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Wednesday: The Phils finally end their second three-game losing streak by winning a rather wild extra-inning game with the Giants, 7-6.
The Phils finally end their three-game losing streak by defeating the Giants in a rather wild extra-innings ballgame, 7-6.
The Phils took the lead in the fifth as Ryan Howard hits a lead-off home run, his fourth home run of the season, to give the Phils a 1-0 lead. The Giants tied up the game at 1-1 in their half of the fifth as, with a runner on second and with one man out, Andres Torres hits an RBI double, scoring Nate Schierholtz, who had earlier singled, and went up to second on Giants' starter Tim Lincecum's sacrifice bunt, 3-4. The Giants took the lead in the sixth as, with the bases loaded, via a Bengie Molina single, a Matt Downs double, then sent Molina over to third base, and an intentional walk to Schierholtz, and with two men out, Torres receives an RBI walk, forcing in Molina, and moving both Downs and Schierholtz up a base, leaving the bases loaded, giving the Giants a 2-1 lead. The Giants made it 4-1 as Edgar Renteria hits an RBI single, scoring both Downs and Schierholtz, while sending Torres over to third. The Phils tied the game up at four-all in the ninth as, with the bases loaded, via a walk to Shane Victorino, a single to Chase Utley, the 1000th hit of his career, sending Victorino over to third, and a walk to Howard, which moved Utley up to second, and with two men out, Jayson Werth hits a bases clearing double, knocking in Victorino, Utley and Howard. The Phils took the lead in the tenth as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Brian Schneider, who had earlier been hit by the pitch, had moved up to second on Wilson Valdez's sacrifice bunt, 1-4, and then went to third on Victorino's single, and with one man out, scored on Jeremy Affeldt's wild pitch, giving the Phils a 5-4 lead. The Giants retied the game at five-all in their half of the tenth as, with a runner on third, and with one man out, Torres hits an RBI single, knocking in Shierholtz, who had earlier doubled, and then moved to third on Eugenio Velez's ground out, 4-3. The Phils then regain the lead in the eleventh as, with a runner on base, and with two men out, Valdez hits an RBI double, scoring Raul Ibanez, who had earlier singled and had moved up to second on pinch hitter Ben Francisco's sacrifice bunt, giving the Phils a 6-5 lead. One batter later, the Phils increased their lead to 7-5 as Velez committed a fielding error as Victorino's fly ball bounced off his glove, allowing Valdez to score, as Victorino stopped at second base. The Giants tried to come back in their half of the eleventh as, with runners on the corners, and with one man out, Schneider hits an RBI double, knocking in Eli Whiteside, who was pitch running for Molina, who had singled, and then went to third on pinch hitter Juan Uribe's single and Howard's throwing error, while sending Uribe on to third, cutting the Phils' lead to 7-6. Nelson Figueroa then ended the game by first getting Velez to hit into a 3-2 fielder's choice, as Uribe is tagged out at home plate for the second out, and then getting Torres to ground out, 4-3, to end the game, giving Figueroa his first save of the season.
Cole Hamels receives a no-decision as he pitches six innings, giving up four runs on nine hits and four walks, while striking out ten. Danys Baez, Jose Contreras and David Herndon combines for three scoreless innings, giving up just three hits (one hit each) and one walk (Herndon), while striking out two batters (Contreras (1), Herndon (1)). Ryan Madson blew his second save of the season before getting the win, as he pitches an inning, giving up a run on two hits and a walk. His record is now 1-0 with a 7.00 ERA. Nelson Figueroa records his first save of the year as he pitches an inning, giving up a run on three hits. Tim Lincecum also pitches a no-decision as he goes eight and a third innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk, while striking out eleven. Brian Wilson records his first blown save of the season, as he pitches two-thirds of an inning, giving up two runs on two hits and two walks. Jeremy Affeldt pitches two-thirds of an inning, giving up a run on one hit, a walk and a wild pitch, as he strikes out a batter. Sergio Romo receives the lost as he pitches an inning and a third, giving up two runs on two hits, as he strikes out two. His record is now 2-0 with a 1.64 ERA.
The Phils collected eight hits in the game, with Ryan Howard leading the team with two hits, a home run and a double. Shane Victorino, Placido Polanco, Chase Utley (who collected his 1000 career hit), Jayson Werth, Raul Ibanez and Wilson Valdez each collected a hit, with both Werth and Valdez's hits being doubles. Werth knocked in three of the Phils' runs while Valdez knocked in a run. The other two Phils' runs came in on a wild pitch and a fielding error.
The Phils (12-9, 2nd) will start a long home stand with a three-game series with the Mets (13-9, 1st). The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park and will start at 7:05 pm Eastern. The Phils will send to the mound Kyle Kendrick (0-0, 7.71), who is still looking for his first win as he comes off a no-decision against the Diamondbacks on April 25, as he pitched five inning, giving up five runs on eight hits and four walks, as he struck out four, in the Phils' 8-6 lost. He will be trying to get his first win, while trying to avoid getting into another one inning meltdown. The Mets will counter with Jon Niese (0-1, 3.68), who is coming off a no-decision against the Braves on April 24, as he went five and a third inning, giving up a run on five hits and five walks, while striking out six batters, in the Mets' 3-1 win. He will be trying to give the Mets a chance to increase their lead over the Phils. The Phils will be trying to start off the homestand on a winning note, while trying to end the Mets' seven games winning streak.


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Cain, Getz get extra day to rest leg injuries
MINNEAPOLIS -- Royals manager Ned Yost decided to buy some more time with the leg injuries of second baseman Chris Getz and center fielder Lorenzo Cain, keeping them out of the starting lineup on Tuesday night against the Twins.
Getz has a sore left knee, result of twisting it trying to field a ground ball in the outfield grass by the Tigers' Prince Fielder on July 20 and then getting banged by the White Sox's sliding Adam Dunn at second base a week later on Saturday.
"He slipped in the outfield, then he got crushed by Adam Dunn breaking up the double play," Yost said.
Getz started four games between the two incidents.
"It was a rough, rough week for the left knee," Getz said. "It's feeling better now. Obviously having the day off yesterday helped get a lot of the inflammation out so we're kind of day to day, but we've progressed so far."
Dunn got him in the ninth inning of Saturday's 1-0 victory at Chicago.
"He pretty much put me in the outfield," Getz said. "It happens. It's part of the job turning a double play."
Cain banged up his left groin, also in Saturday's game, crashing into the center-field wall at Chicago as he caught a deep drive. Cain had a similar injury early in 2012 at Oakland, keeping him out for a long period, so the Royals are being cautious.
"He feels absolutely nothin' doing nothin', which is good," Yost said. "Now, I want to get him out and have him run around a little bit. We've got the benefit of an extra day which we can give him with [Jarrod] Dyson and [David] Lough. If he feels nothing, he can pinch-hit later in the game, go in and play defense or whatever, and be back in there tomorrow."
Dyson played center field and Lough was in right field. Miguel Tejada took Getz's spot at second base.
Royals still in talking stages near Deadline
MINNEAPOLIS -- It appeared to be all quiet on the Royals' front as the clock ticked toward the non-waiver Trade Deadline at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday.
"It can develop fast, but nothing really going on right now," manager Ned Yost said before Tuesday's series opener against the Twins. "Talking, but not much action."
There was no pulling of his starting pitcher, Ervin Santana, from Tuesday night's start against the Twins as had happened elsewhere with two other trade candidates. The White Sox scratched Jake Peavy from his start at Cleveland and the Astros did the same with Bud Norris at Baltimore.
Speculation about dealing Santana has simmered and cooled since the Royals came out of the All-Star break with an 8-2 surge that, going into the Minnesota series, left them at the .500 mark and just five games out in the American League Wild Card race.
The Royals have had just one winning season, 2003, in the previous 18 years so the latest hot streak has roused interest anew in Kansas City.
Pitching is the focal point of most teams so Bruce Chen and Luke Hochevar supposedly have sparked some interest. As of Sunday, Chen was 4-0 with a 2.08 ERA and had made three impressive starts since coming out of the bullpen; Hochevar had a string of 14 consecutive scoreless innings going and a 1.80 ERA in his first year of relief.
The Royals presumably are looking for a second baseman with offensive impact and the Angels' Howie Kendrick (.298, 11 homers, 43 RBIs) reportedly is available. The Angels want Major League-ready, cost-controllable pitching.
Kendrick is signed for two more years at $9.35 million for 2014 and $9.5 million for 2015. He also currently has a no-trade provision that excludes 12 clubs. Could one be the Royals?
Royals reap overtime rewards with homers
MINNEAPOLIS -- Working overtime has paid off big for the Royals this year. When they beat the White Sox in 12 innings on Sunday, their extra-inning record improved to 7-1.
Home runs played a significant role in three of those victories. Alex Gordon's two-run homer provided the 4-2 victory on Sunday at Chicago. And it was Gordon whose grand slam provided the last four runs in the 10th inning of an 8-3 win on April 25 at Detroit.
Lorenzo Cain's two-out, two-run homer in the ninth inning on June 12 against the Tigers sent the game into extra innings and the Royals won in the 10th, 3-2, at Kansas City.
Gordon's blast on Sunday came as he was battling a 4-for-36 skid and, after the game, he was asked if that blow could be a slump-buster.
"Who cares? We won the game," Gordon said. "One hit is fine with me as long as we won the game."
Fletcher goes yard in Storm Chasers debut
MINNEAPOLIS -- Left fielder Brian Fletcher hit a home run in his first game with Triple-A Omaha after being promoted from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Fletcher's blast came in his second at-bat in the Storm Chasers' 4-2 loss to Nashville. He was coming off a .481 week that included four home runs and 10 RBIs for the Naturals, earning Texas League Player of the Week honors.
Right-hander Aaron Brooks' four-hit shutout of Arkansas won the Texas League Pitcher of the Week award. Other awards went to Class A Lexington right-hander Christian Binford, South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week, and Rookie Burlington first baseman Sam Bates, Appalachian League Player of the Week.
Gregg set to serve as hitting coach in AFL
MINNEAPOLIS -- Tommy Gregg, hitting coach for the Royals' Triple-A club at Omaha, will be the hitting coach for the Peoria Javelinas in the Arizona Fall League.
The Royals will stock the Peoria team along with the Astros, Phillies, Padres and Mariners. The season will begin on Oct. 8 and conclude with a championship game on Nov. 16 at Scottsdale Stadium. The annual Fall Stars game will be played on Nov. 2 at Surprise Stadium.
Gregg is in his fifth season as Storm Chasers coach and joined the Kansas City organization in 2007. He previously coached in the St. Louis and Atlanta farm systems.
An outfielder and first baseman, Gregg played in the Major Leagues with the Pirates, Braves, Reds and Marlins. He was a member of the Braves' National League pennant-winning teams in 1991-92.
Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

