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Division of Vector-Borne Diseases-Bacteria
1. DVBD The Ecology, Focal Maintenance, and Transmission of Plague
K. L. Gage
The etiologic agent of plague (Yersinia pestis) occurs in rodent and flea populations throughout much of the world, including the western United States. Our activity conducts field and laboratory investigations to determine how human plague risk, spread of the disease, and maintenance of plague foci are influenced by rodent hosts, flea vectors, Y. pestis strains, habitat factors and climatic variables. Additional opportunities are available to investigate flea vector competency, plague epidemiology and ecology, and molecular characterizations of Y. pestis in naturally occurring host and vector populations.
Gage KL and Kosoy MY. The natural history of Plague: Perspectives from more than a century of research. Ann Rev Entomology. 50:505-528. 2005.
Gage KL, Burkot TR, Eisen RJ, Hayes EB. Climate and vector-borne diseases. Am J Preventive Medicine 35:436-450, 2008.
Eisen RJ and Gage KL. Adaptive strategies of Yersinia pestis to persist during inter-epizootic and epizootic periods. Vet Res . Mar-Apr, 40(2):[1.Epub 2008 Sep 23], 2009.
Woods ME, Montenieri JA, Eisen RJ, Zeidner NS, Borchert JN, Laudesoit A, Babi N, Atiku LA, Enscore RE, Gage KL. Identification of flea blood meals using multiplexed real-time polymerase chain reaction targeting mitochondrial gene fragments. Am J Trop Med Hyg 80:998-1003, 2009.
Eisen, RJ, Eisen L, and Gage KL. Studies of vector competency and efficiency of North American fleas for Yersinia pestis: State of the field and future research needs. J Med Entomol 46:737-744, 2009.
Robinson JB, Telepnev MV, Zudina IV, Bouyer D, Montenieri JA, Bearden SW, Gage KL, Agar SL, Foltz SM, Chauhan S, Chopra AK, Motin VL. Evaluation of a Yersinia pestis mutant impaired in a thermoregulated Type VI Secretion System in flea, macrophage and virulence models. Microbial Pathogenesis. 47:243-251, 2009.
Ben Ari T, Gershunov A, Rouyer T, Cazelles B, Gage KL, Stenseth NC. Interannual variability of human plague occurrence in the western U.S. explained by tropical and North Pacific Ocean climate variability. Am J Trop Med Hyg. 83:624-632, 2010.
Vetter SM, Eisen RJ, Schotthoefer AM, Montenieri JA, Holmes JL, Bobrov AG, Bearden SW, Perry RD, Gage KL. Biofilm formation is not required for early-phase transmission of Yersinia pestis. Microbiology 156:2216-2225, 2010.
Brown HE, Ettestad P, Reynolds PJ, Brown T, Hatton E, Holmes J, Glass GE, Gage KL, Eisen RJ. Climatic predictors of the intra- and inter-annual distributions of plague cases in New Mexico based on 29 years of animal-based surveillance data. Am J Trop Med Hyg 82:95-102, 2010.
Jones RT, Bernhardt SA, Martin AP, Gage KL. Interactions among symbionts of Oropsylla spp. (Siphonaptera: Ceratophyllidae). J Med Entomol 49:492-496, 2012.
Eisen RJ, Borchert JN, Mpanga JT, Atiku LA, MacMillan K, Boegler KA, Montenieri JA, Monaghan A, Gage KL. Flea diversity as an element for persistence of plague bacteria in an East African plague focus. PLoS ONE 7(4):e35598.doi:10.1371/journal.poine.0035598, 2012.
Boegler KA, Graham CB, Montenieri JA, MacMillan K, Holmes JL, Petersen JM, Gage KL, Eisen RJ. Evaluation of the infectiousness to mice of soil contaminated with Yersinia pestis-infected blood. Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 12, XX, 2012 (DOI: 10.1089/vbz.2012.1031).
Jones RT, Vetter SM, Montenieir J, Holmes J, Bernhardt SA, Gage KL. Yersinia pestis infection and laboratory conditions alter flea-associated bacterial communities. ISME J, Aug 16, 2012. doi: 10.1038/ismej.2012.95.
Gage KL. Factors affecting the spread and maintenance of plague. Adv Exp Med Biol. 954:79-94, 2012.
2. DVBD Discovery of New Bartonella Species and Factors Associated with the Emergence of Vector-borne Bartonellosis in Humans and Animals.
M. Y. Kosoy
Bacteria of the genus Bartonella cause a number of different infections, most of which are thought to be zoonoses. While some species of Bartonella were recognized as human pathogens early in the twentieth century, recent evidence suggests that other species of Bartonella may also be pathogenic for humans. Our laboratory is conducting studies of Bartonella microbiology, vector biology, epidemiology, and disease ecology. Research opportunities are available to develop new approaches for detection of the bacteria in clinical and field samples; to determine whether recently recognized species of Bartonella might be the cause of otherwise unexplained human illness; to identify the distribution and regional diversity of animal reservoirs of Bartonella infections; and to determine whether diverse Bartonella can be transmitted by fleas or ticks.
Kosoy, M., Murray, M., Gilmore, R., Bai, Y., and Gage, K. 2003. Bartonella strains obtained from ground squirrels are identical to Bartonella washoensis isolated from a human patient. J. Clin. Microbiol. 41: 645-650.
Kosoy, M., Morway, C., Sheff, K., Bai, Y., Colborn, J., Chalcraft, L., Peruski, L., Dowell, S., Peruski, L., Maloney, S., Baggett, H., Sidhirat, A., Maruyama, S., Kabeya, H., Chomel, B., Kasten, R., Popov, V., Robinson, J., Kruglov, A., and Petersen, L. 2008. Bartonella tamiae sp. nov., a newly recognized pathogen isolated from three human patients from Thailand. J. Clin. Microbiol. 46: 772-775.
Kosoy, M., Bai, Y., Sheff, K., Morway, C., Baggett, H., Maloney, S., Boonmar, S., Bhengsri, S., Dowell, D., Sitdhirasdr, A., Lerdthusnee, L., Richardson, J., and Peruski, L. 2010. Identification of Bartonella infections in febrile human patients from Thailand and their potential animal reservoirs. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 82: 1140-1145.
Bhengsri, S., Baggett, H., Peruski, L., Morway, C., Bai, Y., Fisk, T., Sitdhirasdr, A., Maloney, S., Dowell, D., and Kosoy, M. 2010. Bartonella spp. infections, Thailand. Emerg. Inf. Dis. 16: 743-745.
Kosoy, M., Bai, Y., Lynch, T., Kuzmin, I., Niezgoda, M., Franka, R., Agwanda, B., Breiman, R., and Rupprecht, R. 2010. New Bartonella species in bats from Kenya. Emerg. Inf. Dis. 16: 1875-1881.
Lynch, T., Iverson, J., and Kosoy, M. 2011. Combining culture techniques for Bartonella: The best of both worlds. J. Clin. Microbiol. 49: 1363-1368.
Kosoy, M., Hayman, D., and Chan, K.-S. 2012. Bartonella bacteria in nature: Where does population variability end and a species start? Infection Genetics. Evol. 12: 894-904.
3. DVBD Molecular Mechanisms of Pathogenesis of Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease agent
R. D. Gilmore, Jr.
My laboratory focuses on the pathogenesis of the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi. We utilize molecular microbiological and immunological methodologies to study bacterial mechanisms of infection. The objective is to identify genes that are differentially expressed during host interactions, including the tick vector, and to study their role in pathogenesis. Our lab is engaged in projects identifying Borrelia genes involved in pathogen transmission and survival at the tick/host interface. Our recent successes in identifying such B. burgdorferi genes promises fertile ground for research in understanding the role of these gene products in vector-host interactions, and is the basis for improving diagnostic assays, and developing new therapeutic strategies for Lyme disease. More information about our lab can be found at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Robert-D-Bob-Gilmore-Laboratory-CDC-Fort-Collins/152161368128641?ref=sgm
Gilmore, R.D. Jr., Howison, R.R., Dietrich, G., Patton, T.G., Clifton, D.R., Carroll, J.A. The bba64 gene of Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease agent, is critical for mammalian infection via tick bite transmission. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2010 107:7515-7520.
Gilmore, R.D. Jr., Howison, R.R., Schmit, V.L., and Carroll, J.A. Borrelia burgdorferi expression of the bba64, bba65, bba66, and bba73 genes in tissues during persistent infection in mice. Microbial Pathogenesis 2008 45:355-360.
Livengood, J.A., Schmit, V.L., and Gilmore, R.D. Jr. Global transcriptome analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi during association with human neuroglial cells. Infection and Immunity 2008 76:298-307.
Gilmore, R.D. Jr., Howison, R.R., Schmit, V.L., Nowalk, A.J., Clifton, D.R., Nolder, C., Hughes, J.L., and Carroll, J.A. Temporal expression analysis of the Borrelia burgdorferi paralogous gene family 54 genes BBA64, BBA65, and BBA66 during persistent infection in mice. Infect Immun. 2007 Jun; 75 (6):2753-64.
Livengood, J.A. and Gilmore, R.D. Jr. Invasion of human neuronal and glial cells by an infectious strain of Borrelia burgdorferi. Microbes and Infection 2006 8:2832-2840.
4. DVBD Diagnosis and Molecular Epidemiology of Francisella tularensis and Yersinia pestis
J.M. Petersen
Francisella tularensis, the etiologic agent of tularemia and Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague are capable of causing severe morbidity and mortality among humans and are classified as biothreat agents. Both are zoonotic pathogens which are maintained in nature through complex cycles between arthropod vectors and animal reservoirs, with man being an incidental victim. Humans become infected by a variety of mechanisms including direct contact with infected animal tissues, bites by infected vectors, and from inhalation of bacterial aerosols. My group focuses on diagnostic test development and molecular epidemiology analyses for both pathogens in order to i) to investigate outbreaks, ii) to assess human disease risk and morbidity, iii) to understand local transmission cycles and sources of human exposure and iv) to provide the research tools necessary to answer questions pertaining to human, animal, vector and environmental disease maintenance. My laboratory has recently identified differences in virulence among F. tularensis subsp. tularensis strains and another area of research focuses on understanding the genetic basis for this virulence difference.
Reese, S. M., Dietrich, G., Dolan, M. C., Sheldon, S. W., Piesman, J., Petersen, J. M., Eisen, R. J. 2010. Transmission Dynamics of Francisella tularensis subspecies and clades by nymphal Dermacentor variabilis (Acari: Ixodidae) Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 83(3):645–652.
Petersen J. M., Molins C. R. 2010. Subpopulations of Francisella tularensis ssp. tularensis and holarctica: identification and associated epidemiology. Future Microbiol. 5(4):649-61.
