho.Effects of calcitonin and bisphosphonates on osteoclastic bone resorptionThe mechanism of inhibitory action of calcitonin and bisphosphonates on bone resorption was examined in established assay systems as described above. Both calcitonin and bisphosphonates inhibited pit forming activity of osteoclasts placed on dentine slices. Only polarized osteoclasts having ruffled borders incorporated bisphosphonates, which inhibited tyrosine phosphatases and disrupted actin rings of osteoclasts. Calcitonin also induced marked changes in osteoclast morphology including disruption of actin rings. This effect was observed in both polarized and non-polarized osteoclasts. Thus, both calcitonin and bisphosphonates suppress osteoclast function, but their mechanisms of action are quite different from each other. Less
Published : 1993-04-01
Modified : 2016-04-21
Terms of Use


text:
- Details
- Product # 071358
- Type Paperback
- Published Date 2011
- Dimensions 8 1/2 x 10 7/8
- Pages 192
- Photos 200
- Drawings 50
You can cut energy costs – really! Everyone is talking about saving energy, but now The Energy-Smart House actually shows you how to make it happen with the collective experience of the professionals at Fine Homebuilding.
See the big picture like the pros do. It takes more than a Band-Aid approach to achieve true energy efficiency. And, here, you'll get a complete overview from our experts, starting with how to do an audit through evaluating heating and cooling systems to choosing new thermostats.
Put together a practical plan. Upgrading an older home? Our pros will show you how to beef up old insulation without tearing into walls, install weather stripping, and choose replacement windows. Or remodeling? Learn all you need to know about house wraps, options for solar hot water, how to design an energy-smart kitchen, select the most efficient appliances, and much more.
Your roadmap to an energy-efficient home. With so many advances in technology and product choices, you'll want The Energy-Smart House to help you make effective changes that go beyond lip service. It's your answer to workable strategies for reducing waste and making your home as energy efficient as possible.
Order your copy now.
- Table of Contents
Part 1: ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Every House Needs an Energy Audit
Home Remedies for Energy Nosebleeds
Can a Vintage Home Be Energy Efficient?
Efficient Houses Need Fresh Air
A Practical Look at Deep-Energy Retrofits
Part 2: INSULATION
Upgrade Your Attic Insulation
Beef Up Your Old Insulation without Tearing into Walls
All You Need to Know about Spray Foam
Making Sense of Housewraps
Using Rigid Foam for an Efficient and Dry House
Basement Insulation Retrofits
Part 3:WINDOWS
A Buyer's Guide to Windows 9
Do Europeans Really Make the Best Windows?
Installing Replacement Windows
Part 4: HEATING AND COOLING
Is Your Heating System an Energy Beast?
Finding the Sweet Spot: Siting a Home for Energy Efficiency
Cool Design for a Comfortable Home
Central Air-Conditioning: Bigger Isn't Better
Part 5: LIGHTING AND APPLIANCES
Low-Energy Lighting, High-Energy Design
The Bright Future of Lighting
The Energy-Smart Kitchen
Solar Hot Water
Energy-Saving Thermostats
- Introduction
If there is one topic that has dominated the homebuilding field in recent years, it's energy efficiency. But for all the headlines and airtime dedicated to the topic of trimming home-energy use, many of the discussions they generate don't go any further than the admission that, yes, we need to work harder to save energy where we live.
What we really need to talk about is how.
At Fine Homebuilding magazine, we focus not only on what good, responsible builders should do to construct or remodel homes that don't waste energy, but also on how they do it. This book explains how you can, too.
In The Energy-Smart House, you'll be able to follow these builders step-by-step through critical energy enhancements that include air-sealing, insulation upgrades, and window replacement, as well as choosing the best low-energy fixtures and appliances.
Today, the opportunities for reducing the energy requirements of the homes we live in—no matter how old they may be—are tremendous. The evolution in building products alone, from housewraps to LED lighting to high-performance windows, has equipped builders with a wide array of options to make homes more durable and healthier as well as less costly to live in and maintain. Ever-advancing technologies enable new mechanical systems to deliver heating, cooling, and hot water more effectively and at a lower cost. All the while, a greater understanding of building science enables knowledgeable builders to craft efficient, long-lasting dwellings regardless of the climate in which they build.
The fact is, true energy efficiency can only be achieved through a multifaceted approach that takes the whole house, its site, structure, and systems, into account.
A home is not made "energy efficient" by popping in a few new windows or loading up the attic with cellulose. Good builders know the path to energy efficiency is a multistep process, and that each improvement influences the steps that follow. And that the conscientious application of smart building techniques like the ones found here is the most reliable roadmap they can follow in their pursuit of an energy-smart home.
Debra Judge Silber, Managing editor,
Fine Homebuilding magazine
- Reviews