subset: commoncrawl


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Record Radiation in South America
Astrobiologists from the United States and Germany recorded the highest known level of solar UV radiation to reach Earth's surface. This was around 10 years ago.
On December 29, 2003, the UV Index (UVI) peaked, reaching the blistering number of 43.3 over the Andes Mountains in Bolivia. To put this in context, a beachgoer in the United States would expect a UVI of 8 or 9 on a summer day. Even with an 8 or a 9, one may not escape the day without sunburn.
Nonetheless, it has taken scientists 10 years to detail a report of this data while taking into account all of the variables and anomalies monitored from an international network of dosimeters – or Eldonets (European Light Dosimeter Network) – that measure UV radiation worldwide. This system is comprised of more than 100 stations across 5 continents to account for variation in the atmosphere above each station.
In fact, around 35% of the peak data from the station at the summit of Licancabur volcano in the Andes was lost – it was only through the wide scope of Eldonets that the data could be recovered.
And the reason behind a staggering UVI of 43.3 – a list of uncertainties:
- Ozone depletion in a region where column ozone is naturally the thinnest
- NOAs (negative ozone anomalies), which has to do with air circulation
- A solar flare on November 4, 2003 that increased solar irradiance
Unlike the sky on that sunny summer day in 2003, the explanation behind the "perfect storm" of conditions is clouded.
But, what does this mean for us? 10 years removed from these dangerous conditions, CFCs and some other harmful aerosols have been phased out of every day use, but they still persist in the atmosphere. Ozone depletion means that we are running out of our natural sunscreen.
Short-wave ultraviolet radiation damages DNA and causes cancer, affects reproduction in all organisms, and prevents photosynthesis. Some plants that we rely on for food and entire food chains (phytoplankton) are even more sensitive to short-wave UV rays than humans. This is especially concerning to the future of food security in a world of rapid population growth. After all, plants can't reapply every 2 hours.
This report – 10 years in the making – attempts to shine light on the harsh reality of ozone depletion.
For more information visit frontiers.
Licancabur volcano image via Shutterstock.


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My boys are crazy. Let me rephrase that, I have two adorable and highly energetic little boys. Bear is 5 and Bug is 2 but they sometimes seem like twins because of Bear's developmental delay and Bug being a bit advanced for his age. For a long time I felt bad that Bear had developmental delays due to his having William's Syndrome but now it's something I'm used to and I wouldn't change a … [Read more...]
Cypher Kids 3D Flashcards
December 16, 2012 by · 2 Comments


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It was the collapse of Milan and Inter, as well as a postponed game, that made the headlines in Week 4. Giancarlo Rinaldi wraps up the action.
The roar of the San Siro was unmistakable. At a moment when nothing much was happening on the pitch, it could only mean that Inter's city rivals Milan had slipped behind. By full time, however, followers of the Nerazzurri had little cause for celebration themselves.
Se Atene piange, Sparta non ride – If Athens is weeping, Sparta is not laughing – is an old Italian proverb and rarely was it more appropriate. These two historic opponents might take great pleasure in each other's misfortune but, for the time being, neither of them has much to smile about. It has been a while since the pair started out a season so poorly.
It would be hard to say who suffered a more miserable weekend. Inter contrived to lose at home to rock-bottom Siena who still sit on minus points having yet to wipe out their pre-season penalty. At the same time, Milan were down to nine men as they slumped to defeat against an Udinese side which was without a League win all season.
Results contrived to leave the Nerazzurri in a comparatively healthy League position, but the Rossoneri hover precariously above the relegation zone. It is Max Allegri who is feeling the most heat – especially after the words every Coach hates to hear. The vote of confidence.
"I have faith in Allegri and so does President Silvio Berlusconi," insisted Adriano Galliani, probably while consulting his contacts list for potential replacements. And his follow up words had a more ominous ring. "I expect our first home win on Wednesday, even if San Siro seems cursed for ourselves and Inter this year," he added.
In the blue and black half of the city, it was up to Andrea Stramaccioni to back himself. "It was a bad defeat and it hurt," he admitted. "But I'm the captain of this ship and we can't lose faith. We can't give up an inch, we have got to work together to turn this slip-up into something positive."
Amused bystanders to all the depression and disaster for the Milanese giants have been Juventus. They continued their serene progress towards Scudetto number 29 – 31 if you are Bianconero, 23 if you are Zdenek Zeman – with a comfortable win over Chievo. It was a game which confirmed their happy knack of riding the hot-streak of an in-form forward.
Fabio Quagliarella is the man of the moment right now. He grabbed a vital equaliser at Stamford Bridge midweek and followed it up with a couple of strikes at the weekend. Suddenly, from almost indifferent silence, the Juve faithful have been singing about how their hearts beat faster every time they see him.
He is just the latest in a long line of match-winners who have flitted in and out of the forward line under Antonio Conte and alter ego Massimo Carrera. Like an expert lock-picker, they always seem to know the right man to break down any particular defence. It has meant, at least so far, that joining Fiorentina on the long list of clubs to be snubbed by Dimitar Berbatov has not mattered a jot.
Last season it was Alex Del Piero who languished on the sidelines before bursting into life to play a vital part in the key, closing Scudetto clashes. Alessandro Matri, too, was the kingpin on countless occasions in the title run but has become a bit part player. And now Quagliarella is enjoying his moment in the sun.
None of Juve's forward players this year look like the kind of men you could count on for 20 goals a season but maybe it doesn't matter. Mirko Vucinic is probably the most complete player, but he must have Conte pulling his recently replenished hair out at times. Sebastian Giovinco has looked unplayable on occasions in Serie A but was smothered in a giant blue blanket against Chelsea in the Champions League. Nicklas Bendtner has, so far, been little more than an interested spectator – at least until he gets into the kind of shape the club is happy with.
And Juve's power to put a jinx on their rivals has not stopped at their historic Milanese adversaries. Napoli were unable to find a way past 10 man Catania to forfeit their 100 per cent League record. Then, in the evening, their old striker Marco Borriello gunned down Lazio just as the exiled Amauri helped to kill off Milan's title hopes last year.
Those were the footballing headlines from a round of matches in which much of the media attention was sadly dominated by the farcical goings-on in Sardinia. Having urged his fans to turn out to a game which was supposed to go on behind closed doors, Cagliari chief Massimo Cellino brought an embarrassing situation for Italian football to a head. As a result, their match was called off by the authorities and Roma were quick to claim a 3-0 win should be awarded with three points coming their way.
The position of the island outfit has been a painful one for too long. With their own Sant'Elia Stadium unfit for purpose, they registered the Stadio Nereo Rocco, hundreds of miles away in Trieste, as their home ground. The trouble was, it produced the kind of atmosphere that might have only had Zen Buddhists happy – the sound of one fan clapping.
They thought they had come up with a solution closer to home, playing at the Is Arenas, but could not get the necessary safety approval to allow supporters into the matches. That prompted Cellino to take his provocative stance and cause yet more red faces about the state of Serie A. In the eyes of the football world, the Italian game looks more ridiculous than one of Borriello's haircuts.
It could be a while before the situation is sorted and the longer it drags on, the less favours it does the world of calcio. A League that has started to feel like a European backwater, risks becoming a laughing stock. The only sides who might be happy about the situation in their current form are Milan and Inter. If Cagliari continue in their current stance, Sardinia might deliver them both a very welcome three points without even having to play a match.
Keep up to date with the latest news and action from Spain's Primera Division with Football Espana - from the team behind Football Italia. [13]