Molins C. R., Delorey M. J., Yockey B. M., Young J. W., Sheldon S. W., Reese S. M., Schriefer M. E., Petersen J. M. 2010. Virulence differences among Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis clades in mice. PLoS One. 5(4):e10205.Kugeler, K. J., Mead, P. S., Janusz, A. M., Staples, J. E., Kubota, K. A., Chalcraft, L. J. and J. M. Petersen. Molecular epidemiology of Francisella tularensis in the United States. 2009. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 48(7):863-70.
Petersen, J. M., Carlson, J., Yockey, B., Pillai, S., Kuske, C., Garbalena, G., Pottumarthy, S. and L. Chalcraft. 2009. Direct isolation of Francisella spp. from environmental samples. Letters in Applied Microbiology. 48:663-7.
Wong, D., Wild, M. A., Walburger, M. A., Higgins, C. L., Callahan, M.,. Czarnecki, L. A., Lawaczek, E.W., Levy, C. E., Sunenshine, R., Adem, P., Zaki, S. R., Petersen, J. M., Schriefer, M. E., Eisen, R. J., Gage, K. L., Griffith, K. S., Weber, I. B., Spraker, T. R., and P. S. Mead. Primary pneumonic plague contracted from a mountain lion carcass. Clin Infect Dis. 2009 49(3):e33-8.
Molins-Schneekloth, C. R., Belisle, J. T. and J. M. Petersen. 2008. Genomic markers for differentiation of Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis A.I and A.II strains. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 74:336-41.
Eisen. R. J., Petersen, J. M., Higgins, C. L., Wong, D., Levy, C. E., Mead, P. S., Schriefer, M. E., Griffith, K. S., Gage, K. L., Beard, C. B. 2008. Persistence of Yersinia pestis in soil under natural conditions. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 14:941-3.
Petersen, J. M., Carlson, J. K., Dietrich, G., Eisen, R. J., Coombs, J., Janusz, A. M., Summers, J., Beard, C. B. and P. S. Mead. 2008. Identification of multiple F. tularensis subspecies and clades during a focal outbreak of tularemia, Utah 2007. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 14:1928-30.
Staples J. E., Kubota K. A., Chalcraft L. G., Mead P. S, Petersen J. M. 2006. Epidemiologic and molecular analysis of human tularemia, United States, 1964-2004. Emerg Infect Dis. 12(7):1113-8.
5. DVBD Pathogenic Rickettsial Agents and Their Arthropod Vectors and Vertebrate Hosts
G. A. Dasch
Rickettsial agents (Rickettsia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Neorickettsia, Wolbachia, Orientia) cause an exceedingly diverse spectrum of vector-transmitted diseases of humans and animals. Common vectors like ticks, fleas, lice, sandflies, and mites as well as non-haematophagous arthropods can serve as vectors and reservoirs for these bacteria. The biology, immunology, reservoir potential of mammalian and non-mammalian vertebrate hosts and their vectors, and the mechanisms of the vector transmission of many rickettsial agents are poorly understood. Depending on the research interests of each applicant, project proposal topics with any of these challenging intracellular bacteria may include (1) applications of whole genome sequences and proteomes; (2) dissection of vector-bacterial community-host interactions and vector population genetics (disease ecology); (3) application of novel proteomic and molecular diagnostic methods to rickettsial diseases; (4) cell biology, immunology and pathogenicity of rickettsial agents in vertebrate and invertebrate cells; (5) development of medical countermeasures (vaccines, new therapies) for preventing rickettsial diseases.
Mixson, T. R., S. L. Lydy, G. A. Dasch, and L. A. Real. 2006. Inferring the population structure and demographic history of the tick, Amblyomma americanum Linnaeus. J. Vector Ecology 31(1):181-192.
Chen, H. W., Z. Zhang, E. Huber, C. C. Chao, H. Wang, G. A. Dasch, and W. M. Ching. 2009. Identification of cross-reactive epitopes on the conserved 47 kDa antigen of Orientia tsutsugamushi and human serine protease. Infect Immun. 77(6):2311-2319.
Chao, C.-C., D. L. Garland, G. A. Dasch, and W.-M. Ching. 2009. Comparative proteomic analysis of antibiotic-sensitive and insensitive isolates of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1166:27-37.
Eremeeva, M. E., and G. A. Dasch. 2009. Closing the gaps between genotype and phenotype in Rickettsia rickettsii. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1166:12-26.
Bermudez, S. E., M. E. Eremeeva, S. E. Karpathy, F. Samudio, M. L. Zambrano, Y. Zaldivar, J. A. Motta, and G. A. Dasch. 2009. Detection and identification of rickettsial agents in ticks from domestic mammals in Eastern Panama. J. Med. Entomol. 46(4): 856-861.
Robinson, J. B., M. E. Eremeeva, P. E. Olson, S. A. Thornton, M. J. Medina, J. W. Sumner, and G. A. Dasch 2009. New approaches to detection and identification of Rickettsia africae and Ehrlichia ruminantium in Amblyomma variegatum Fabricius (Acari: Ixodidae) ticks from the Caribbean. J. Med. Entomol. 46(4):942-51.
Shapiro, M. R., C. L. Fritz, K. Tait, C. D. Paddock, W. L. Nicholson, K. F. Abramowicz, S. E. Karpathy, G. A. Dasch, J. W. Sumner, P. V. Adem, J. J. Scott, K. A. Padgett, S. R. Zaki, and M. E. Eremeeva. 2009. Rickettsia 364D: A newly recognized cause of eschar-associated illness in California. Clin. Inf. Dis. 50(4):541-548
Kirkness, E. F. et al. 2010. Genome sequences of the human body louse and its primary endosymbiont provide insights into the permanent parasitic lifestyle. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 107(27):12168-12173.
Beeler E., K.F. Abramowicz, M.L. Zambrano, M.M. Sturgeon, N. Khalaf, R. Hu, G.A. Dasch, and M.E. Eremeeva. 2011. A focus of dogs and Rickettsia massiliae-infected Rhipicephalus sanguineus in California. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 84(2):244-249.
Silva, N., M.E. Eremeeva, T. Rozental, G. S. Ribeiro, C.D. Paddock, E. A. G. Ramos, A. R. Favacho, M.G. Reis, G.A. Dasch, E.R. de Lemos, and A. I. Ko. 2011. Eschar-associated spotted fever rickettsiosis, Bahia, Brazil. EID 17(2):275-278.
Eremeeva, M.E., M.L. Zambrano, L. Anaya, L. Beati, S. Karpathy, M.M. Santos-Silva, B. Salceda, D. Macbeth, H. Olguin, G.A. Dasch, and C. Alpuche Aranda. Rickettsia rickettsii in Rhipicephalus ticks, Mexicali, Mexico. 2011. J. Med. Entomol. 48(2):418-421.
Eremeeva, M. E., and G. A. Dasch. 2011. The genus Rickettsia: microbiology, diversity and taxonomy. Revue Tunisienne d'Infectiologie Suppl. 5(2):7-11.
Troyo, A., D. Alvarez, L. Taylor, G. Abdalla, D. Calderón-Arguedas, M. L. Zambrano, G. A. Dasch K. Lindblade, L. Hun, M. E. Eremeeva, and A. Estévez. 2012. Rickettsia felis in Ctenocephalides felis from Guatemala and Costa Rica. Am J Trop Med Hyg.86(6):1054-1056.
Williams-Newkirk, A. J., L. A. Rowe, T. R. Mixson-Hayden, and G. A. Dasch. 2012. Presence, genetic variability, and potential significance of "Candidatus Midichloria mitochondrii" in the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum. Exp Appl Acarol. 58(3):291-300.
Eremeeva, M. E., and G. A. Dasch. 2012. Tick-borne agents: can you predict whether a new rickettsia is a human pathogen? Proc Papers Mosquito Control Assoc. California 80:42-49.
Eremeeva, M. E, S. E. Karpathy, L. Krueger, E. K. Hayes, A. M. Williams, Y. Zaldivar, S. Bennett, R. Cummings, A. Tilzer, R. K. Velten, N. Kerr, G. A. Dasch, and R. Hu. 2012. Two pathogens and one disease: detection and identification of flea-borne rickettsiae in areas endemic for murine typhus in California. J. Med. Entom. In press
6. DVBD Q Fever: Virulence of C. burnetii strains Derived from Humans, Livestock, and Marine Mammals
G. J. Kersh, R. F. Massung
Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular bacterium, a category B bioterrorism agent, and the etiologic agent of Q fever. Q fever is transmitted by inhalation and results in an acute febrile illness most commonly characterized as atypical pneumonia. Chronic infections can be life-threatening and often manifest as culture negative endocarditis. C. burnetii grows to high density in the placenta of infected mammals, and many human infections are the result of exposure to contaminated aerosols that are generated during parturition of infected livestock. Recently, we have shown that C. burnetii can grow to high density not only in the placentas of livestock species, but also in placentas of many species of marine mammals. We have also found high seroprevalence rates in marine mammals, suggesting that C. burnetii infection of marine mammals is common. The strains of C. burnetii infecting marine mammals are distinct from livestock strains based on sequencing of a limited number of genes. It is not known if these unique strains can cause disease in humans or marine mammals. However, preliminary results suggest that these strains have low virulence. Research opportunities are available to (i) Determine the Q fever seroprevalence in people living on the Pribilof Islands. These islands are home to Northern Fur Seal rookeries and exposure to marine mammal C. burnetii strains is likely; (ii) Obtain and analyse the complete genome sequence of C. burnetii strains derived from marine mammals, livestock, and human Q fever patients; (iii) Evaluate infection of mice with these C. burnetii strains; (iv) Develop a model for C. burnetii virulence based on the data from whole genome sequencing and mouse infections.
Kersh, G.J., Lambourn, D.M., Self, J.S., Akmajian, A.M., Stanton, J.B., Baszler, T.V., Raverty, S.A., and Massung, R.F. (2010). Coxiella burnetii infection of a Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus) found in Washington State. J. Clin. Microbiol. 48(9), 3428-3431.
Duncan, C., Kersh, G.J., Spraker, T., Patyk, K.A., Fitzpatrick, K.A., Massung, R.F., Gelatt, T. (2012) Coxiella burnetii in Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus) placentas from St. Paul Island, Alaska. J. Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases. 12(3):192-5.
Kersh, G.J., Lambourn, D.M., Raverty, S.A., Fitzpatrick, K.A., Self, J.S., Akmajian, A.M., Jeffries, S.J., Huggins, J., Drew, C.P., Zaki, S.R., and Massung, R.F. (2012) Coxiella burnetii infection of Marine Mammals in the Pacific Northwest, 1997-2010. J. Wildlife Diseases. 48(1):201-206.