text:
My table ready for Easter brunch.
I selected the EstrBny2 image from the Martha Stewart Seasonal Cake cart.
To start, using Contact paper, I cut a circle from George Basic Shapes the diameter of the plate bottom. The bunny image was centered in the circle and flipped so that the image faced left as shown in the handbook. I used Design Studio to accomplish the centering and flipping. Then using the "kiss cut" method, blade depth 3 and pressure set at low, I cut the bunny image from the vinyl. The plates are 10" with a bottom surface area of 5 3/4", the bunny image was cut at 5 1/4".
The Contact paper image was then adhered to the underneath side of the plate and the etching solution applied according to the directions.
Wishing you a Happy Easter!
Cricut Machines Used: Cricut Expression, Design Studio
Project theme: Easter/Holiday
Other Supplies Used: Glass plate, vinyl shelf paper, etching solution, foam brush


text:
English Department Vision Statement
English courses challenge students to think and read critically and communicate effectively. English teachers foster a love of learning, passion for literature and pride in self-expression.
Kirk Ellis
BS Theatre Arts, Portland State University
MA English, Portland State University
M.Ed., Portland State University
Ellie Gilbert
B.S. Secondary Education, Lubbock Christian University
M.Ed., Lewis & Clark College
English Learning Specialist
Anne Hainley, Department Chair
BA Liberal Studies, University of Notre Dame
M.Ed., University of Notre Dame
Carrie Housley
BA English, Willamette University
MA English, University of Washington
Sara Salvi '71
St. Mary's Academy Alumna
BA English, University of California Davis
Higher Degree, University of Dublin Trinity College
MAT English and Spanish, Reed College
Mary Maeve Barrett
BA English, Mansfield University
BA Women's Studies, Mansfield University
Education certification, Mansfield University
Ashley Whitty '02
St. Mary's Academy Alumna
BA English, University of Oregon
MAT Secondary Education in English, Lewis and Clark College
MA English, Portland State University


text:
About Us
Contact Us
Your Cart
Free Updates
The Teaser Blog
Work With Me
1000 Sex Games
You Will ALWAYS have a new sex game to play with 1,000 Sex Games. It combines rounds of foreplay, passionate lovemaking, and sexy plot twists. You begin a game by selecting one of the Foreplay Cards, such as: Naughty Dice, Strip Spinner, Spin the Bottle, Erotic Edibles, and many more. Then you turn over a Passion Card, which offers strategies to use during the Foreplay Round in order to maximize your pleasure in the Sex Round. Passion Cards add intensity to the Sex Positions and Activities on the Sex Cards you earn during the Foreplay Round. AND, if you want even more excitement, flip over a Plot Twist Card and you may find yourself giving spankings or doing body shots.
Shop Now
1000 Sex Games
In Stock
Ships next business day
Add Your Own Review
Kheper Games Inc.
There are no reviews for this product yet. Be the first to review!
May We Offer...
Under The Bed Restraints
Aqua Salted Caramel Water-Based Libricant - 4 oz.
Splash Tropical Punch
Cherry Flavoredl Hemp Seed Edible Massage Oil- 8 oz.
Sheer Lace Thigh High - Black - One Size


text: Hundreds of seafood lovers from all over the country head to Crisfield every year for the Crab & Cruise weekend. The highlight of the two-day Crab & Cruise event is Saturday's all-you-can-eat crab feast and a sunset cruise on the Chesapeake Bay. But there are late night parties on Friday an Saturday night and a VIP dinner on Friday with celebrity chef Max Hardy Amar'e Stoudemire's personal chef.


text:
Rural Economy Secretary confirms first national LFASS loan payments made
Tue, 03 Apr 2018
Scottish Government
Payments have started to be made from a loan scheme designed to help farmers and crofters in Scotland. More than 7,000 payments worth over £42.8 million have been processed, with the first reaching bank accounts this morning.
The Scottish Government is giving eligible businesses the opportunity to benefit from the National Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS). These loan payments will be automatically deducted from EU payments once LFASS 2017 scheme applications are fully processed. Further loan offers and payment runs will be made in the coming weeks. Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:
"These payments are targeted to help some of the most 'vulnerable' farmers and crofters to financially plan - many of whom are work to extremely tight profit margins. Today's prompt start to loan payments should provide those groups with much-needed financial security.
"The millions being paid from the LFASS loan scheme will enable farmers and crofters to get on with making purchases and investing for the forthcoming summer and Autumn periods. Of course, much of that investment will benefit the wider rural economy as well.
"I would strongly encourage anyone yet to accept the offer of an LFASS loan to consider doing so."
© 2010 Scotland Food & Drink Ltd.
All form fields are required.