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In 1999, the World Health Organization estimated that worldwide, approximately 12 million new cases of syphilis occurred among adults. Std test near Fallen Leaf, California. In the United States, the number of cases reported annually rose from fewer than 10,000 in 1956 to more than 50,000 in 1990. The rise in incidence has been greatest among the underprivileged, heterosexuals, blacks, and urban dwellers and has occurred in New York, California, and the Southwest. As the Center for Disease Control and Prevention states, "The burden from neurosyphilis is unknown because national reporting of the disease is incomplete." 13 , 14
The CSF usually reveals elevated protein levels, lymphocytic pleocytosis, and a glucose level within the reference range; 30% of patients with secondary syphilis have abnormal CSF findings. Of patients with neurosyphilis, 10% have CSF protein values of less than 46 mg/dL, 70% have CSF protein values of 46-100 mg/dL, and 10% have CSF protein values greater than 100 mg/dL. The CSF WBC count is normal in 70% of patients, whereas it is 5-10/µL in 20% of patients and greater than 10µL in 10%; it is 4 times more likely to be lymphocytic rather than characterized by polymorphonuclear neutrophils. 23
The pathology of meningovascular syphilis is endarteritis with perivascular inflammation (ie, Heubner arteritis in medium-sized vessels and Nissl-Alzheimer arteritis in small intracranial vessels). This causes fibroblastic proliferation of the intima, thinning of the media, and fibrous and inflammatory changes in the adventitia, with lymphocytic and plasma cell infiltration. Rarely, aneurysmal dilation results. Luminal narrowing predisposes to cerebrovascular thrombosis, ischemia, vessel occlusion, and infarction. Onset of the meningovascular stage occurs, on average, 7 years after the initial infection. 24
Meningeal neurosyphilis usually manifests with the clinical features of acute meningitis, including hydrocephalus, cranial neuropathies, and the formation of leptomeningeal granulomas, called gummas. A gumma is a well-circumscribed mass of granulation tissue (avascular). It results from a cell-mediated immune response to T pallidum. Gummas usually are extra-axial lesions and dura based. The cortex is often involved secondary to invasion and direct extension. Seizures, due to the irritative focus, may develop. Early parenchymatous involvement is also reported. The presentation of mesial temporal encephalitis (limbic encephalitis) with status epilepticus and memory impairment is reported. The manifestations can be altered in the clinical setting of either concomitant HIV infection and/or previously partially treated syphilis. 25
The neurologic examination may show areflexia, loss of proprioceptive sense with sensory ataxia, and Argyll Robertson pupils. Typically, these pupils are bilaterally small (miotic) and fail to constrict further in response to light but do demonstrate normal constriction to accommodation. This is caused by lesions in the area immediately rostral to the nucleus of Edinger-Westphal (periaqueductal gray). Nonsyphilitic causes of Argyll Robertson pupil include diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, Wernicke encephalopathy, Lyme disease, sarcoidosis, herpes zoster, tumor, and hemorrhage. 26
The onset of psychiatric symptoms of general paresis can be insidious, first noticed by family and friends rather than the patient. These include loss of ambition at work, memory lapses, irritability, unusual giddiness, apathy, withdrawal, and a decline in attention to personal affairs. Later, patients may present with mental changes simulating schizophrenia, euphoric mania, paranoia, toxic psychosis, or presenile dementias. Presenile dementia is most common, manifesting with depression, confusion, and severe impairment of memory and judgment. Std Test closest to Fallen Leaf CA United States.
Certain physical signs and symptoms in neurosyphilis may cause suspicion of a somatoform disorder; they include lancinating pain, transient hemiparesis, transient sensory deficit, paresthesias, headache, ataxia, dysphasias, and multiple sclerosis-like symptoms. The paretic patient may exhibit histrionic behavior with grandiosity, raising suspicion of a primary conversion disorder rather than a neuro-organic etiology. To summarize, the typical neuropsychiatric presentations of neurosyphilis include delirium, mania, hallucinosis or psychosis, dementia, and depression. Coexistent meningovascular syphilis, syphilitic meningitis, and general paresis has been reported. It presents with complex evolving manifestations. 31
Ocular syphilis is a new epidemic. Ocular involvement 32 often includes anterior uveitis or panuveitis (granulomatous or nongranulomatous), retinitis, retinal vasculitis, vitreitis, and papillitis. Std Test near Fallen Leaf, California. 33 , 34 Symptoms of photophobia and dimming of vision obviously could develop. Fallen Leaf CA std test. All symptoms can resolve with typical treatment of neurosyphilis, namely, intramuscular procaine penicillin-G. This is a relatively common manifestation of late syphilis. Adhesions of the iris to the anterior lens (synechiae) may be present, which may produce a fixed pupil; this should not be confused with Argyll Robertson pupil. Bilateral tonic pupils have been noted, with light-near dissociation and denervation hypersensitivity. A particular condition—acute syphilitic posterior placoid chorioretinitis (ASPPC)—distinct from ocular syphilis has been reported. 35 Angiographically, there is hyperfluorescence in the area of the perineuritic lesion, often with scattered focal hypofluorescence(leopardspotting). 36
Syphilis and HIV are frequently found in the same patient, given the epidemiologic risk factors. Thus, each should be tested for after receiving consent. CSF abnormalities in patients with the concomitant infections include a higher protein content and more impressive pleocytosis. Additionally, the response to treatment is less pronounced. Therapeutically, some authors purport that highly active antiretroviral therapy to reverse immunosuppression from HIV may help mitigate neurologic complications of syphilis. 14 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43
CSF abnormalities include elevated protein levels and pleocytosis, which are found in up to 70% of patients. In addition, the CSF VDRL result is reactive. Std test near me Fallen Leaf California. CSF examination is recommended in all patients with untreated syphilis of unknown duration or of duration greater than 1 year. Because standard PCN-G benzathine therapy for early syphilis does not achieve treponemicidal levels in the CSF, some experts advise lumbar puncture in persons with secondary and early latent syphilis, with follow-up examinations for patients with abnormalities.
Perform lumbar puncture in the evaluation of latent syphilis of more than 1-year duration, in suspected neurosyphilis, and in late complications other than symptomatic neurosyphilis because asymptomatic neurosyphilis may coexist with other late complications. A serum RPR titer of 1:32 seems to be the best cutoff point to decide whether or not to perform a lumbar puncture. 46 Abnormal CSF findings can then be serially monitored as a guide to therapy. Overall, CSF pleocytosis continues to define disease activity. Documentation of resolution of CSF findings following therapy is required to confirm curative treatment.
Syphilitic infection produces 2 types of antibodies, the nonspecific reaginic (immunoglobulin E-mediated) antibody (ie, anticardiolipin) and specific antitreponemal antibody, which are measured by the nontreponemal and treponemal tests, respectively. Of note, cardiolipin is a substance extracted from heart tissue that is used as the antigen in flocculation and precipitation tests for syphilis. Test results can be reactive in persons with any treponemal infection, including yaws, pinta, and endemic syphilis (ie, bejel, which is due to another strain). The VDRL test and the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test are nontreponemal tests, whereas FTA-ABS and microhemagglutination assay-T pallidum (MHA-TP) are treponemal tests.
The RPR test is preferred over the VDRL test in an office setting. The 2 tests are equally sensitive. They may be used for initial screening and for serial follow-up. In tertiary syphilis, the VDRL test remains, for the most part, positive indefinitely. Std Test near Fallen Leaf, CA. Response to treatment can be assessed quantitatively by evaluating the antibody titers of dilution. For example, the VDRL titers usually reach 1:32 or higher in secondary syphilis; a persistent fall in titer following treatment of early syphilis provides essential evidence of an adequate response to therapy. A rising titer may indicate reinfection or inadequate treatment. VDRL titers do not correspond directly to RPR titers, and sequential quantitative testing must consistently use the same test.
The cardiolipin antigen used in the nontreponemal tests is found in other tissues, resulting in false-positive serologic test results. These false-positive results can be found in persons with nonvenereal treponemal infections (eg, yaws, pinta, bejel), those who have received certain immunizations (eg, smallpox), pregnant women, patients with acute or chronic infections (eg, infectious mononucleosis, malaria), or those with certain chronic conditions (eg, aging, intravenous drug usage, autoimmune disorders, malignancy). False-positive RPR test results are identified by excluding syphilis with a nonreactive treponemal test. Biological false-positive CSF reagin test results may result from tuberculosis or pyogenic or aseptic meningitis. However, even with sufficient treatment, patients sometimes have a persistent low-level positive nontreponemal test, which is referred to as a serofast reaction.
Std Test near me Fallen Leaf California. More sensitive and specific markers for neurosyphilis have been investigated. These include oligoclonal bands and certain intrathecally produced antitreponemal immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction for detection of treponemal nucleic acids in the CSF has been suggested to also be useful and confirmatory. 52 A new, experimental diagnostic approach involves relying on a CSF marker—known as a B-cell chemotactant—termed chemokine CXC motif ligand 13. Laboratory verification of CNS involvement in syphilis remains a challenge. Detection of anticardiolipin and antitreponemal antibodies in CSF in patients with neurosyphilis is problematic. A new commercially available test, the INNO-LIA Syphilis Score molecular test may serve as a new generation of valid tests to identify patients with silent neurosyphilis as well as patients with active intrathecal synthesis of IgG antibodies. 53 Generally, these have not reached a clinical level of usebecause theirroleremains unclear.
Some investigators have recommended that patients who are infected with HIV have a lumbar puncture to evaluate their response to treatment and that the lumbar puncture be performed at least 6 months after treatment, along with a clinical evaluation and periodic serologic testing for at least 3 years, if not for life, depending on the underlying process. CSF VDRL results may take years to revert to normal after successful treatment; therefore, normalization of CSF pleocytosis must be checked to monitor the response to therapy.
Patients with general paresis (parenchymatous neurosyphilis) have demonstrated frontocortical atrophy and disseminated frontal high-signal lesions. These patients have also been found to have cerebral atrophy (cortical thinning of the temporal and frontoparietal regions bilaterally, most prominent in the temporal regions); mesiotemporal (amygdalar) T2 hyperintensity; ventriculomegaly; and pathological T2 hypointensity of the globus pallidus, putamen, head of the caudate, and thalamus. In those with general paresis, MRI may be of prognostic value. 56 The iron (ie, ferritin) deposition and increased frontal atrophy correlate with the progression of neuropsychiatric disturbances, apparently independent of CSF changes.
Also reported is newly diffuse white-matter T2 hyperintensity, which was seen to be partially reversible after therapy and thus thought to be due to edema and gliosis. 57 It was not specific for neurosyphilis in that it has also been seen with Binswanger disease, cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, HIV encephalitides, and subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on MRI serves well to demonstrate cerebral syphilitic gumma, revealing findings that include juxtacortical lesional nodular enhancement, moderately restricted diffusion, and dural tail and surrounding vasogenic edema. 58 , 59
Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is a useful method for evaluating an inflammatory state and for assessing the effect of therapy on neurosyphilis. Increased cerebral blood flow is detectable by iodine-123 (123 I) N -isopropyl-p -iodoamphetamine SPECT, consistent with the active inflammatory state of neurosyphilis; its disappearance correlates with successful treatment with penicillin. SPECT can be diagnostically sensitive in the setting of otherwise unremarkable MRI findings. Std test near Fallen Leaf CA. 64 , 65
Reports of electrophysiologic features in tabes dorsalis indicate absent H reflexes and impeded tibial nerve sensory evoked potentials (with absent cortical potentials) consistent with pathologic involvement of the dorsal roots and the dorsal funiculi (stemming from secondary wallerian degeneration). Some investigators contend that posterior tibial somatosensory evoked potentials are a sensitive marker for detecting subclinical root damage in meningeal syphilis and may aid in evaluating the extent to which neurosyphilitic spinal root damage has developed. Normal findings on nerve conduction studies are usually expected because motor fibers are rarely involved; partial anterior horn cell dysfunction is known to occur. 67
A cure for neurosyphilis does not exist in patients infected with HIV. Std Test near me Fallen Leaf, California. After treatment for syphilis, PCN fails to produce a biologic cure and relapse is prevented by the immunologic status of the host. In a way, neurosyphilis is considered an opportunistic infection. Prolonged survival despite depleted helper T cells is associated with a recrudescence of syphilis. The course of neurosyphilis is believed by some investigators to be more rapid in patients co-infected with HIV, consistent with a potentiating effect. Others maintain that the course is no more aggressive in HIV-positive patients, nor is it atypical or more refractory to treatment.
Corticosteroids (along with intravenous PCN) have been used in the clinical setting of cerebral gummata. 87 Massive doses (ie, dexamethasone at 12 mg/d intramuscularly for 1 mo, followed by methylprednisolone at 16 mg/d) have been prescribed. On occasion, neurosurgical decompression of coexistent hydrocephalus may be indicated. With treatment, the space-occupying lesions undergo complete resolution on neuroimaging studies and the clinical picture improves. If seizures are present, treat accordingly.
Syphilitic optic neuropathy (SON) (including iridocyclitis and posterior placoid chorioretinitis) has been recently reported to present as the sole and initial clinical manifestation of HIV and syphilis co-infection. 88 , 89 This should be considered upon presentation of bilateral uveitis of uncertain origin, especially if the patient has a rash and/or headache. Adjunctive steroid therapy is touted to be advantageous toward improvement in optic nerve functional outcomes with SON. More rigorous studies are required for validation of this pharmacologic approach. 90 Ocular symptoms in HIV+ patients should be treated as neurosyphilis whereas ocular symptoms in non-HIV+ patients can be treated as secondary syphilis. 91
Patients should be informed about the possibility of experiencing the adverse Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction. This is the transient febrile reaction after any therapy for syphilis. It occurs within the first few hours and peaks at 6-8 hours. The Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction follows a self-limited course; sedation (eg, with diazepam or haloperidol ) and general supportive measures are indicated. Admit the patient to the hospital if neurologic involvement is noted. Otherwise, treat with steroids and antipyretics, as indicated. Std Test nearest Fallen Leaf. 93
Std Test Near Me Fallbrook California | Std Test Near Me Farmersville California