Duncan, C., Savage. K., Williams. M., Dickerson, B., Kondas, A.V., Fitzpatrick, K.A., Guerrero, J.L., Spraker, T., Kersh. G.J.(2012) Multiple strains of Coxiella burnetii are present in the environment of St. Paul Island, Alaska. Transbound Emerg Dis.
7. DVBD Development of serologic and molecular assays for diagnosis of rickettsial diseases in resource-limited laboratories
W.L. Nicholson
Highly sensitive and specific methods of detection of rickettsial species are not readily available in many parts of the world, particularly those locations with limited resources for laboratory support (including laboratories in developing countries, state health laboratories with limited funding, and in small educational institutions). Laboratory confirmation of rickettsial diseases can improve patient care, accelerate outbreak response, and strengthen public health surveillance. The assays would also be useful for ecological and entomological studies in the local environment. Proposals are encouraged for projects designed to develop and evaluate serologic and molecular rapid diagnostic assays that would be simple, useful, and affordable. Opportunities exist for evaluation of prototype assays with domestic or international laboratory partners. Potential projects could pursue avenues such as development of thermally stable reference reagents, development and evaluation of isothermal amplification methods, or investigations of point-of-care rapid immunodiagnostic devices. Research projects should be focused on domestic or international pathogens of the genera Rickettsia, Orientia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, Coxiella, or Bartonella.
Nicholson, W. L., K. E. Allen, J. H. McQuiston, E. B. Breitschwerdt, and S. E. Little. 2010. The increasing recognition of rickettsial pathogens in dogs and people. Trends in Parasitol. 26: 205-212. [Online 6 Mar, 2010 as doi:10.1016/j.pt.2010.01.007]
Olsen, S. J., S. Thamthitiwat, S. Chantra, M. Chittaganpitch, A. M. Fry, J. M. Simmerman, H. C. Baggett, T. C. T. Peret, D. Erdman, R. Benson, D. Talkington, L. Thacker, M. L. Tondella, J. Winchell, B. Fields, W. L. Nicholson, S. Maloney, L. F. Peruski, K. Ungchusak, P. Sawanpanyalert, and S. F. Dowell. 2010. Incidence of respiratory pathogens in persons hospitalized with pneumonia in Sa Kaeo and Nakhon Phanom Provinces, Thailand. Epidem. Infect. [Accepted Feb. 2010].
Cragun, W. C., B. L. Bartlett, M. W. Ellis, A. Z. Hoover, S. K. Tyring, N. Mendoza, T. J. Vento, W. L. Nicholson, M. E. Eremeeva, J. P. Olano, R. P. Rapini, and C. D. Paddock. 2010. The expanding spectrum of eschar-associated rickettioses in the United States. Arch. Dermatol. 146: 641-648.
Anderson, A. D., D. Kruszon-Moran, A. D. Loftis, G. McQuillan, W. L. Nicholson, R. A. Priestley, A. J. Candee, N. E. Patterson, and R. F. Massung. 2009. Seroprevalence of Q Fever in the United States, 2003 – 2004. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 81: 691-694.
Nicholson, W. L., J. McQuiston, T. J. Vannieuwenhoven, and E. W. Morgan. 2003. Rapid deployment and operation of a Q fever field laboratory in Bosnia and Hercegovina. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 990: 320-326.
Parida M., S. Sannarangaiah, P.K. Dash, P.V.L. Rao, and K. Morita. 2008. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP): a new generation of innovative gene amplification technique; perspectives in clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases. Rev. Med. Virol. 18: 407-421.
8. DVBD Transmission and dynamics of Bartonella Infection in Fruit bats
M. Kosoy, Y.Bai
The overall objective of this research project is to understand transmission cycle and dynamic of Bartonella infection in bats. The specific aims of this study are: 1) to determine dynamics of Bartonella infection in individual Eidolon helvum fruit bats; 2) to determine if Bartonella can be transmitted between bats by natural ectoparasites, specifically by bat flies (Diptera: Nycteribiidae); 3) to determine the strains of Bartonella that are amplified by the bats and by flies; and 4) to elucidate the limits to spillover in a multi-host, multi-vector system using Bartonella in fruit bats and bat flies as the model. Our previous work demonstrated evidence of infection with potentially zoonotic Bartonella bacteria in fruit bats in Kenya and Ghana. An even higher prevalence of infection was identified by culture and PCR in their natural ectoparasites (Diptera: Nycteribiidae). Fruit bats E. helvum are widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and is an important food source in Africa. This species offers an important opportunity for investigating the infection dynamics of Bartonella within its natural host. Our collaborators at the Cambridge Infectious Diseases Consortium (Drs. James Wood and David Hayman) have established the study of captive E. helvum colony in Accra zoo in Ghana. This collaboration provides us with a unique opportunityto study the role of Nycteribiid flies as potential vectors of Bartonella.
9. DVBD Vector Competence of North American Ticks for Spotted Fever Group Pathogenic Rickettsiae.
M. L. Levin
The ecology and the efficiency of vector transmission of tick-borne rickettsial agents are only scantily described. Rickettsia rickettsii – the etiologic agent of Rocky Mountain spotted fever is widely spread across Americas. In the United States, ticks of the genus Dermacentor are traditionally believed to be the primary vectors of R. rickettsii. However, the brown dog tick Rhipicephalus sanguineus has recently been implicated in transmission of this pathogen both in the US and Mexico. Relations between the brown dog tick and Rickettsia are yet to be described and assessed. In addition, ticks of the genus Amblyomma are known vectors of R. rickettsii in the Central and South America, but the vector competence of North American Amblyomma species has not been studied. A number of tick-borne rickettsial closely related to R. rickettsii agents circulate in North American Amblyomma species, including R. parkeri. The efficiency of transmission of those agents in tick vectors and their potential role in limiting the spread of R. rickettsii have not been elucidated either. The RZB Medical Entomology Laboratory develops and maintains colonies of tick vectors for in vivo studies in biology and interactions between ticks and tick-borne rickettsial pathogens. Research opportunities are available in the following areas: (i) assessment of vector competence of North American Amblyomma spp. for R. rickettsii; (ii) characterization of relationship between the brown dog tick Rh. sanguineus and R. rickettsii; (iii) characterization of vector competence of North American Amblyomma spp. for R. parkeri; (iv) assessment of interaction between rickettsial pathogens in tick vectors.
Loftis, A. D., Levin, M. L. & Spurlock, J. P. (2008) Two USA Ehrlichia spp. cause febrile illness in goats. Veterinary Microbiology, 130, 398-402.
Zeidner, N. S., Massung, R. F., Dolan, M. C., Dadey, E., Gabitzsch, E., Dietrich, G., et al. (2008) A sustained-release formulation of doxycycline hyclate (Atridox) prevents simultaneous infection of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi transmitted by tick bite. Journal of Medical Microbiology, 57, 463–468.
Eremeeva, M. E., Karpathy, S. E., Levin, M. L., Caballero, C. M., Bermudez, S., Dasch, G. A., et al. (2009) Spotted fever rickettsiae, Ehrlichia and Anaplasma, in ticks from peridomestic environments in Panama. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 15, 12-14.
Levin, M. L., Killmaster, L. F., Zemtsova, G., Grant, D., Mumcuoglu, K. Y., Eremeeva, M. E., et al. (2009) Incongruent effects of two isolates of Rickettsia conorii on the survival of Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. Experimental & Applied Acarology, 48, 347-359.
Levin, M. L. (2010) Ticks. In The Merck Veterinary Manual, 10th Edition (ed. by C. M. Kahn & S. Line), pp. 845-858. Merck Publishing and Merial, Whitehouse Station, NJ.
Zemtsova, G., Killmaster, L. F., Mumcuoglu, K. Y. & Levin, M. L. (2010) Co-feeding as a route for transmission of Rickettsia conorii israelensis between Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. Experimental & Applied Acarology, 52, 383-392.
Reis, C., Cote, M., Le Rhun, D., Lecuelle, B., Levin, M. L., Vayssier-Taussat, M., et al. (2011) Vector competence of the tick Ixodes ricinus for transmission of Bartonella birtlesii PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 5, e1186.
Levin, M. L., Killmaster, L. F. & Zemtsova, G. E. (2011) Domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) as reservoir hosts for Rickettsia conorii. Vector Borne & Zoonotic Diseases, 11, in print.
Machado-Ferreira, E., Dietrich, G., Hojgaard, A., Levin, M., Piesman, J., Zeidner, N. S., et al. (2011) Coxiella symbionts in the cayenne tick Amblyomma cajennense. Microbial Ecology, 61, in print


text:
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Every fanatical supporter says exactly the same thing about the "other".sherabpa wrote:...But there is no reason to accept two Karmapas. Take this guy Dawa Sangpo, an obvious charlatan, or any fake guru claiming to be Karmapa. They are not Karmapa, and no sensible person would say they are Karmapa.
Similarly, though Thinley Thaye Dorje and Orgyen Thinley Dorje both have far more convincing grounds for saying they are Karmapa than Dawa Sangpo, one of them is not Karmapa.
Like, completely irrelevant!It is not even right to pretend they are both Karmapas as an expedient to Buddhahood. As Shantideva says at 6.116-117,
Since they are both means of winning buddhahood
We say that beings are the same as buddhas
Even though they are not equal
In the boundless ocean of buddhas' qualities.
Yet even if a tiny fraction of those qualities
Were found contained in a certain being's heart
The three worlds made in offerings to them
Would not be enough to honour them.


text:
On the Internet, nobody knows you're a shill. Regulators hope to change that.
The Federal Trade Commission announced Monday that bloggers must disclose to their readers any freebies and payments they received from companies whose products they review.
The goal: protecting consumers who may not realize that their favorite mommyblogger, say, is getting paid off by a diaper manufacturer, or that a gushing travelogue was written by an online adventurer who didn't pay his own way.
Bloggers could face fines of up to $11,000 per undisclosed payola incident.
That's a hefty fine for what's proved to be a pretty paltry business.
Julia Allison, a dating columnist turned blogger at NonSociety.com, recently revealed that her "business," such as it is, took in a mere $60,000 last year. Allison took a sponsored trip to Sea World and recently started appearing in ads for Sony. (Allison also appears on NY Nonstop, a digital TV channel owned, like this website, by NBC Universal.)
Wisely, the FTC is targeting advertisers rather than bloggers, as that's where the money is.
But bloggers as well as advertisers could be ordered to reimburse consumers who spend money based on money-skewed product reviews.
The new rules aren't perfectly clear. Rich Cleland, assistant director of the FTC's advertising practices division, told the Associated Press that disclosures must be "clear and conspicuous."