text:
Additionally, Calgary-based CP will match all employee donations to this cause dollar-for-dollar, it said.
"CP is proud to support the Red Cross in its efforts to bring relief to all who have been upended by this natural disaster," noted E. Hunter Harrison, CP's chief executive officer. "The impacts will linger for some time as southern Albertans, including many members of our CP family, rebuild."
"This generous donation by Canadian Pacific will support our efforts in assisting the thousands of Albertans rebuilding from this disaster," said Sue Phillips, director general of the Red Cross in Western Canada. "CP and others from the corporate community, in addition to many caring individuals, are stepping up at this time of need."
The extensive flooding, which began on June 20, caused significant damage to CP's infrastructure. Railway employees responded to over forty individual locations on its network impacted by high water and worked tirelessly to ensure goods continued to be shipped through the region.


text: Can someone help me decode miss Alicia? I'm having some trouble using her, because she was so uninvolved in most of the story lines for the books she was featured in. Also, was she one or two years older than the Trio? I just need to know a few basic things about her so that I can stay true to her character when writing her.


text:
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text:
This Bill Establishing a State Polka Is Caught in a Legislative Two-Step
In Connecticut, Fans Keep Rolling Out Request; Memories of 'Polkabration'
Connecticut has an official state insect, a fossil and even a tartan. Why not a state polka song?
That is the question radio host Peter Danielczuk, known as the Connecticut Prince of Polka, is asking state lawmakers. He is pushing to get "Ballroom Polka," written by Connecticut polka legend Ray Henry, adopted as the official state polka.
Connecticut Polka Proponents Keep Trying to Strike Right Note
Mr. Henry, who died in 1998, is one of 19 Polka Hall of Fame members from Connecticut. The state—which has more Hall of Famers than any other besides Illinois—has a rich polka history that deserves more respect, Mr. Danielczuk says.
During the U.S. polka boom, from the 1950s through the 1970s, hundreds of dancers crowded the pavilion at Warsaw Park in Ansonia, Conn., drawn by good music and free beer. In New London, Conn., the annual "Polkabration" drew thousands.
If Mr. Danielczuk's campaign prevails, Connecticut would become at least the third U.S. state to bestow official recognition on polka. Neighboring Massachusetts named "Say Hello to Someone in Massachusetts" as its state polka in 1998, and Wisconsin designated polka the official state dance in 1993.
"Massachusetts has one, why doesn't Connecticut?" says Mr. Danielczuk, 61 years old, who has hosted polka radio shows in Connecticut for more than 40 years.
Mr. Danielczuk first succeeded in 2006 in getting a state legislator to propose the polka-song bill, but so far his efforts haven't hit the right note.
"Bad timing," Mr. Danielczuk says. Sympathetic state lawmakers have told him they like the idea, he says, but haven't had time to vote on it. In a state legislature that weighs hundreds of proposed bills every year, the polka proposal just hasn't been a high priority for lawmakers.
"Anybody that has been in the Legislature has seen some bills die on the vine there during the final crunch," says state Rep. Ed Jutila, co-chairman of the government administration and elections committee. The polka legislation needs to be approved by Mr. Jutila's committee before the whole state legislature can vote on it. A hearing was held Feb. 22, but no vote is scheduled. "They all don't make it to the floor," he said.
Mr. Danielczuk is hoping busy state lawmakers—who face a $1.2 billion budget deficit and are studying a host of new laws this session—will change their tune this year.
State Rep. Linda Gentile, sponsor of the polka bill, says it is time Connecticut gave polka a fair shake. "We have a state bird, we have a state fish, we have a lot of things named the state whatever. It's a nice thing," she says. "It's all relative. What may be silly to you may be important to someone else."
It won't be the first number. Connecticut already has a state song—"Yankee Doodle"—and a state folk dance, the square dance. Connecticut also has a state animal (the sperm whale), state ship (USS Nautilus) and a state mineral (garnet).
Mr. Jutila says the bill known as "An Act Concerning the State Polka" will get due consideration by his committee.
Polka is both a genre of music and a dance that originated in Central Europe in the 19th century and was popularized in the U.S. primarily by Polish immigrants. The music evolved as Americans added their own twists, says Barb Haselow, president of the U.S. Polka Association, in Cleveland. The Polish variety mainly relied on accordions, concertinas and drums. Americans added instruments such as trumpets, saxophones, clarinets and violins.
In Connecticut, musicians such as Ray Henry, an accordion virtuoso who wrote the proposed state polka, were at the forefront of the evolving styles.
Bands from New Jersey, Massachusetts and elsewhere came to Warsaw Park in the 1960s and into the 1980s, says Helen Ptak of Ansonia, who ran the dances at the park's pavilion. "Ray [Henry] was always our favorite, though," Ms. Ptak says. "We called him 'the Maestro.' "
Mr. Henry was born on a farm in Connecticut in 1923 with the name Henry Mocarski. He adopted the stage name of Ray Henry. Mr. Henry wrote more than 1,200 waltzes and polkas.
"When you mention Ray Henry, that was the ultimate in the polka industry," says Edward Satkowski, 86, chairman of the Ray Henry Tribute Committee, which supports the polka bill. "He wrote toe-tapping music, and it inspired and ignited everybody."
Growing up, polka was part of daily life, says Mr. Henry's son, Mark Mocarski, who lives in Goose Creek, S.C. "Needless to say, you really didn't have a choice." While he loves the music, he didn't follow in his father's footsteps. "Maybe it was because I was so saturated with it. It was probably a little bit of overkill," says Mr. Mocarski, an accountant.
In the mid-1960s, Mr. Henry wrote "Ballroom Polka," which went on to become a standard. "It's a polka that most bands know, even the young ones" today, says Ms. Haselow of the U.S. Polka Association. The catchy tune would practically force people to dance, she says.
"It has to get people out of their seat to tap their feet. And that's what you would want people to think of your state, I would think," she says.
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, as polka's most devoted fans aged, enthusiasm for the music in Connecticut began to peter out. The Bristol Polish Club still hosts dances, as do some small venues in the state, but most of the big crowds are gone. "Kids aren't interested like they used to be," says Ms. Ptak.
Even as the music has become less popular, however, Ray Henry fans are still working to get the state to recognize him. "I think he would get a kick out of it," says his son, Mr. Mocarski. "In the long run, the music is going to outlive any title, and that was most important to him."
It won't be the only music-related bill before the Connecticut Legislature this year, either. There is also a proposal to make the "Beautiful Connecticut Waltz" the second state song.


text:
One of our artists, Dane Olds, informed me that he and some other folks at the office (see the team photo above) played a couple of friendly matches of Team Fortress II against the developers over a Breakaway, ltd. I asked Dane to write up a little post-game wrap report. Here's what Dane had to say:
Some of you may know that several of us here at
The Challenge
Greetings fellow sufferers,
We at BreakAway invite you to deepen your suffering this Thursday at 7pm EST. The game is TF2 and the conclusion is foregone. On the other hand, it is our sincere and fervent hope that you find the experience educational as well as painful. You may host the server, using the leftovers from your fine company's private-jet bar allowance.
Cake and grief counseling will be provided after the match's conclusion.
Warmest regards,
your friends at BreakAway
The Beat Down
As it turns out our friends over at BreakAway were correct. The conclusion was indeed forgone, our crack team of TF2 players absolutely stomped the competition. I'm going to speak for all of us on the TF2 team and say that we found the match to be very educational. We were able to see what happens when a team's defense falls to pieces when we rolled over them in dust bowl. It might have been the fastest victory in the history of Team Fortress 2. I can't be sure as I didn't know at the beginning of the match that I should be timing it. In this regard I'm sure the match was especially painful for BreakAway.
On a more serious note the match was a total blast. The guys at BreakAway were a ton of fun to play with and were very good sportsmen. The first match of the night was played on 2Fort. The match went in to overtime as Breakaway had 2 captures and we had 1. In overtime we turned it around by killing half their team in the initial rush and sauntered in to claim our victory.
The next map was Dust Bowl and we were on defense. We managed to hold them at the first shack for quite a while but they managed to edge us out of there with a few well placed rockets. They made a valiant attempt but were unable to capture our second point.
Well… You know how the match went when we were attacking.
So in conclusion I'd like to say thank you to Break Away for an awesome match. And if there are any other dev studios that would like to take a crack at us. You know where to find us.


text:
Why study at Saint Paul University
Why choose Saint Paul University?
Saint Paul University enjoys an enviable reputation as being on a more human scale. Courses are offered in English and French, and students have the opportunity to hear, learn and speak both languages in a multicultural and diverse environment
Learn more about Saint Paul University
Saint Paul University's academic community is rich in human and cultural experiences. It offers countless professional resources; is home to a library with over 500,000 books and reference works, including one of Canada's largest philosophy, religious history and medieval studies collections; provides top-quality teaching; offers a low professor–student ratio; and has all the services of a major city on its doorstep.
Saint Paul University helps students
- Broaden their horizons
- Develop critical thinking when it comes to conflict resolution
- Openly discuss and interact with professors
- Contribute to greater social justice in the world
- Make a difference in all spheres of life, at home and abroad
- Engage in research under the leadership of experienced professors
At the heart of Canada's capital city!
As the capital of Canada, Ottawa and its surrounding area is the seat of the Government of Canada and is considered to be a national treasure. The capital is also known for the number and quality of its cultural and recreational attractions, its magnificent parks, its navigable rivers and waterways, and its outdoor activities, in both summer and winter.
Fast Facts
- You can study in English, in French or in both languages.
apply to Saint Paul University
learn about and understand the language requirements
learn about tuition fees for international students
apply for a study permit


text:
DSP video processing via open-sourceAPIs
Post a comment
Digital signal processors offer outstanding multimedia performance. Typically, they require just 40 percent to 50 percent as many cycles as a general-purpose processor (GPP) core to run a codec (encoders/decoders). They also offer far greater flexibility and reconfigurability than ASICs. Yet until now, programmers have had to learn proprietary languages to take advantage of the benefits of DSPs in digital video applications. But the emergence of application programming interfaces is eliminating the need to learn these proprietary DSP languages. APIs make it possible to easily leverage DSPs from applications running on the GPP.
Open-source multimedia frameworks, which typically run under the Linux operating system on the GPP, are an ideal target for these APIs. The computational burden of video codecs can be offloaded by leveraging the APIs, which abstract many of the complexities of DSP programming. This approach only requires programmers to have basic knowledge of the DSP and eliminates the need to write code to stitch together DSP functions with those that run on the GPP. Those advantages, plus the ability to utilize the many capabilities offered by free open-source plug-ins and frameworks, can substantially reduce time-to-market for new video products.
Developers have several alternatives when it comes to selecting hardware platforms to run the codec algorithms that compress a digital stream for transmission or storage, and decompress it for viewing and editing. ASICs offer high performance and low power consumption in digital video applications because the hardware is designed specifically for the applications. The disadvantage of an ASIC is that nonrecurring engineering expenses are high. In addition, it can be very expensive to implement changes in ASICs, such as to those made to accommodate codec standards.
GPP cores, on the other hand, have a comparatively low NRE and can be fairly easily reprogrammed to address change. But their performance is low for digital video because they are relatively inefficient at performing computationally intensive signal-processing applications. For example, GPPs accomplish multiplication by a series of shift-and-add operations that each take one or more clock cycles.
DSPs have the potential to provide the best of both worlds. In contrast to a GPP, a DSP is optimized for computationally intensive signal processing of the type found in digital video applications. DSPs have single-cycle multipliers or multiply-accumulate units that can speed up codec execution. Higher-performance DSPs have several independent execution units that can operate in parallel, enabling them to carry out several operations per instruction. Yet, the DSP also provides full software programmability including field-reprogramming capabilities. This enables a user, for example, to roll out an MPEG-2 product and later upgrade to H.264 video codec. The primary limitation of DSPs in digital video applications is that they are typically programmed using proprietary languages, and programmers who are familiar with DSPs are much less common than those who are familiar with popular GPP architectures.
Integration challenges
Developers of digital video systems also face integration challenges. Digital video systems are made up of multiple encoders, decoders, codecs, algorithms and other software components, which must all be integrated together into an executable image long before any content can run on the system. Stitching all these elements together and making sure they function cohesively can be a difficult task. Some systems will require distinct video, imaging, speech, audio and other multimedia modules. Developers who manually integrate each software module or algorithm are distracted from working on value-added functionality, such as adding innovative features.
Many digital video developers have taken the open-source path to build software. A common approach is to obtain significant parts of the software from an open source and leverage in-house expertise in the areas of usability and hardware integration. Developers often participate in open-source projects to develop technology to fulfill specific needs and integrate the open-source code with internally developed code to create a product.
New API
Addressing all of these issues, Texas Instruments has developed an API that allows DSPs like GStreamer to be leveraged from open-source multimedia frameworks. The API enables multimedia programmers to leverage the DSP codec engine from within a familiar environment. The interface frees digital video programmers from dealing with the complexity of programming DSPs, making it easy for the ARM/Linux developers to exploit the power of DSP codec acceleration without needing to have knowledge of the hardware. The interface also automatically and efficiently partitions work between the ARM and DSP. This eliminates the need to write code to interface between functions that run on the DSP and those that run on GPP cores. The interface has been developed in the form of a GStreamer plug-in that was developed by TI in accordance with open-source community standards.
GStreamer is a media-processing library that provides an abstract model of a transformation that is based on a pipeline metaphor where media flows in a defined direction from input to output. It has gained wide popularity in the digital video programming community through its ability to abstract the manipulation of different media in a way that simplifies the programming process. GStreamer makes it possible to write a general video or music player that can support many different formats and networks. Most operations are performed, not by the GStreamer core, but rather by plug-ins. GStreamer base functionality is primarily concerned with registering and loading plugs-in and providing base classes that define the fundamental capabilities of classes.
GStreamer filters
Source filters present the raw multimedia data for processing. They may get it from a file on a hard disk [such as the file source filter], or from a CD or DVD drive, or they may get it from a "live" source such as a television receiver card or a network. Some source filters simply pass on the raw data to a parser or splitter filter, while other source filters also perform the parsing step themselves. Transform filters accept either raw or partially processed data and process it further before passing it on.


text:
In the end, it was the Eli Home kids themselves who helped save their refuge.
As I wrote in November, the Anaheim Hills shelter for abused children and their moms would shut down Dec. 31 if it didn't raise $200,000 to pay off debt and give itself a cushion going into the new year. Donations started arriving immediately, but a week before deadline, the facility was still $85,000 short.
As the staff prepared to transfer 21 kids and moms to other facilities, the kids asked Executive Director Lorri Galloway if they could help. She remembers smiling at their innocence. "I didn't think a lemonade stand was going to do it."
But the kids kept insisting, and a staffer came up with a last-ditch idea: Shoot a "Save the Eli Home" video for YouTube. Galloway was skeptical, but after talking to the moms, she OK'd it. Some kids had to be left out of the video because they are involved in custody issues, but eight were cleared by their mothers.
The video is very low-tech and, as such, unmistakably authentic. Just five girls and three boys shot inside the Eli Home, saying how much they love it and asking for $85,000 within the next 24 hours. "We really need your help! Really!"
A cute, chubby kid about 10 does a little break dance, which generates whooping and shouting. Then a few shots of the living room, kitchen and play area, a final plea, and that's about it. You couldn't have made a less-professional-looking video if you tried, which I suppose is the beauty of it.
Eli board members and staff sent the link to friends, family and supporters, both private and corporate, on Dec. 31. It got around 150 hits. How many last-minute contributors were inspired by the video alone isn't clear. Some were considering a donation in the final days and would have donated anyway. Some, Galloway believes, increased their planned amount because they saw the video, and some were purely motivated by the video.
Whatever the reason, the final 24 hours saw a surge. The largest single donation, $30,000, came from an anonymous Anaheim woman who manages a family trust. Other large donations coming in at the end were from Wal-Mart ($12,500), board member Mark Schmidt and his wife, Jan, ($10,000); Target ($5,000); Galloway family friend Steve Bowlin ($4,500); SeneGence International of Irvine ($3,500), the Anaheim firefighters union ($2,100); and the Ducks ($750).
When Galloway tabulated the final donations, Eli Home had $202,493. It was saved.
The crisis also brought pledges of support in the future. A hair salon and restaurateur, for example, each have promised to do fundraisers in 2013.
"We didn't just raise money," she said, "we raised friends."
Contact: 714-796-4994 or email@example.com