That shouldn't be hard for bloggers like Allison. After all, she makes a specialty of calling attention to herself.


text:
Discussion in 'Science Fiction & Fantasy' started by Jetfire, Jul 2, 2010.
If they off him an assload of money I think he'll take the slap.
I would like to see Tom Welling as Superman and I would love for the movie to be a continuation of Smallville. Yes, it's not the best show out there, the writing is often questionable and you can really see the limited budget, but those are problems that could easilly be solved by the jump to the big screen.
Of course the movie has to work on its own, so I would only reuse a few actors from the show, Tom Welling, Erica Durance, Michael McKean and Annette O'Toole. Everyone else has to go, Allison Mack and Cassidy Freeman could appear in minor roles (depending on what happens to Chloe and Tess in season 10, I'm not sure they're going to survive), but I don't want Lex, Lana, Kara etc. anywhere near the movie and as much as I like Oliver, there's no place for a second, more experienced superhero in a Superman movie, maybe in a second part, but not in the first.
Not necessarily. Producers aren't always strictly loyal to a single interpretation of a fictional character. Most of the major talents who created the DC Animated Universe have gone on to create or produce DC-based shows in incompatible continuities -- Bruce Timm on the DVD movies, Alan Burnett and Stan Berkowitz on The Batman, Glen Murakami on Teen Titans, James Tucker on Legion of Super Heroes and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Paul Dini on Krypto the Superdog, etc. I think the people who produce shows based on comic books are fully aware that they don't own the characters, that they're just taking something that's been around for decades and offering one variant interpretation of it.
Meanwhile... I just watched the extended cut of Superman: The Movie, wanting to reassess it (and to refresh my memory since the Donner cut of Superman II is coming up in my Netflix queue), and it made me wonder more than ever why anyone would think Brandon Routh was a worthy successor to Christopher Reeve, let alone in a film that was supposed to be a rough continuation of the same continuity. Reeve did a masterful job playing a Clark/Superman who was corny in a very Silver Age way yet completely sincere and charming about it. He had this utterly self-assured amusement, this enjoyment of the little joke he was having with his dual identity, that was nonetheless totally good-natured and innocent, not condescending or mocking in any way. It was a splendid interpretation of Superman, and of course he did a fine job differentiating Clark and Superman. Next to that, Routh was just... one-note. He didn't convey that same spirit or charm or humor at all. He didn't inhabit the role as effortlessly and comfortably as Reeve.
Of the candidates on the list (the ones I'm familiar with), Bomer's the only one that I think could come close to that same kind of charm. Maybe Barrowman could capture the wit, but he tends to come off as a bit full of himself, something Superman would never be.
And I'd have to say he's not worth any amount of money. There shouldn't be a $100 million big screen disaster version of Smallville, whether it's merely perceived or actual. But it isn't even worth speculating about since we know the Nolans are smarter than that and won't go the Welling route.
Maybe we will get a series of SMALLVILLE made for TV movies with Tom as Superman.
He's a mediocre TV actor, it's not going to happen.
Having just seen "The Count of Monte Cristo", I definitely think Henry Cavill looks the part (he even has that big superhero chin!), but I don't know how good of an actor he is. His role in the movie was quite small (he did well, though).
If Routh isn't back, then Bomer's the only one who looks anything like the comics character- he has the right chin for it.
I'll never get why anyone would think Routh looks like Superman. He looks more like Spock or Sherlock Holmes to me. His face and voice seem totally wrong for Superman to me.
Bomer definitely has the face, especially the eyes. The only strike against him is that he's a little short for the part, 5'11" or so, but if they cast a small Lois, it shouldn't be a problem.
I think Christian Howard could pull it off, he has less goofy look than Routh.
He is an unknown and I am not sure going with a TV star is good.
He is playing Ken.
Hmm yeah, I still don't see it, but rather than rehashing that again, to each his own. If only some kind of serum was made for enhanced acting skills, I would be on board for Welling. Although I guess we would have a steroids in professional sports-esque debacle going on in Hollywood, but imagine the possibilities!
A BIT?! That has to be the under-statement of the decade! If he was any more full of himself, you'd see the top of his head poking out from his mouth every time he opened it ...
Barrowman ?
Don't get me wrong, I like the guy, but Superman he ain't.
I take Barrowman as being full of himself in a cheeky kind of manner...but yeah I don't really see him as Superman. Outside of Brandon Routh my choice is still Mathew Bomer.
+1 Matthew Bomer all the way
I watched Superman Returns again last night, and I think Routh is amazing in the role, especially given what he had to work with. He honours the performance and character of Reeve, while making it his own by expanding what came before. He had so many wonderful moments as both Clark and Superman, and captured it all with grace and charisma.
I'm with T'Baio here.
Any complaints about Routh's performance may be blamed in large part on the screenwriters for Superman Returns. Routh didn't have two continuous minutes of memorable dialogue anywhere in the film, and it is not his fault.
Disagree. He was as charismatic as a turnip.
Superman: Matthew Bomer
Lois Lane: Rachel McAdams
Perry White: Martin Sheen
Jimmy Olsen: Cast an unknown
Cat Grant: Olivia Wilde
Lex Luthor: Eric Dane (outside the box)? John Malkovich (inside the box)? Terry O'Quinn? George Clooney?
I'm not saying anyone's at "fault." Routh is a perfectly adequate actor, and I'm sure there are roles he'd be well-suited for. I just cannot for the life of me look at him and see Superman, let alone a Superman that's supposed to be the same one Christopher Reeve embodied. That's not a slur against him as an actor or a person, it's simply a description of my reaction to him in the role.
Although if I were to play the blame game, I'd pin it more on the direction than the writing. Pretty much every actor in the film was directed to underplay the hell out of it, to the point that it became lifeless and sluggish. I also feel it was a fundamental mistake to attempt to tie this film to the Donner Superman, because it suffers mightily by comparison. (I've critiqued the Donner film/s in the past, but I've just recently re-viewed S:TM and have found myself seeing it in a more positive light and recognizing what an achievement it was. And certainly a large part of that was Reeve's casting, and I'm sorry, but Routh is simply not in the same ballpark.) They should've started from scratch and created something new so that they wouldn't be competing against 30 years of expectations and memories.
Separate names with a comma.


text:
Nine former African-American contestants have accused reality TV show, "American Idol" of racism and are looking to file a lawsuit.
The artists claimed that they were "forced off" the show to boost ratings among its white audience. According to TMZ, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has received a complaint from Attorney James H. Freeman asking for permission to sue both American Idol and the Fox Network.
Contestants of the complaint are:
Corey Clark (Season 2)
Jaered Andrews (Season 2)
Donnie Williams (Season 3)
Terrell Brittenum (Season 5)
Derrell Brittenum (Season 5)
Thomas Daniels (Season 6)
Akron Watson (Season 6)
Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8)
Chris Golightly (Season 9)
Freeman said suspicions arose when Jermaine Jones was kicked off the show because he failed to inform producers about outstanding warrants for his arrest. Freeman added the show has only disqualified nine contestants publicly in its history, all the contestants being African American.
The biggest attack by Freeman is that the show has never publicly disqualified a non-black contestant throughout the show's eleven seasons of production.
Head of American Idol, Nigel Lythgoe, claims the lawsuit is nonsense.
"We're not sure if it just happens to be the case that all of the disqualified contestants were black, but he should probably try to explain that one," Lythgoe told TMZ. "We treat everybody the same … no matter the race, religion or sex."


text:
The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal Media. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.
Dairy trading experts offer strategies and practical perspectives to optimize market performance.
By Carl Babler
First Capitol Ag
First Capitol Ag has accepted the invitation to author a series of columns for Dairy Today eUpdate. Our goal in these upcoming columns is to share with readers key milk marketing principles and common traits held by successful milk marketers we have worked with and observed from our position as commodity brokers in the dairy markets.
We look forward to presenting a number of topics that range from simple commodity marketing definitions all the way through comprehensive structured risk management approaches that focus on managing dairy net margins.
To start the process, we want to highlight what we have found to be a critical requirement for commodity marketing success: education.
Recently those inside the dairy industry, and those outside looking in, have observed dairy market conditions and commodity price volatility negatively impact a dairy producer's bottom line. Stories abound detailing operational losses, equity burn, and inability to service or secure debt as a result of low milk prices.
The lament of "I woulda, shoulda, coulda done something with milk price" is common as many producers endure financial hard times. A common question is raised: "Why didn't dairy producers use the milk marketing tools that were available to them to manage their milk price risk?" The answer is easy. They have not had commodity market education.
Consider the role of market education in the case of dairy producers. Producers have discussed commodity markets, watched milk price, read about marketing tools, attended one-day workshops, and received recommended marketing strategies. Well-intended lenders and agribusinesses who serve dairy businesses encourage dairy producers to use price risk management. Awestruck dairy producers want to use dairy marketing tools, but where education is lacking, confusion takes place, leading dairy producers to inactivity.
In this time of extreme financial pressure, milk price volatility and uncertainty in the dairy industry, an unprecedented appetite has surfaced for milk-price risk management strategies and solutions. The reality is that without education, the strategies and solutions available to producers will go unapplied again.
As instructors of a comprehensive commodity marketing course covering market principles, price behavior, the mechanics of cash and futures markets, along with the marketing tools and the strategies for applying the tools, we at First Capitol Ag have observed dairies around the country that have put a high priority on education and dairy price risk management.
The understanding of risk management does not happen overnight. We have observed that most dairy businesses spend three to five slowly adopting new tools before their management culture changes toward consistently acknowledging risk and applying management strategies. These dairies openly acknowledge that formal commodity market education has been essential in their successful development and launch of a beneficial milk marketing plan. These engaged dairies also resist the argument that "commodity marketing is to complex for a dairy producer to understand" and that "dairy producers do not have the time to direct the marketing for their milk."
Learning Points
We at First Capitol Ag are committed to do our best over the next months to provide, via this column, commodity marketing learning opportunities relative to dairy markets. Openly admitting that we are still learning ourselves, we look forward to learning with you during this upcoming year.
Carl Babler is Senior Hedge Specialist with First Capitol Ag in Galena, Ill. You can reach him at 800-884-8290 or email@example.com.
That's true but a lot of dairy farmers were steered wrong by their brokers and market experts


text:
Special Social Needs.
I have a friend who used to be an attorney. On Friday nights, the firm went out for drinks. She attended because her husband was available to take the kids so she could participate in this important office bonding activity. These evenings frequently lasted quite late. As she checked her watch, knowing she should get back to her kids, her colleagues laughed off the responsibility. One man kept looking at his vibrating cell phone as he rolled his eyes. His wife had brand-new twins at home.