text:
Nice theme for use with e17 window manager. Based on the G.A.N.T. icons.
WWW: http://www.get-e.org/Themes/E17/
No installation instructions: this port has been deleted.
The package name of this deleted port was: e17-theme-gant
PKGNAME: e17-theme-gant
distinfo: There is no distinfo for this port.
NOTE: FreshPorts displays only information on required and default dependencies. Optional dependencies are not covered.
No options to configure
Number of commits found: 14
Remove expired ports:
2011-01-01 audio/emphasis: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 converters/ecore-txt: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 deskutils/estickies: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 devel/ecore-job: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 devel/engrave: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 devel/evfs: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 devel/ruby-ecore: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 graphics/exhibit: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 graphics/epsilon: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 graphics/esmart: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 graphics/ruby-edje: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 graphics/ruby-esmart: abandoned upstream
2011-01-01 graphics/ruby-evas: abandoned upstream
- Update e17 applications suite to the recent snapshot.
Thanks to Grzegorz Blach <email@example.com> for doing the hard work
preparing the initial version of the update!
PR: ports/148038
Submitted by: Grzegorz Blach <email@example.com> (based on)
- update to 1.4.1
Reviewed by: exp8 run on pointyhat
Supported by: miwi
- update to jpeg-8
- Move x11-wm/enlightenment-devel to x11-wm/enlightenment
- Disconnect x11-wm/enlightenment-devel from the build
- Reconnect x11-wm/enlightenment to the build
- Update dependent ports
- Note the transition in UPDATING
Bump portrevision due to upgrade of devel/gettext.
The affected ports are the ones with gettext as a run-dependency
according to ports/INDEX-7 (5007 of them) and the ones with USE_GETTEXT
in Makefile (29 of them).
PR: ports/124340
Submitted by: edwin@
Approved by: portmgr (pav)
- Update enlightenment-devel and EFL libraries to the latest snapshot
- Deprecate old unsupported apps and modules (entice, devian, eveil, engage)
- Split evas and ecore to separate modules to handle dependencies properly
- Disable PAM in enlightenment-devel as it don't work anyway (requires root
- Add DBUS support.
Thanks to: az
- Welcome X.org 7.2 \o/.
- Set X11BASE to ${LOCALBASE} for recent ${OSVERSION}.
- Bump PORTREVISION for ports intalling files in ${X11BASE}.
- Update to 0.0.4 (resurrect).
Remove expired leaf ports:
2006-11-01 x11-toolkits/etox: doesn't work with recent e17 and obsoleted
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-blokkie: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-blue_default: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-carbon: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-detour: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-gant: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-japan2007: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-milky: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-neptun: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-simply_white: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-winter: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-mclaren: doesn't work with recent e17
2006-11-01 x11-themes/e17-theme-grey: doesn't work with recent e17
- Move to LOCALBASE
- Use new EFL framework
- Update all e17 ports to the lates stable cvs snapshot
- Add additional knobs/options to ports makefiles to control the
feature set
- Add a bunch of new e17 applications/libraries
- Minor improvements/modification.
Approved by: vanilla (old maintainer), sem (mentor)
Update to recent version.
PR: ports/99890
Submitted by: maintainer
- Eliminate pkg-plist
Submitted by: Stanislav Sedov <ssedov mbsd.msk.ru> (maintainer)
Approved by: delphij (mentor, implicit)
Add e17-theme-gant 1.0, GANT theme for use with e17 window manager.
PR: ports/98550
Submitted by: Stanislav Sedov <email@example.com>
Servers and bandwidth provided byNew York Internet, SuperNews, and RootBSD
14 vulnerabilities affecting 139 ports have been reported in the past 14 days
* - modified, not new
All vulnerabilities
Last updated:2018-01-23 23:17:36


text:
Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Procutus, Oct 5, 2012.
I have to agree.
I'm ashamed I know who that is.
This is like Walter's version of 'National Treasure'. This will lead to another clue, which will lead to another clue...
The next glyph is H.
It's FAITH.
Really, really good episode. I think I liked it even better than last week's show. I think this final season is going to be great!
They always give you the first tape free and then once they have your credit card number...
I don't. Should I?
I doubt every market is the same, but the preview for next week with the people who appear to be covered in skin lesions lead right into a bacon advert.
Not Desmond:
PENNY! Look what your father has done to me! I'm at the head of his company!
Saved By The Bell
Now all we need is Russell Watson to sing 'Faith of the Heart'.
Belly's coming back?!
And if I'm not mistaken, was that Dr. Beckett I saw talking to Walter?
Hidden message!
Typical Belding:
I agree, I'm already enjoying this far more than Season 4. While I still miss the original version of things, this is starting to feel a bit epic.
I just hope they don't screw the pooch at the finale.
Wonder how Walter still had a working Beta VCR?
Well Fellow Fringers, once again I have to work tomorrow morning so I must take my leave of you. This has been a lot of fun, most of it at the expense of Desmond's head.
To quote Katy Perry: "Next Friday night, we'll do it all again."
Yeah, considering that was kind of a West Coast thing.
I'm sure he's got some 8-tracks still laying around the lab as well.
If it was anyone but Walter it would be suspect...
Will try to be here next week, if not will post the glyph translation when I get access to the internet.
Loyalist was Radzinski (spelling) from the Lost season 5
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Roddy Boyd has been chasing a dodgy fund manager. Today he got his man: Bryan Caisse was arrested in Bogota Colombia. A lot of work went into that.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
So many scams, so little time
Roddy Boyd has been chasing a dodgy fund manager. Today he got his man: Bryan Caisse was arrested in Bogota Colombia. A lot of work went into that.
14 comments:
Nice links John. Love how Ross Tarrant was portrayed as being unwittingly duped, yet: "he was banned from acting as a financial advisor – in part because he had also accepted, without disclosing them, more than $1 million in 'marketing assistance' payments from Trio Capital".
A cool million in kickbacks!! So a 4% fee (on the $25m alleged to have been invested). And this would have been on top of the disclosed commissions!! So that was not a red flag for naive young Ross, a qualified accountant to boot?
- January 22, 2014 at 11:54 AM
- John Hempton said...
I did say that the article was maybe a little too generous.
Ross however would not have put so much client money in had he had an inkling of Shawn Richard's true nature.
It was low-level slime-bag (the marketing allowance) being exploited by high-level slime-bag [front for global organized crime].
Ross I think deserved his ban from the industry. [The court agreed.] However you can still feel a little sorry for him...
- January 22, 2014 at 11:58 AM
So this thief gets to leave the country now?? To start spending the capital that ASIC & AFP believe he still has as a result of this?
- January 22, 2014 at 12:28 PM
- CrocodileChuck said...
Where is Jack Flader?
- January 22, 2014 at 12:42 PM
- indievestments said...
Nice post John. I've been following the Herbalife story and came to a few of your posts. Are you still actively looking at these MLM special situations?
If so, I'd be curious your thoughts on Blyth Inc (BTH), the massive short interest and the potential for a management led buy out of the remaining public float or acquisition by CVSL?
- January 22, 2014 at 3:40 PM
- John Connor said...
To the comment above I would say the NQ mobile show will be better to watch than HLF, albeit NuSkin in China has added a twist to the saga. With NQ I have wondered if the short exceeds the float and nobody recalls the stock they lent then I guess you could make a short pay a perpetual borrow fee? I would also imagine the call option market would dry up. So many good movies playing in the markets lately. Eventually the horror genre will return to favour.
- January 22, 2014 at 6:00 PM
Thanks for the links John - big fan of SIRF, in addition to being blown away by your work on this one!
- January 22, 2014 at 7:19 PM
One simple thing I can't understand from the article is whether poor old Tarant's personal losses of 500k are before or after 1m kickback?
Also, somewhat unsurprisingly, while there's some kind of mild sanction mentioned for WHK, no further words are said about internal compliance the way "KPMG, one of the world's largest audit firms," which "was the fund's internal compliance auditor" sees it.
Did they actually audited Richard's compliance to Flader?
Of course, government should recompense. Internal and external auditors, verifying false accounts and nonexistent compliance, are beyond reproach.
- January 22, 2014 at 11:08 PM
- indievestments said...
To John Connor, thanks for the heads up. I've briefly looked at NQ after the revelation of Muddy Waters or one of those research shops called it a fraud.
- January 23, 2014 at 6:36 AM
Sadly this liar's legacy is not about lost money ... it's about ruined lives ...
- January 23, 2014 at 12:05 PM
"The sadness of the people who have lost their life savings (as many Astarra/Trio victims did) is however long-lasting..."
Apparently people are saying this same thing today - about Herbalife.
- January 24, 2014 at 4:16 AM
- Absalon said...
One of the problems for the regulators is that frauds tend to exploit people who are alienated and who either mistrust or are hostile to government regulators. It seems almost a standard playbook for a fraudster to say "this opportunity is a clever way to get around the dead hand of regulators and it will help you avoid taxes so we have to keep it confidential"
- January 24, 2014 at 8:06 AM
I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the potential for shorts in the green energy market. (Australia and overseas but particularly Australia). I'm thinking wave power generation companies next generation solar, that kind of thing. Given that the previous government was handing out money like a drunken sailor to these types of companies and that we have just had a change of government that are now looking to cut costs, maybe some of these companies will find themselves without funding and no assets except pie in the sky ideas? I do know of one such company that would be a lay down misere for a short IF they ever decided to float, makes me think there might be more out there.
- January 26, 2014 at 9:36 AM
CARL MEERVELD who was named in court papers as an associate of jack flader IN THE TRIO CAPITAL FRAUD has been elected to the states parliament as a deputy in the financial centre OF GUERNSEY CHANNEL ISLANDS SOUNDS LIKE THE START OF SOMETHING BIG
- May 20, 2016 at 11:44 PM