My friend hated that because she missed the "golf outings" she wasn't in as good a promotion position as those men who spent time networking with the bosses. Although she did the Friday Drinks, she was still an outcast because her social time was minimal compared to other attorneys. She complained to me that many times she'd be in the office diligently finishing her caseload while "the boys" were out having fun, and getting ahead based on social skills. She was productive in the office; they were productive on the links. She eventually quit.
Networking is vital in the working world. But working mothers know it isn't so easy when we have responsibility at home. Similarly, social outings are important from a psychological perspective as well – a time to relax and not think about work.
Right after my son was born, my friends wanted to "take me out" and otherwise distract me from my new responsibility. My husband and my parents were game to babysit for a few times, but realistically mothers' social lives take a hit when they have kids. As my son got older, friends issued invitations that included childcare. ("Hey, my nanny will be around, so you can just bring your kids!") My husband and I were invited to parties, some of which would have a babysitter present. "No excuse!" they chirped.
But inevitably, my son would dart away. The babysitter wouldn't know how to handle him. She'd have lots of questions or wouldn't understand his needs. I didn't get the luxury of relaxing at the party because I had to be on the lookout for him suddenly appearing in the midst of the grown-ups legs, snatching food from the buffet table, or pulling down an expensive Christmas ornament off the tree. Or, if it was a book club with fellow ladies, I'd be on edge because the nanny would eventually come forward in desperation, "He's not participating" or "He won't stop crying."
Several times my husband and I went to events where we pooled money with other couples to pay for a sitter (someone trusted by a particular family, not a complete stranger.) But this didn't work out either. We may have paid, but we didn't get childcare because the sitter would give up. (And no, we didn't get our money back.)
In these cases, not only did we not get a night out to enjoy ourselves, but we'd come home even more stressed out because of the embarrassment over our son's behavior.
I know exactly what you mean! My husband and I haven't been out together in ages, because the only babysitters we have are his parents and they won't watch our son at night. They don't understand why we don't just hire a babysitter. Would you trust your autistic child with a teenager?! I don't think so! They have trouble with him on daytime outings - why do they think a typical baby sitter could handle him? So meanwhile, we sit at home. Having a special needs child is even more of a full time job than parents of normal children can ever understand. I love my son, but sometimes I need to get away.


text:
FFTW-GEL [03-Mar-2003, version 1.2.1, Stable]
FFTW-GEL is an architecture-specific version of FFTW.
LACAML [09-Aug-2001, version 7.0.7, Stable]
This OCaml-library interfaces the BLAS-library (Basic Linear Algebra Subroutines) and LAPACK-library (Linear Algebra routines), which are written in FORTRAN.
Luo [12-Dec-2002, version 2.1, Stable]
A system written in Caml and Maple to perform average-case complexity analysis of algorithms.
PsiLAB [02-Nov-2001, version 2.0, Stable]
Scientific and numerical research environment.
Zarith [17-Apr-2012, version 1.1, Stable]
The Zarith library implements arithmetic and logical operations over arbitrary-precision integers. It uses GMP to efficiently implement arithmetic over big integers. Small integers are represented as Caml unboxed integers, for speed and space economy.
Creal [07-Nov-2005, version 0.7, Beta]
An exact real arithmetic module for OCaml.
FFTW [14-May-2002, Beta]
An interface to the FFTW library.
l-bfgs [04-Jul-2011, version 0.5, Beta]
L-BFGS is a limited-memory quasi-Newton code for bound-constrained optimization. It is a binding to http://users.eecs.northwestern.edu/~nocedal/lbfgsb.html
Mathlib [20-Nov-2003, version 0.11.0, Beta]
Mathlib is a collection of hopefully-useful functions for working with floats, Complex numbers, and random numbers. It has the basic math functions added to the C99, trigonometric functions for complex numbers, the Mersenne Twister random number generator, and modules for generating random numbers in a variety of distributions.
Mathplot [01-Oct-2001, version 0.8.4, Beta]
A GUI frontend for interactive graphing of functions. It also has a program to generate PostScript output.
MLGMP [23-Nov-2002, version 0.13, Beta]
An extended precision computation library (integers, rationals, floats) in OCaml.
Numerix [03-Jul-2006, version 0.22, Beta]
Numerix is a library implementing arbitrary long signed integers and the usual arithmetic operations between these numbers.
ocaml-fastrandom [29-Aug-2011, version 0.0.2, Beta]
A random number generator compatible with standard library Random module (pre OCaml 3.12). It contains C code to speed up generation and a function to skip a lot of numbers at once. Benchmarks show a 3 fold increase in speed for generating random numbers.
ocaml-glpk [26-Sep-2005, version 0.1.3, Beta]
Bindings to GLPK (GNU Linear Programming Kit) which is a package intended for solving large-scale linear programming (LP), mixed integer programming (MIP), and other related problems.
ocamlgsl [16-Feb-2004, version 0.4.0, Beta]
A wrapper for GSL, the GNU Scientific Library.
Overflow [08-Nov-2002, Beta]
A module redefining common operations and raising an exception in case of overflow.
Contfrac [31-Mar-2004, version alpha-1, Alpha]
An OCaml module for performing exact arithmetic on real numbers by representing them as continued fractions. It implements the well-known algorithm described by R.W. Gosper (see reference below). The continued fractions are lazy evaluated (eventually infinite) lists. Basic arithmetic operations as well as many transcendent functions are available.
No status
CamlFloat [22-Jan-2004, version 0.1]
An interface to the Lapack and Blas Fortran libraries which aims to improve the clarity and efficiency of numerical algorithms implemented in OCaml.
OCamlmex [02-May-2002]
An OCaml/Matlab interface.


text:
A Charlie Brown Christmas (Fantasy, 1965)
Not only did we forget the [lastfm link_type="artist_info"]Carpenters[/lastfm]' "Merry Christmas Darling" back when we listed our Top 10 Christmas Songs, we forgot the Peanuts Gang singing "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." What's up with that?
Fifty-plus years after it was released, I'm still trying to figure out which one is Harold Angel.


text:
This article applies to Microsoft Dynamics AX for all regions.
This regulatory feature update provides changes to the 1099 reporting layout for the tax year 2012 in Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 and Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2.
Note The changes that are related to data entry for 1099 reporting of tax year 2012 are released in update 2646740.
See An update that provides updates to 1099 forms for the 2012 tax year for more information.
Note The changes that are related to data entry for 1099 reporting of tax year 2012 are released in update 2646740.
See An update that provides updates to 1099 forms for the 2012 tax year for more information.
More Information
Hotfix informationA supported hotfix is available from Microsoft. There is a "Hotfix download available" section at the top of this Knowledge Base article. If you are encountering an issue downloading, installing this hotfix, or have other technical support questions, contact your partner or, if enrolled in a support plan directly with Microsoft, you can contact technical support for Microsoft Dynamics and create a new support request. To do this, go to the following Microsoft website:
https://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/support/information/SupportInformation/global_support_contacts_eng.htmIn special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Technical Support Professional for Microsoft Dynamics and related products determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to any additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.
Installation informationSee How to install a Microsoft Dynamics AX hotfix for information about how to install this hotfix.
PrerequisitesYou must have one of the following installed to apply this hotfix:
- Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2
- Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012
- Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Service Pack 1
Restart requirementYou must restart the Application Object Server (AOS) service after you apply this hotfix.
Validation of the application hotfix installationTo validate the installation of the application hotfix, open the SysHotfixManifest class in the Application Object Tree (AOT). Then, verify that there is a method name that contains the Knowledge Base (KB) article number of the installed hotfix. Additionally, you can cross-check the affected objects by viewing the KBxxxxxx.txt file against the objects in the AOT. Therefore, you can make sure that the objects are changed correctly in the SYP layer or in the GLP layer.
Note KBxxxxxx.txt is a placeholder for the KB article number of the installed hotfix.
Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed in the "Applies to" section.
Note This is a "FAST PUBLISH" article created directly from within the Microsoft support organization. The information contained herein is provided as-is in response to emerging issues. As a result of the speed in making it available, the materials may include typographical errors and may be revised at any time without notice. See Terms of Use for other considerations.
Article ID: 2785557 - Last Review: ಫೆಬ್ರ 17, 2017 - Revision: 2
Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2009 Service Pack 1


text: I had a lesson this morning. When I arrived, my pro left the court and went out to his car. When he returned, he was carrying The Contraption. It was a yellow, metal thing sitting on a fixed triangular base. It reached upward, and it had a tennis ball mounted and suspended about three feet over the ground. The tennis ball was on a rubberized appendage so that if you hit the tennis ball the arm would bend forward and then return to its upright position. The tennis ball rotated freely. Anyway, pro explained that the contraption was going to help me improve my topspin. He demonstrated his FH, putting the tennis ball in his contact point and hitting/brushing up on it. The idea was to get a lot of brushing and little forward movement. If you drove through the ball, it would whip violently forward on its rubberized appendage, and that is bad. He was trying to get more of a windshield wiper motion out of me. He had me hit multiple reps, with him watching closely and making little adjustments until everything was perfect. Then I hit real balls. Dang. I have been struggling with controlling topspin and producing a ton of it when I need it most -- short angles. I just couldn't get the hang of whatever needs to be done to get sick topspin and really shape the ball trajectory at will, especially when close to the net. After a few minutes with The Contraption, I was doing it. From the baseline off of live balls, I could rip short angles that I didn't think possible. We then repeated the whole drill on the BH side. This was a little less successful, but there was measurable improvement. Has anyone ever used The Contraption as a student or as a teacher? 'Cause I don't know what he paid for it, but that thing is worth the money!


text:
This study is provided by ICPSR. ICPSR provides leadership and training in data access, curation, and methods of analysis for a diverse and expanding social science research community.
Occupational Measures from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles for 1980 Census Detailed Occupations (ICPSR 8942)
Principal Investigator(s): England, Paula, University of Texas; Kilbourne, Barbara, University of Texas
This collection provides average scores on selected variables from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles for 1980 Census occupational categories. The dataset was prepared using a sample of individuals from the 1970 Census whose occupations had been coded with both 1970 and 1980 Census detailed occupational codes. This file, known as the Treiman file, was merged with selected variables from the FOURTH EDITION DICTIONARY OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES, using 1970 occupational categories as the merge variable. A score on each Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT) variable was then computed for each 1980 occupational category. Included among the DOT variables were such characteristics as (1) level of complexity at which the worker functions in terms of data, people, and things, (2) training required to do the job, (3) verbal, numerical, spatial, and other aptitudes needed to perform the job, (4) percent of workers in the job with a preference for a specific type of job activity such as abstract and creative activity or activity requiring business contact with people, (5) temperamental attributes such as adaptability to performing under stress and adaptability to performing repetitive work, (6) physical demands of the job, and (7) environmental conditions under which the work is performed. Measures of mean hourly and annual earnings for both men and women in each occupation and number of men and women in each occupation also are included.