text:
Come to the Bower
Arbors covered with vining or climbing plants, also called bowers, were a common feature of medieval pleasure gardens, and women are often shown seated in their shade. Maggie Fitzpatrick, summer intern in the gardens, rests from her labors under a fragrant jasmine bower in Bonnefont garden. The jasmine, grown in terra cotta pots, twines up and around a structure of birch poles and birch brush, lashed together with copper wire and finished with barked wire.?? Photograph by Carly Still
Arbour, arbor, n. A bower or shady retreat, of which the sides and roof are formed by trees and shrubs closely planted or intertwined, or of lattice-work covered with climbing shrubs and plants, as ivy, vine, etc. Forms: ME???15 erber (e, herber(e, ME herbier, erbor, arbre, ME???15 arber, 15 herbor, harber, herbour, arboure (all obs.), 15??? arbour, arbor. (The original characteristic of the ???arbour??? seems to have been the floor and ???benches??? of herbage; in the modern idea (since 16th c. at least) the leafy covering is the prominent feature.)
???OED Online. June 2012. Oxford University Press: http://0-oed.com.library.metmuseum.org/view/Entry/10234 (accessed August 9, 2012).
Arbors covered with vines or roses are frequently depicted in medieval garden representations, often in conjunction with a turf bench or garden seat. Elegant ladies are shown taking their ease, or the Virgin and Child are shown seated in state, as in Stefan Lochner's famous Madonna of the Rose Bower in Cologne. (For more on turf benches, see "A Green Place to Rest," March 15, 2010.) Read more »


text:
Janus definitely plans to cease being an eligible 403(b) vendor after December 31, 2008. Janus still offers products on other platforms (Lincoln Financial Group, AIG Retirement, Security Benefit Life, Nationwide Financial, etc.). Janus has not accepted exchanges or transfers as of September 25, 2007. While Janus is encouraging current participants to exchange their Janus account balances into accounts of other 403(b) Vendors, Janus is not requiring them to do so. Stay tuned, since this situation could change at any time.
Janus has provided this PDF documentation: View / Download
Janus has NOT provided any link to its home office webpage at this time.
Click the link(s) below for information on Janus investment products:
Click the link(s) below for information on the fees associated with Janus accounts:
Janus offers the following type(s) of 403(b) investment option:
Janus does NOT accept Roth 403(b) contributions.
Investment products of Janus are marketed using the following approaches:
Janus has not provided a weblink to any online consumer education or financial planning tools or calculators they may or may not offer to assist participants with financial planning and education. The moment Janus provides a weblink to us, we'll post it here immediately.
To see which other CCC Employers hold Active Payroll Slots with Janus, please visit our General Janus Page.
Vendors may manage their own CCC website pages via authorized logins available upon request. Vendors are invited to update their company and Employer-specific information (Plan or Group Number, Local Contacts, Product Information, Forms, etc.) regularly.
If there are any special relationships between this Vendor and this Employer, explanations of such relationships will appear here.
When contacting Janus or its local contacts, have ready your North Bend - Janus PLAN OR GROUP NUMBER: To Be Determined
When contacting Janus or its local contacts, you may require the North Bend EIN: 936000351
Some authorized investment companies have numerous financial representatives authorized to do business on their behalves. Others have no agents at all. The list below includes the most recent information available about the company's main avenue of contact as well as any local contacts for Janus on North Bend list of authorized vendors.
Janus has not a "contact us" link. The moment they do, we'll post them here.
Janus has NOT signed any Direct Information Sharing Agreement with North Bend or any Umbrella Information Sharing Agreement with CCC. Consequently, Janus is NOT eligible to receive Exchanges Within, Plan-to-Plan Transfers Into, or Rollover Contributions Into North Bend 403(b) accounts.
North Bend
does not require any monthly minimum contribution, however some Vendors may require a minimum contribution amount (see below).
does not require any monthly contribution amount
Information concerning the contribution types, catch-ups, transactions allowed under the North Bend 403(b) Plan and much more on the North Bend Information Page, available by clicking here.


text:
A hand-shaped Saguaro cactus is cast into the light as the desert grows bright at sunrise.
The saguaro cactus is a native of the Sonora Desert in Arizona. The species can grow to a height of 45 feet (13m) tall and can live for 150 years. It can take up to 75 years to develop a side arm. Although they grow only in a relatively small area of the Southwest United States, the saguaro cactus have become synonymous with the pioneers, cowboys and Native Americans of the 19th century Wild West.


text:
TACOMA, Wash. – University of Puget Sound is one of just seven U.S. private liberal arts colleges to be awarded four stars—the top rating—by an independent organization that scrutinizes nonprofits for their good governance and fiscal responsibility.
Charity Navigator, described as "the first and best stop for would-be donors" by Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, assessed more than 60 private liberal arts colleges around the country. The group regularly evaluates more than 5,000 charities and nonprofit institutions to help donors choose responsible and efficient organizations when they make gifts.
The four-star rating follows the affirmation of University of Puget Sound's long-term A+ credit rating by Standard & Poor's this summer. Sherry Mondou, vice president for finance and administration, commented at the time:
"We have worked hard to minimize tuition increases and provide financial support for students during this challenging economic period, while continuing to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in all that we do. This has enabled us to dedicate the necessary resources for ongoing delivery of an exceptional residential liberal arts experience that ensures our students' future success."
Charity Navigator is America's largest and most influential charity rater, serving more than three million unique visitors and impacting an estimated $10 billion of charitable donations each year. Nonprofits and charities are judged on the effectiveness of their day-to-day operations in pursuing their missions, their ability to sustain programs over time, and their application of best practices, such as accountability and transparency.
"As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency, and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support with their hard-earned dollars," said Ken Berger, president and chief executive officer of Charity Navigator.
Individual evaluations are based in part on an analysis of the nonprofit's IRS Form 990, a public document required by the Internal Revenue Service from certain tax-exempt organizations. Financial efficiency and capacity are assessed, and then the nonprofit's performance is compared to that of peer institutions. In addition analysts study the group's website to see if a donor can readily find information about its finances, leadership, and donor privacy policy.
Other U.S. liberal arts colleges that received four stars in the Charity Navigator evaluation are Carleton College (Minn.), Davidson College (N.C.), Lafayette College (Pa.), Oberlin College (Ohio), St. Olaf College (Pa.), and Smith College (Mass.).
For a full list of private liberal arts college ratings: www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.results&cgid=3&cuid=33&sortby=rtg
For more about Charity Navigator: charitynavigator.org
To read about One [of a Kind] The Campaign for University of Puget Sound visit: www.pugetsound.edu/one
Tweet this: A coveted 4-Star rating for @univpugetsound by Charity Navigator http://bit.ly/vgahKB
Follow us on Twitter! www.twitter.com/univpugetsound


text:
It seems as though the Android
smartphone operating system is starting
to really come alive these days. Sales of the devices have really
been shooting through the roof if these latest numbers from Google
CEO Eric Schmidt are any indication.
According to Schmidt, Google partners
are shipping Android smartphones at a rate of 65,000+ per day. "It
looks like Android is going to be either the number one or number two
player," added
Schmidt to the AFP.
65,000 units shipped per day would put
Google at about 5.85 million Android smartphones shipped (and
steadily rising) per quarter. That compares to the 8.75
million iPhones that Apple sold last quarter.
According to NPD, the Android operating
system is already the number
two smartphone operating system in the United States putting it
ahead of Apple's iPhone OS, but behind RIM's Blackberry OS. At the
rate Android OS is expanding, it shouldn't be too long before it
starts its worldwide domination.
"Our strategy is very different
from everybody else's," Schmidt continued. "We license our
code for free, so that's really pretty revolutionary. We're trying to
build an entire ecosystem of openness, the inverse of the other
The next few weeks should be quite
amazing for Google. Sprint's flagship Android 2.1-based HTC
EVO 4G smartphone will be shipping early next month and Android
2.2, also known as Froyo, is expected
to debut this month.