Access Notes
Data in this collection are available only to users at ICPSR member institutions. Please log in so we can determine if you are with a member institution and have access to these data files.
ASCII + SAS Setup SPSS Setup Stata Setup
Study Description
England, Paula, and Barbara Kilbourne. Occupational Measures from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles for 1980 Census Detailed Occupations. ICPSR08942-v2. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2013-06-20. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR08942.v2
Persistent URL: https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR08942.v2
Export Citation:
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Scope of Study
Subject Terms: census data, job skills, job training, labor force, occupations, work environment, workers
Geographic Coverage: United States
- 1980
Unit of Observation: occupational titles
Universe: All 1980 detailed Census occupational categories.
A related dataset is available from ICPSR: DICTIONARY OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES (DOT), PARTS I AND II (ICPSR 7845). Part I is CURRENT POPULATION SURVEY 1971, AUGMENTED WITH DOT CHARACTERISTICS. Part II is FOURTH EDITION DICTIONARY OF DOT SCORES FOR 1970 CENSUS CATEGORIES.
(1) A sample from the 1970 United States Census, (2) FOURTH EDITION DICTIONARY OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES. United States Department of Labor, 1977. (3) FOURTH EDITION DICTIONARY OF OCCUPATIONAL TITLES SCORES FOR 1970 CATEGORIES. Committee on Occupational Classification and Analysis, National Academy of Sciences, January 1981.
Extent of Processing: ICPSR data undergo a confidentiality review and are altered when necessary to limit the risk of disclosure. ICPSR also routinely creates ready-to-go data files along with setups in the major statistical software formats as well as standard codebooks to accompany the data. In addition to these procedures, ICPSR performed the following processing steps for this data collection:
- Created variable labels and/or value labels.
- Checked for undocumented or out-of-range codes.
Original ICPSR Release: 1989-01-10
- 2013-06-20 SPSS, SAS, and Stata setup files, as well as SPSS and Stata system files, a SAS transport (CPORT) file, and a tab-delimited data file have been added to the collection. The codebook was updated.
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- List all ~21 citations associated with this study
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Peterbilt Motors marks milestone in Denton
Salty Rose was hired at Peterbilt Motors Co. in Denton as a welder on the production floor in 1987.
After work, he would leave his Peterbilt name badge on his shirt when he went out to dinner near his home in Gainesville so everyone could see where he worked.
"I would wear it with pride," he said.
Rose, now a production manager at the local Peterbilt manufacturing plant, said workers take just as much pride today in building Peterbilt trucks, and that's why he and so many others have stayed with the company so long.
This week, Peterbilt will celebrate its 75th anniversary on Thursday and kick off a yearlong series of events. Thursday has been proclaimed "Peterbilt Motors Company's 75th Anniversary Day," and Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs read a proclamation at a recent City Council meeting lauding the company's numerous charitable efforts and its strong employment record.
It's the largest private employer in Denton, with more than 2,200 employees between the manufacturing plant and world headquarters, said Darrin Siver, Peterbilt's general manager.
"Seventy-five years is a milestone achievement," Siver said in an e-mailed response to questions from the Denton Record-Chronicle. "There is a great deal of pride throughout our company. We celebrate not just 75 years in business, but 75 years as an industry leader."
The company has transferred all manufacturing and the company headquarters to Denton over the years, and has continued a tradition of giving back to the community, officials said. Most recently, the company made a donation of nearly $400,000 to the United Way of Denton County, the company's largest in five years. The company has helped coordinate drives to create holiday stockings for soldiers and has worked extensively with Carter BloodCare and the University of North Texas.
"We are fortunate to have a workforce that has a lot of civic pride and gives back to the community through various charitable acts," Siver said in the e-mail. "As a company and as individuals, there is a strong focus on community service and charity.
Advancing over the years
When the Denton plant opened in 1980, it had just 92 employees in the 450,000-square-foot plant that still houses the manufacturing operation.
Today, much has changed inside with the processes and production. Although the iconic trucks are still largely built by hand, robots were added to the assembly process in 1997.
"The product has changed a lot," said Doug VanZuiden, human resources manager. "The technology is light years ahead from where it was even 12 years ago simply because of the electrical systems, the computer systems. The things that are in the truck are way different than they were 12 years ago, but the people are the same."
The facility now completes an average of 121 trucks per day.
While the plant has been up and running, the company has re-engineered the product three times in addition to making numerous production changes, said Landon Sproull, chief engineer.
"The truck itself, if you look back to 25 years ago when I first started my career, the investment was small, our production rates were small and our company profits were small," he said. "Over these 25 years, we've essentially been able to grow our business to three times the size of where it was."
The company, owned by PACCAR Inc. of Bellevue, Wash., made modest gains in Denton during the 1980s, when manufacturing was split between Denton and Madison, Tenn. In 1990, the company invested an additional $1 million to expand a training facility in Denton, adding 9,800 square feet, according to Record-Chronicle archives.
Problems arose in 1992 with the Madison plant when the workers union went on strike, which resulted in the transfer of about 275 jobs to the Denton plant.
In 1993, the company moved the division headquarters and all engineering activities to Denton from Newark, Calif. The move brought 225 jobs to the area and added $6 million in payroll annually. By 1995, the company had 1,500 local employees, according to the archives.
Employment levels have fluctuated over the years with the market and demand, but even during lean years, Peterbilt maintained its integrity with its employees, VanZuiden said.
When he was hired 12 years ago, he was warned that the market could change in the next six months, but the company's reputation drew him in and he remains today.
"One thing I really appreciated from Peterbilt was they were very upfront about it," he said.
Looking ahead
The first robots were used in the assembly process in 1997 to apply glue to portions of the cab, Sproull said.
Now, robots completely assemble the cab of the latest truck model and paint it, Rose said.
"The main assembly chain and everything hasn't changed, but just about everything else around it has, from the product to the way we deliver the materials to the line, to doing things that make the plant safer and quieter," VanZuiden said.
Even with growth and production changes, the culture and mindset of the company and employees have stayed the same, Rose said.
"I think we've been able to grow but been able to maintain the tight family that we have," he said, noting he has seen his co-workers' families grow up and start families of their own.
"The general culture has stayed very much the same," Sproull said. "We are focused on productivity improvement and providing the best quality product for our customers."
Quality remains at the forefront, VanZuiden said.
"One thing PACCAR is big on, we're always investing back into our business to make it better and better," he said. "Better safety, better quality and a better investment in the products."
JENNA DUNCAN can be reached at 940-566-6889.


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Destiny writes Cards' ninth-inning script
St. Louis stages dramatic ending to clinch World Series berth
By Mark Newman / MLB.com
"That was one of the best baseball games I've ever seen," Hanser said amid the cacophony of a cramped visitors' clubhouse at Shea Stadium. "It has to rank up there. Talk about being nervous in the ninth inning. If you had stuck me up in a tree, I wouldn't have been able to stay in it -- I would have fallen out.
"First you had Yadier [Molina]. Then the sheer excitement of [Adam] Wainwright, who couldn't get his curve over, and then [pitching coach Dave Duncan] helping to restore his composure and the curve starting to work. Then the absolute Cardinal killer coming up in a bases-loaded situation with two out in the bottom of the ninth of a Game 7 to decide the pennant. You couldn't have written a better script."
The St. Louis Cardinals are going to the World Series to represent the National League against the Detroit Tigers by virtue of a 3-1 victory over the Mets. Before the rematch of that fabled 1968 Fall Classic begins Saturday night at Comerica Park, it is time to truly appreciate what just happened Thursday under a drizzly October sky in the Big Apple.
Could you have written a better script?
Maybe Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round The World" that won the pennant for the Giants at the Polo Grounds in 1951 was a better script, only because it was a last at-bat homer against the rival Dodgers in a time when "walk-off" was not a word and a special best-of-three playoff was required to decide who played the Yankees. Maybe Sid Bream sliding under the tag on Francisco Cabrera's pinch-hit in the bottom of the ninth at Atlanta in 1992 was a better script, a Game 7 against Pittsburgh decided on a scoring play.
There was Aaron Boone's walk-off blast for the Yankees in the 11th inning of Game 7 in the 2003 American League Championship Series -- a crushing blow to rival Red Sox fans who then savored revenge one year later with the perfect comeback. And who can forget Game 6 of the 1986 NLCS, when the Mets scored three in the top of the 15th at Houston and then held on for dear life as the Astros scored two but lost, 7-6?
Years from now, the finish of the 2006 NLCS will be spoken about with a similar sparkle in the eye, especially if you are a Cardinals fan. This one even topped the 2004 pennant that was won when the Redbirds beat Roger Clemens and Houston in Game 7 at Busch. That is because of all of the elements of battle that led up to the last game and the last inning of a series that had endured rainouts in both cities and so much give-and-take and illogical events (i.e. John Maine beating Chris Carpenter in Game 6). Maybe it wasn't the best series in history, but it certainly can be remembered as one of the most dramatic pennant-winning finishes, having wrapped up with a save situation second to none.
Top of the ninth
Jose Molina was watching the game at home in Puerto Rico. Bengie Molina was watching it with his family in Arizona. They had each won a World Series in 2002 as catchers for the Angels. Now, their kid brother Yadier, 24, was batting against Mets reliever Aaron Heilman with one out of a long-tied 1-1 game.
"When I was a kid playing with my brothers, this is what I wanted," Yadier said. "They got their rings and now I have another chance, too."
He helped make that possible on the first pitch he saw. Scott Rolen had just singled, a breakthrough of sorts, considering the way Endy Chavez had robbed him of a homer on one of the best defensive plays in NLCS history. Now Molina, a guy who had struggled at the plate this season, was batting right behind Rolen because manager Tony La Russa had the foresight to bump him up one spot in the order for this game.
Heilman, a right-hander who stayed in the game after the eighth because of so many Cardinals righties, threw an 85-mph changeup middle-in. Molina turned on it and pulled it deep to left. Would Chavez somehow catch this one, too?
"I didn't think it was a home run, to tell you the truth," Rolen said of his view leading off first. "I knew it was deep. You gauge whether you see [Chavez's] back or not, and he was kind of gliding to the ball a little bit. So I thought he was going to catch it. I thought it was deep enough for me to tag up and go to second base, and hopefully the next batter can knock me in."
It was deep enough. Mike Shannon was saying the customary, "Get up, baby, get up!" to a listening Redbird Nation, and it got up enough.
"I was so happy. I was praying, thanking God for giving me the opportunity to hit that ball," Molina said. "It's a great feeling to hit a home run to go to the World Series. I had a bad season this year, but I know I can hit. I just proved it."
Ronnie Belliard and John Rodriguez grounded out to end the inning. It was 3-1 Cardinals, and it would be up to Wainwright once again to prove himself.
Bottom of the ninth
Jose Valentin and Chavez led off with singles, and Shea Stadium was just crazy. Given the complexion of this series, a Mets comeback victory here was half-expected.
"Suddenly everyone's on pins and needles," Wainwright said. "I just wanted to make it as fun as possible. Seriously, I should never have gotten us into that situation."
The situation would get worse for the Cardinals.
Cliff Floyd strode to the plate, and here was another possible Kirk Gibson moment, with a gimpy pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of a big game. Once again, that moment came and went. Wainwright stayed ahead in the count and got Floyd looking on the sixth pitch for strike three.
Jose Reyes was next, the man whose leadoff homer in Game 6 had been the key blow. He was 0-for-4 in this one, so he was due. But Wainwright got him on a line drive to Jim Edmonds in center. The Cardinals were one out away from the World Series.
"We were both warming up in the bullpen," Cards reliever Josh Kinney said of himself and Tyler Johnson. "Usually in the ninth, when the phone rings and they tell you to 'get hot,' you know you might be in the game, so you're just trying to focus. But you knew that it was an unbelievable situation."
Wainwright then walked Paul Lo Duca, loading the bases. Now it was none other than Beltran, who had hit an unfathomable seven homers against the Cardinals over two NLCS, the first one in 2004 with Houston.
"If he throws him a fastball there, I'd kill him," Hanser said of Wainwright.
He first threw a changeup for a called strike, then a curve middle-in which was fouled off for an 0-2 count. Then came another curve on the outside corner. The Cardinals win the pennant.
"The guy threw an unhittable pitch," Mets general manager Omar Minaya said.
"For Wainwright to get his composure to stop that momentum, that was huge by him," Kinney said. "We were loose, and the skipper knew it. But I'm glad we weren't needed. It doesn't get any better than that. Beltran is so clutch against us. It's about time we got him. That's not taking anything away from him, because he's a great hitter."
The Barefoot Bubbly continued to flow. In the trainer's room, Cardinals gathered and mocked the "Jo-se! Jose-Jose!" chant that Mets fans had yelled throughout the series for speedy sparkplug Reyes. They unleashed a sea of emotion. It was a ninth inning that would do that to you, one survivor now ready for the Tigers.
"That ninth inning ... what a classic ninth for a classic game," La Russa said.
You probably couldn't have written a better script, as a Cardinals fan. The season will go on to Detroit, and many years from now people will talk about the time Molina homered and Wainwright got Beltran looking. It really was a classic finish.
Mark Newman is enterprise editor for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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© 2010 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. All rights reserved.
Three Giants homers back Sanchez's gem
Lefty matches career high with 11 K's in eight innings
By Chris Haft / MLB.com
SAN FRANCISCO -- This is what winning teams do. They stop losing streaks before they start, often in definitive fashion. Just a little more than a half-day after enduring a galling one-run loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Giants regained their wizardry with a 6-0 triumph Wednesday that may have been their most dominant performance of the young season. "It was a good win to come back [with] after yesterday," Giants center fielder Aaron Rowand said. Aubrey Huff delivered a rarity with his first career inside-the-park home run. Eli Whiteside added a three-run homer and Rowand contributed a two-run clout. That neatly complemented the three-hitter Jonathan Sanchez maintained for eight innings, a performance that mirrored his no-hitter last July 10 against San Diego. Sanchez struck out 11, matching the career high he established in his no-hitter. "It's hard to put together a better game than we did today, with the pitching and the offense," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. It also would be difficult to maintain a better start than the Giants (7-2) have recorded. They've won their first three series of the season for the first time since 2003, when they built a 17-4 mark by capturing their first seven series. Success in baseball usually starts with the man on the mound, which explains the Giants' burgeoning confidence. They believe that they can subdue any opponent with any of their five starters. That conviction grew as Sanchez stopped the Pirates, who moved one runner as far as third base against him. Sanchez's lapses can be easily summarized and quickly dismissed. He walked Andrew McCutchen and surrendered Lastings Milledge's single with one out in the first inning, but escaped trouble by retiring Garrett Jones on a line drive to center and striking out Ryan Doumit on a breaking pitch. The Pirates collected their remaining pair of hits while loading the bases with two outs in the sixth inning. Sanchez responded by retiring Doumit on a fly to center. In Sanchez's other six innings, he faced no more than the minimum three batters. He notched at least one strikeout in each inning -- highlighted by the fourth, when he struck out the side. "When he has stuff like that, you know you have a really good chance to win the ballgame," Rowand said of Sanchez (1-0), who became the first Giants pitcher this season to last eight innings. Whiteside favorably compared Sanchez's effort against the Pirates to his no-hitter. "It was very similar," Whiteside said. "His body language was similar. He was confident in what he had going." Said Jones, "His slider was sharp. He kept the ball down for the most part, threw strikes and got ahead in the count. That's exactly what you want as a pitcher. He was tough." Sanchez attributed his effectiveness to remaining mechanically precise with his delivery. "I slowed down my body," he said. "I wasn't going fast at all. I was able to stay on top of the ball." Consistency still eludes Sanchez, who worked only 4 1/3 innings in his previous start. But his progress is evident, as exemplified by the development of a split-finger fastball he has added to his repertoire. "Since the spring, his split's been a lot better," Whiteside said. "He's getting more confidence in it and he's been able to throw it to left-handers as well." San Francisco's season-high three homers, all off Pirates starter Charlie Morton (0-2), enabled the offense to match Sanchez's excellence. Huff's oddity, the fourth inside-the-park round-tripper in AT&T Park's regular-season history, opened the scoring in the second inning. His drive struck the inner portion of the middle archway among the three in the right-center-field wall and caromed away from Jones, Pittsburgh's right fielder. "When I hit it, I thought it was gone anyway," Huff said. "In most parks it is. I saw it bounce off the wall and as soon as I rounded first I saw it took an amazing hop and I thought, 'Oh boy, here we go.' "
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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TALLAHASSEE, Fla., May 1 (UPI) -- A state senator who formed a task force reviewing Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law said it should be rewritten to make claims of self-defense more difficult.
Sen. Chris Smith, a Democrat, said the controversial law should be amended to give law enforcement officers more leeway to investigate shootings of unarmed victims and make it more difficult for defendants to claim the self-defense protection the current law allows, The Miami Herald reported Tuesday.
Smith's independent task force is separate from the Gov. Rick Scott-appointed panel that meets Tuesday.
"We wanted to make sure that we put together an accurate report, to give the governor direction, to give the Legislature direction and to give the governor's task force direction," Smith said. "Every day this law is being used and misused in courtrooms throughout the state of Florida."
Florida's Stand Your Ground law came under fire after a neighborhood watch volunteer, whose parents are white and Hispanic, shot and killed an unarmed black teenager in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. The volunteer said he acted in self-defense under the state law.
Smith's task force recommended that those asserting self-defense should make their claim before a grand jury, which can decide whether to indict or dismiss charges. The panel also recommended that the statute's language be made clearer and a system be set up to track cases in which Stand Your Ground is used as a defense.
The panel did not recommend the law be repealed.
When Scott's task force on public safety meets Tuesday, it will establish its mission and schedule. That panel is tasked with making recommendations to Scott and the Legislature about Stand Your Ground and other safety issues.
Smith said his task force reviewed about 100 cases where a defense based on Stand Your Ground was successfully used, the Herald reported. In some cases, task force members said they found the law was used by guilty people as a way to escape punishment.
"This is being used in many, many cases," Scott said. "This is being used with a prostitute killing her john, this is being used in gang fights, this is being used everywhere."


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March 22, 2013
Here is the latest edition of Week In Review - a series of weekly messages from the Mayor and City Council to help Richardson residents and businesses keep up to date on events at City Hall.
Elton and Me Contest
The City of Richardson has announced a contest to find a singer to perform the 1976 hit song "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" alongside the Elton John tribute act, Rocket Man, at Wildflower! Richardson's Arts & Music Festival, set for May 17 to 19 at Galatyn Park. People who wish to enter the "Elton and Kiki Dee? Why Not Elton and Me?" contest are asked to submit a video or link of their rendition of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" to firstname.lastname@example.com or mail it to Wildflower! Elton and Me, 2100 E. Campbell Rd., Ste. 100, Richardson, Texas 75081.
All applicants must be older than 16 years of age and submit an application along with the recorded performance. Entries must be received by April 12. Contestants must sing a solo or duet of any portion of "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" in a clip that is 1.5 minutes in length.
Live auditions for selected finalists will take place at Huffhines Recreation Center April 21. For more information about the contest, call 972-744-4587 or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
The 2013 festival's three-day pass goes on sale for $30 Monday, April 15, at any Metroplex Tom Thumb store or online through www.wildflowerfestival.com. Single-day adult tickets will be available at the gate for $20 as well as through the festival's website beginning April 15. Kids age 5-12 will be admitted for $3, and admission for kids 4 and under is free.
To learn more about the festival, visit www.wildflowerfestival.com, call 972-744-4580 or follow Wildflower! on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wildflowerfestival.
Council Discusses Plan for Trash Bash
The City Council held a joint meeting with the Environmental Advisory Commission on Monday to discuss goals and projects, including the annual Trash Bash. This year's event will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, April 6, and will feature Richardson residents and groups participating in a citywide effort to pick up trash and recyclable items. The event averages 600 people picking up 5,000 pounds of trash and 2,000 pounds of recyclable material on more than 200 acres in Richardson.
Participants are invited to an after-party at the City Hall/Civic Center that runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event will feature an environmental education fair, refreshments and free plants. Free recycling bags and compost courtesy of the Richardson Environmental Action League will also be available.
The Trash Bash will also include electronics and plastic grocery bag recycling and document shredding sponsored by the Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association. The services listed below will be available starting at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the City Hall/Civic Center.
A pre-event meeting will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 4, at the Civic Center for participants to receive trash bags, release forms and assignments. Register for the Trash Bash by calling 972-744-4076 or visiting www.cor.net/trashbash.
Watch the City Council's joint meeting with the EAC at http://bit.ly/Zs5Glq.
Council Reviews Volunteer Assistance Program
The City Council heard an update at its Monday work session on the Volunteer Assistance Program, which has helped more than 725 residents make improvements to their homes since 2000 that would have otherwise been impossible. The program connects homeowners who cannot properly maintain their homes due to age, finance or disability with volunteers who wish to provide assistance.