text:
Road to the Horse Q&A with the Remuda Veterinarian
- Mar 16, 2013
- Topics:
Dr. Glenn Blodgett, horse division manager for 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas.
Photo: Stephanie L. Church, Editor-in-Chief
The Road To The Horse is a competition among trainers starting Quarter Horses over three days. Organizers are holding the 10th edition of this event this weekend in its new venue at the Kentucky Horse Park, in Lexington. This morning The Horse visited with Glenn Blodgett, DVM, horse division manager for the 6666 Ranch, which is a Road to the Horse partner and, for the third consecutive year, the event's remuda provider.
Blodgett explained that he and the 6666 Ranch cowboys select and bring 12 horses with them from Guthrie, Texas, to the event. He answered our questions about the history of these horses and their care.
The Horse: How does 6666 Ranch select the horses for the remuda, and is there a certain level of maturity or development these horses must reach before you consider them for the competition?
Blodgett: Well, when they approached us the first time, they had been using 2-year-old geldings, I believe, but they made a decision I think based on prior years that they felt like they needed a little more maturity in their horses, because … everything happens really fast here, they have to put a lot of pressure on the horses in order to complete this thing within a reasonable length of time. So they made a decision to move to a 3-year-old, which we were able to accommodate them on.
We normally start our horses when they're twos, and I think most people do. But they felt like they wanted a little more mature horse, so … that's kind of the direction we went in age-wise, maturity-wise. These horses were selected out of a group of about … oh, I think there were 30 or 35 horses in that group, and … I tried to pick just kind of a good cross-section of our horses, so people at the event could see kind of an overall viewing of what we're trying to raise and produce on the ranch. We've got different sires involved, different colors, so we tried to provide a variety.
The Horse: Do you provide colts, fillies, or geldings?
Blodgett: These are all geldings, and that's all we ever furnished. And to my knowledge, I think they've used geldings every year. Fillies could be used, though, possibly, but they've requested geldings, and that's the direction it's gone so far.
The Horse: What about behavior? Are there particular behaviors you like these horses to possess?
Blodgett: If we knew that there was a real problem individual that we'd identified … in the horse growing up, we might (not select it for Road to the Horse). All the horses we're trying to raise and produce, we feel like, have good minds and good behaviors for the most part. So, we hopefully don't have any of those kind of horses, but occasionally you do. I don't recall in this particular group having to say, "Well, we don't want to take him because he's gonna be too tough or too much of a problem or something like that."
The Horse: So each of these horses, do you know them by name, and, pretty well?
Blodgett: They've got a registered name, but nobody ever really uses the registered name. But prior to (selection for the remuda) they're kind of referred to by … their mother's name, and maybe some reference to color. That's kind of how they're talked about up until they get their nickname (at remuda selection time).
The Horse: How are the horses evaluated by a vet prior to coming to The Road to the Horse, to ensure they're in good health? Is that you?
It's by me. We have people that care for them every day, and they're used to seeing them every single day, and if they identify anything unusual they bring it to my attention, and I also have another veterinarian that works for me there that comes into play. We've been around them since they've been born.
The things we had to do to these guys prior to them coming up here? They'd gotten into some cockleburs, so we had to clean their manes and tails up a little bit. And it just happened--they'd been running in the same place for a long time, but I guess some of the things they'd started grazing that they weren't grazing before got them into the cocklebur patch. Anyway, we had to clean those up, and we had a few winter ticks in our area, so we sprayed them, they had a few of those on them. Other than that, we make sure they're all current on their vaccinations. We didn't identify other issues with them.
The Horse: What do you mean when you say you sprayed them, in regards to the ticks?
Blodgett: It's an insecticide that we use, permectrin. We sprayed them before we brought them.
The Horse: What about deworming?
Blodgett: They're on a regular schedule. The younger horses get dewormed about every three months, and then once they get to be mature horses, 3 years old, we usually put them on an every-six-month program. And while they're young they get wormed more frequently.
The Horse: What kind of feeding program are the horses on leading up to and during the Road to the Horse Competition?
When they're born, they're on their mothers on native pasture, out in the northwest part of Texas. At weaning, and during that time, they eat right alongside their mother. We feed Nutrena SafeChoice once a day to the mares and they learn to eat right alongside mom, and at weaning they go on to wheat pasture, if we have it available, with moisture conditions. And we (offer a) free-choice mixture of timothy and alfalfa hay, along with the Nutrena Safechoice and we actually also use some Purina Omelene during one segment of their life, Omelene 200 during about February of their yearling year until August or September. Then they go back onto the SafeChoice program if we still got them. We always supplement alfalfa hay in varying amounts depending on pasture conditions.
Our SafeChoice that we mentioned, we have it manufactured in a three-quarter-inch pellet or cube because we feed these horses in large pastures, and we don't know where they may be found from day to day, so that enables us to feed it (on the ground) where we find them basically. We don't have to have feed troughs moving around.
The Horse: What kind of farrier care do these horses receive before the event?
Blodgett: When these guys were foals and when they were halter-broken, we spend whatever length of time it takes to get them halter-broken as weanlings … when that happens, they're usually 5- to 8 months old. And, the last day they're handled through that halter-breaking process they get their feet trimmed. During their whole first year of life they may get their feet trimmed a couple more times, so that's three times. And other than that, unless we identify an individual with a particular problem with his feet, we leave them alone.
We're able to do that because of where they live. Our terrain (including lots of rocks) and our climate there kind of leads itself to kind of being a natural way of farrier care. Of course their feet don't stop growing, but their feet kind of naturally break off, the edges. Now, that may sound a little crude or abrupt, but you'd be surprised at how well they do, really. They almost look like they're getting regular hoof care.
Now, like I pointed out, occasionally you run on to an individual situation that we have to address, but it's pretty unusual that we do. We have an occasional sole abscess, like anybody does, but they're not of higher incidence or anything. And once the horses start being handled and cared for on a more hands-on basis, like being ridden and so forth, then they fall into a pretty regular scheme of hoof care and, in most instances even get shod.
Of course, these (Road to the Horse) horses are kind of unique because they've gone one additional year where we would've normally started at 2. The main reason we (trim them) when they're young like that is it's more of a getting them used to that kind of stuff. When they're real young they often don't need a lot of hoof care anyway. But because of the areas we house them in, when they're youngsters, they're feet tend to grow a little more rapidly and they're on wheat pasture, which is not the rocky-type environment, so during that time period they may need some more care, and we provide that. I'm going to say at least three times, maybe four. Then after that, they're turned out. Our pastures are big, they're large, and they do a lot of moving around.
The Horse: About how big are the pastures at the 6666 Ranch?
It varies, but some of these guys have been in some 10,000-acre pastures this year. And they move around, you know, people think sometimes they don't move much, but you'd be surprised, they move all over. And besides taking care of their feet, it kind of teaches them how to get around. Because one of the things that I've noted over the years is that these horses that are raised in a real controlled environment, where they haven't seen uneven terrain, they haven't been around brush and rocks … when you're riding them they tend to stumble more. They're not as sure-footed, they're not as agile on their feet. When they grow up out in that (rugged) environment, they're much more sure-footed and they're not stumbling. And they end up being safer for both horse and rider.
The Horse: Of these guys (the Road to the Horse horses), are any of them shod right now?
Blodgett: No, they're not.
The Horse: What is it like getting here with the horses? Do you ship privately or use commercial shippers? How many hours does it take to get here?
Blodgett: We have our own truck and trailer and we elected to … instead of driving straight through, which we could've done, we elected to overnight. And we've got a good friend and business associate rancher up in the northeast corner of Oklahoma … almost halfway here, he had a good, safe place to unload and a place we could get loaded out early the next morning in the dark. We left I think around 7 or 7:30 in the morning the first morning and got up to Pryor, Okla., and unloaded around 4:00 in the afternoon. Left out at about 5:00 the next morning and got in here about 4:00. They're hauled loose because these guys haven't been handled in a good while, so you naturally wouldn't want to tie them up. They made the trip good.
When we went to Tennessee (the prior venue for Road to the Horse), we hauled straight through. It was pretty hard. But these guys, it was a lot better on them, I think the cowboys and the horses both made the trip probably better. (It's good that) we're traveling in a time when it's not real hot. When we stop for fuel we monitor them.
We left on Tuesday and got here Wednesday evening, and they had all day Thursday (to acclimate). The cowboys brought three to ride.
The Horse: To describe what it's like to those who aren't here spectating, how are the horses stabled when they're at the Road to the Horse event?
Blodgett: They're kept in one big corral together. They just cut 'em out each day. Really, the clinician, the only time they have really any contact with (the horses) is when they're out there in that arena in the round pen.
The Horse: Who cares for the horses during the event?
Blodgett: It's a combination of the Road to the Horse staff and our men. They provide free-choice hay and we brought some cubed alfalfa hay, which the horses are used to eating at home, and we feed some of that during the winter. Also they're fed the Nutrena SafeChoice.
The Horse: I saw where Hagyard (Equine Medical Institute) and Rood & Riddle (Equine Veterinary Hospital), here in Lexington, are the official veterinarians for the event. Is there an emergency protocol if a horse gets injured or sick during Road to the Horse?
Blodgett: They have an on-call veterinarian so that person is called if any issue develops.
The Horse: Have you run into any health issues at this event the past two years you've participated as the remuda provider?
The (first year) we had one horse develop mild colic … not long after arrival and we took that horse out of the competition (before the trainers selected their horses). Last year, they had one that colicked in the night before the second day. They scratched that horse and then the clinician got to pick another one, but he was behind. They let him work with (the second horse) really early on Day 2 in the morning and during the afternoon, too. He got caught up. They were both mild colic episodes, and neither one required any further treatment other than the stuff that happened initially (they weren't referred to a hospital; the colics resolved at the facility).
This year (to prevent colics) we broke the trip up into two legs, and we got a little larger pen than they've had in the past … I know we're trying to get them out and exercise them a little more. We can turn them in the arena and let them run around when there are not a lot of people in there.
The Horse: What happens to the horses after the competition is over?
Blodgett: Sometimes the clinicians elect to buy them themselves … that's what happened in prior years. Then sometimes we sell some of the other unselected horses to other people at the event.
The Horse: It's a pretty involved crowd, and they're excited about the horses.
Blodgett: Yes. Now this year, we're trying something a little different. The clinicians still can opt to purchase their horse, if they want. Then (for) the other horses, they took applications for what they're calling "wild card" contestants. And those people—I think they had well over 100 applicants, and they selected only eight people—and then they drew for selections, just like the clinicians draw for the four, for pick, and then those ("wild card") people are going to take the horse for a year and bring the horse back here next year and then compete among themselves in some kind of (judged) designated pattern. And whoever wins that competition will be eligible to compete in the big one (the main Road to the Horse event). During that year that they're working with the horse, I think Nutrena is furnishing some feed, and Zoetis is furnishing some vaccine and dewormer. The horses, then, will be sold, but the wild card contestants, just like the others, they have the option of buying their horse, too.
So, hopefully when everything is all said and done, all of them are sold. Some of them may not be sold for a year, and some of them will get sold right away. More than likely this morning (Day 2 of the event) … some of those clinicians will have made their decisions about whether they're going to buy their horse or not.
The Horse: Earlier you alluded to the stress of the training event. Compared to a slower approach—weeks and months as opposed to hours or days—to backing and training a horse, does this quick training progression cause additional mental and physical stress for the horses?
Blodgett: There is, certainly, and because (these horses) are mature, and in the way these horses have been raised, they haven't been pampered … they're conditioned the way they're raised to stand a little extra pressure like (the trainers) put them under. These clinicians know that they're actually being judged and if they're moving too fast and putting too much pressure on them, it's not good … it's going to hurt their score. But, no, I don't think they're putting any undue pressure on (the horses). Everything looks good to me.
About the Author
Stephanie L. Church, Editor-in-Chief
Stephanie L. Church, Editor-in-Chief, received a B.A. in Journalism and Equestrian Studies from Averett College in Danville, Virginia. A Pony Club and 4-H graduate, her background is in eventing, and she is schooling her recently retired Thoroughbred racehorse, Happy, toward a career in that discipline. She also enjoys traveling, photography, cycling, and cooking in her free time.
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