Volunteers completed 86 projects around the city in 2012 with donated materials at no cost to the resident or city. Projects generally involve painting or cleaning up the exterior of homes to correct code violations.
The council has designated April as the Month of Volunteerism, and the City is organizing or participating in several projects during the month. April projects include the Trash Bash beautification effort, ShareFest at Chase Oaks Church and volunteer assistance from several local churches, clubs and organizations.
See the work session presentation at http://bit.ly/WEx8N9.
Red Cross Month Proclamation
Mayor Bob Townsend presented a proclamation to local volunteers from the American Red Cross on Monday to officially declare March as American Red Cross Month. The organization is actively involved with the City of Richardson's Office of Emergency Management, providing assistance to victims and support services to the city during natural disasters, major structure fires and other emergency events.
The American Red Cross has 26 chapters in Texas and has trained thousands of people in first aid, CPR, water safety and other lifesaving techniques. Volunteers devote countless hours each year to support and comfort military members and their families, provide services to those in need, and promote health and safety.
Portion of Eastbound PGBT Closed Sunday Morning
The eastbound lanes of the President George Bush Turnpike will be closed from Plano Road to just past Jupiter Road from 6 to 10 a.m. Sunday for a crash investigation. All traffic will be directed to the Jupiter Road exit during the closure.
For more information about upcoming lane closures and traffic-related news along NTTA roadways, go to the "Scheduled Lane Closures" listing at www.ntta.org or call 214-224-3030.
Richardson Project Highlighted in D CEO Magazine
D CEO magazine has selected the $1.5 billion State Farm development near the intersection of the Bush Turnpike and US-75 as the winner in its Best Office Project category in its April edition. The insurance company is planning 1.5 million square feet of office space in the 186-acre mixed-use KDC development.
Other Richardson-related finalists in the issue include Alamo Drafthouse Cinema for Best Retail Project, Methodist Richardson Medical Center's expansion for Best Medical Project and Steve Van Amburgh/KDC for Developer of the Year.
Go to: D CEO Magazine website to view complete story.
"The Book Thief" Selected for Richardson Reads One Book
The Richardson Public Library announced Wednesday that The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is the selection for the Richardson Reads One Book program, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The book will be promoted throughout 2013 as a vehicle for bringing the community together through reading, related programs, consideration of the book's important issues and group discussion.
In The Book Thief, the heroine, Liesel Meminger, is an illiterate orphan who was given to a foster family after her Communist father was arrested. Her little brother dies en route to their new home. After her brother's hasty burial, Liesel steals her first book, The Grave Digger's Handbook. From this inauspicious start to her personal library, she is taught to read her book by her foster father. The germ of the idea for The Book Thief grew out of Zusak's parents' stories of their experiences during World War II.
Richardson Reads One Book selections are chosen by a board of librarians and community leaders. The highlight of each year's program is the author's visit to offer a free public lecture. Zusak's public presentation will be held Sept. 10 at First United Methodist Church of Richardson.
Visit http://onebook.cor.net/ for information about the program and other One Book events.
Spring Fling Pet Pawrade Takes Place Sunday
The third annual Pet Pawrade will be held Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at Huffhines Park. The costume Pawrade will begin at 2 p.m. and attendees are encouraged to bring their pets dressed in their best spring attire as they march around the park. The free event will also include various competitions, prizes, refreshments and sponsor booths. Nail trimming will be available for $5, and microchipping will be available for $15.
For more information, visit www.richardsonanimaluv.org.
Flashlight "Egg"streme Easter Egg Hunt
The Flashlight "Egg"streme annual night Easter egg hunt will take place from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Breckinridge Park, Entrance C. Children age 7 to 11 will work on an Easter craft as parents hide the eggs. After the eggs are hidden, they will use a flashlight to search for them. Prizes will be awarded for finding a "golden" egg, so parents are asked to let children hunt independently. The evening will conclude with s'mores.
Register for the Flashlight "Egg"streme by visiting www.cor.net/parksonline and using course #71561. Space is limited. Cost is $10 for children, no fee for adults.
Police Department Offers Crime Watch Patrol Class
The Richardson Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit has scheduled a Crime Watch Patrol class for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 10, at a location to be determined. Individuals interested in attending the class are required to complete and submit an application and pass a background check before they receive approval to attend. Applications can be submitted online at http://www.cor.net/index.aspx?recordid=155&page=68.
For more information, contact the Richardson Police Department Crime Prevention Unit at 972-744-4955.
Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting
The Richardson Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26, at the Renaissance Hotel, 900 E. Lookout Dr. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz will give the keynote address, and the 2012 Richardson Citizen of the Year will be announced.
Cost to attend the meeting is $65 for Chamber members and $80 for nonmembers. For more information, visit www.richardsonchamber.com.
Entries Due Saturday for Civic Art Society Show
The Richardson Civic Art Society is accepting entries for its annual 50+ show between 10 a.m. and noon at the Richardson Public Library. The show is open to artists who are 50 years and older and will be judged by local artist Dave Kramer. The fee to enter is $25 for one piece and $35 for two pieces. An awards ceremony will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 16, at the Library. For more information, visit http://www.richardson-arts.org/shows.html.
Manners Matter Event at Library
Children in kindergarten through fourth grade are invited to Manners Matter, a morning of silly games, cute crafts and learning about good manners from animals. The free event takes place from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the Basement Program Room. For more information, call 972-744-4358.
Lunchtime Lectures Highlight Library's Digital Resources
The Richardson Public Library will present two free classes on using digital resources to find information at upcoming Lunchtime Lectures. The first program is Wednesday, March 27, and will focus on "Information for Consumers" presented by Lisa Jones with EBSCO. At the April 3 class, Reference Librarian Stacey Davis will teach about how to search for articles in Dallas Morning News archives, as well as for stories from the Richardson Echo newspaper from 1920 to 1965.
Both presentations will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. in the Basement Program Room. No registration is required, and attendees are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch. For more information call 972-744-4355.
North Dallas Mother of Twins Semi-Annual Sale at Civic Center
The North Dallas Mothers of Twins Club will hold its semi-annual sale from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23, at the Richardson Civic Center. Thousands of gently-used items for children will be for sale, including brand name clothes, shoes, strollers, car seats, nursery items, toys, books and much more.
Admission is $1. All payments must be made by cash or check. For more information, visit www.ndmotc.org or e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com.
Richardson Community Band to Perform 'The Musical Zoo'
The Richardson Community Band will perform The Musical Zoo at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Eisemann Center. The concert will feature animal-themed songs, such as "Turkey in the Straw," "Monkey Business," "Elephantine Polka" and many more.
Tickets cost $7 and may be purchased at www.eisemanncenter.com or by calling 972-744-4650. For more information about the concert, visit www.richardsoncommunityband.org.
Plano Symphony to Perform at Eisemann Center
The Plano Symphony Orchestra will perform music from Leonard Bernstein's West Side Story at a show that will feature winners of the Collin County Young Artist Competition at 8:15 p.m. Saturday at the Eisemann Center.
Tickets cost $9 to $75 and are available at www.eisemanncenter.com or by calling 972-744-4650. To learn more about the show, visit www.planosymphony.org.
Richardson Animal Shelter Pet of the Week
Looking for a furry friend to make you smile? Then Pluto is your dog! He loves to jump, play, and would be a great running buddy! Pluto has been at the Shelter since July 2012! Almost a year! He is one of the Shelter staff's favorites and we would love to see him in his forever home. He is fully vaccinated, neutered, heartworm negative, dewormed and ready to go. Contact the Animal Shelter (972-744-4480) about Pluto or other animals available for adoption.
For information about other animals available for adoption, visit the Animal Shelter's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RichardsonAnimalShelter.
Related Links
City Council videos: http://bit.ly/LSHJzE
City Council agenda: http://bit.ly/QoOWF4
City Council meeting documents: http://bit.ly/OrSIQ2
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Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 7:33 AM
Town Square
Real Estate Matters: California now has 327,341 licensed agents
Original post made on Aug 15, 2013
Read the full story here Web Link posted Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 7:33 AM
Comments (7)
a resident of Birdland
on Aug 15, 2013 at 8:44 am
Too bad greed drives most and no consideration of US citizens. Only high rollers with money get the house. Big investors that only buy to turn a profit. No consideration of a home town family who wants to grow and thrive in Pleasanton. They must move to Tracy. No way to change this Im afraid. Just be the highest bidder and you're rewarded. Maybe we need to have homes priced for the middle America and not the D Trump investor with no local ties. If you are a seller or seller agent, this will make no sense.
a resident of Canyon Oaks
on Aug 15, 2013 at 11:39 am
I just won a bidding war on a house with 9 other offers, two of which were cash over asking price. My offer was the 5th highest in terms of price but I knew how the game is played so the seller accepted my non-cash offer. You see, it's not all about the price. Take the time to know the sellers and understand their needs and you can craft an offer that appeals to them. I did my homework and gave them exactly what they needed even though my offering price is way lower than that of the highest offer. Do your due diligence and you wouldn't need to move to Tracy. And don't trust an agent to do the hard work for you; most agents I've come across are not very good at what they do.
a resident of Downtown
on Aug 15, 2013 at 7:26 pm
Jeff, I'm curious as to how you were able to do this. What exactly did the sellers want that you were able to provide? I have two younger relatives who have been hunting for their first house, and they are being outbid by investors every time. And they're not even looking in Pleasanton, but in other East Bay cities. Very discouraging for them. I don't think it's as easy as you appear to believe.
a resident of Birdland
on Aug 16, 2013 at 8:27 am
My wife and I ARE NOT HIGH ROLLERS and we have been investing in rental properties for 40 years. How did we do this on one modest middle class income? The old fashioned American way. We scrimped and saved, buying used cars, clipping food coupons, doing everything we could ourselves rather then hiring someone to mow our or wash our windows, etc. you do not have to be a Donald Trump to own a home. Sacrifice and save......it still works!
a resident of Amberwood/Wood Meadows
on Aug 16, 2013 at 9:12 am
Real estate agents are nothing but blood suckers.
Sell your house by yourself. My husband and I have done it twice and save tens of thousands of dollars. It's incredibly easy. All you need spend is maybe $350 for a notary to go over all the paper work at closing. You'll save mucho $$$. Leave the real estate agents sitting in their offices, drinking coffee, and bellyaching about the region's "overpaid" public workers.
a resident of Birdland
on Aug 16, 2013 at 10:08 am
You are absolutely right! Selling a home yourself is easy especially in this overheated sellers market. We have sold nine homes in the past this way. Hire a real estate attorney by the hour to draw up the papers or as you suggested use a notary. Educated people who can read can do this!
a resident of Ridgeview Commons
on Apr 26, 2017 at 9:11 pm
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