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Re: So here I am doing my nails...
Posted by Micky on 3/14/07
On 3/14/07, KittyJ wrote:
> And Bokka runs across his cage and peers down at me, I
> turn around and this big black beak and feather head is 6:
> from my head. LOL. Whoo what a shock. I heard feet running
> across the bars of the cage but didnt know he'd be 6" away
> from my head in that short amount of time just to check if
> I was going. He doesnt like clippers or nail filers. He
> had very bad experience when he was back at his former
> people's home. They would clip his nails with dog clippers
> untill his nails would bleed, then run his feet under cold
> water :( Also did the same to his beak, no semptic powder
> or anything :( So now whenever I just barelly clip his
> nails enough so they are not too pointy and overgrown, he
> screams for each clip that nips away at his long nails.
> Last night I clipped his nails, and didnt give in when he
> would try and wiggle away or anything. I had to hold him
> under the blanket. He was very patient though, though he
> wanted to bite the clippers each time. But then I started
> to file his toes after the clippings and he actually liked
> it and I was ableto have him on my lapped while I file
> down nails. lol. He is sucha cutie pants :D
As I read it i can now see it.There's the respect that makes
calamity of so long a life; for who would bear the whips and
scorns of time, the oppressor's wrong, the proud man's
contumely, the pangs of dispriz'd love, the law's delay, the
insolence of office, and the spurns that patient merit of
the unworthy takes, when he himself might his quietus make
with a bare bodkin? Who would trade farts with bears, to
grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of
something after death, the undiscover'd country from whose
bourn no traveller returns, puzzles the will, and makes us
rather bear those ills we have, than fly to others that we
know not of?


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Ten Pardee affiliated physicians recently appeared on the 2012 North Carolina's Best Doctors list and were named in Business North Carolina Magazine.
"We are proud to have these ten outstanding physicians here at Pardee Hospital to serve Henderson County. To be nominated by other physicians in your specialty is a true honor and to be selected is even more significant," said Robert Kiskaddon, MD, FACEP, Chief Medical Officer of Pardee Hospital.
The physicians below are the ten medical staff members recognized from Pardee Hospital:
Joseph R. Aiello, MD, Nephrology
Brian Kent England, MD, Nephrology
Eric F. Kuehn, MD, Radiation Oncology
William Raymond McKenna, MD, Infectious Disease
William Douglas Medina, MD, Medical Oncology and Hematology
Diane L. Mullins, MD, Pathology
James E. Radford, MD, Medical Oncology and Hematology
James C. Rholl, MD, Gastroenterology
James Duncan Whitehouse, MD, Infectious Disease
Winfield S. Word-Sims, MD, Nephrology
Best Doctors Inc., a Boston based company, surveyed physicians nationwide, asking them to grade other doctors in their specialty area. Those with the highest averages made the final list. A copy of the list is available online at businessnc.com.
Pardee Hospital is a not-for-profit community hospital founded in 1953 and is managed by UNC Health Care. The hospital is licensed for 222 acute care beds. The hospital has several locations separate from the main campus and a comprehensive physician practice network. For more information or to find a physician, call 1-866-790-WELL (9355) or visit www.pardeehospital.org.
10 Pardee medical staff named Best Doctors in NC
Ten Pardee affiliated physicians recently appeared on the 2012 North Carolina's Best Doctors list and were named in Business North Carolina Magazine.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Secret of Heroes Island
The Secret of Heroes Island is a main story mission in The Incredibles Play Set.
- Rewards: Gold Star, 500 Gold, 100 Sparks, Training Facility toy, SuperMax Prison toy.
After completing the Edna Arrives mission, speak to Edna who will explain that the Incredible needs to put in a bridge to the island so they can re-open their secret headquarters.
At this point, the Downtown Express Bridge becomes available in the Toy Store. Open the Toy Store and purchase it, and it will automatically be put in place, offering access to the island. Head across the bridge, taking out some omnidroids along the way.
To get inside the headquarters, the Incredible will need to activate two triangle shaped buttons in the relief around the outside of the base. The buttons are on the chests of the superheroes carved into the walls. Climb up and grab onto the triangles to activate them, effectively "raising the roof" of the HQ.
Once the roof with the statue is in place, climb up there and stand on the blue circle to activate this elevator and open up the headquarters.
Top Wiki Contributors
Need assistance with editing this wiki? Check out these resources:
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The Incredibles | The Incredibles Toys | Edna Arrives | Room To Breathe | Incredibles Vault | Incredibles Challenges | Training Facility | SuperMax Prison | Collect Crazy


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The following commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of AgWeb or Farm Journal Media. The opinions expressed below are the author's own.
Andy is a seasoned grain market analyst and the senior account executive at Walsh Hedging. His main focus is assisting producers and end users to better hedge their investments through his various market strategies over his years of experience working on the grain floor.
Ugly. That's how I view today's trade. The entire commodity complex from the Dow, gold, silver, cattle and even RLL was down. What the heck is RLL you're asking? It's Random Length Lumber of course! The only safe haven was the US $. It was definitely a "risk off" attitude in the complex today. With the election only days away and the polls showing it's coming down to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida for the presidency traders ran for the hills because the trade doesn't like uncertainty. Actually, July Kansas City wheat managed to stay in the green after being up 14 ¼ cents at one point in the day and finished up 2 ¾ at 921 ½. Chicago December wheat finished only 4 cents lower at 864 ½ but corn and especially soybeans were ugly. It felt like the trade didn't even look at yet another impressive soybean export sales number today. Weekly export sales for soybean came in at 741,200 MT for 2012/13. Cumulative soybean sales stand at 74.8% of the USDA forecast for the current marketing year! Sales of just 195,000 MT are needed each week to reach the USDA forecast. January beans finished the day down 33 ¼ cents at 1526 ¾. The weather situation in South America for next week looked more promising, FC Stone and Informa had larger yields in their production reports, and the uncertainty over the election and next week's WASDE report caused "managed money" and speculators to shed risk. In my opinion, the soybean market has already priced in a higher production number for beans. The question is how much? In October the USDA put the soybean output at 2.860 billion bushels using a yield of 37.8. Don't forget the USDA said 64% of their soybean plots had been harvested for the October report so you would think that 37.8 number couldn't go that much higher. Like I mentioned yesterday, any increase in production will be offset by export demand. It will be paramount that South America has a bumper crop but even if they do have a great crop they'll have the logistical nightmare of getting those beans out. Every year you hear of port workers/truck drivers striking down there. The soybean market should stay volatile until the end of the year so hold on for a wild ride. Corn continues its range bound trade and settled down 11 ½ cents at 739 ½ after another sluggish export sales number. I'm hoping things will be brighter when my Chicago Bears beat the Tennessee Titans 24-14 on Sunday. Hopefully it won't be another ugly day like today.
Give me a call at 800-993-5449 to hear my thoughts on the markets
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Feedback archive → Feedback 2012
The mental furniture of 'deep time'
Throwing out the really old furniture
Published: 12 February 2012 (GMT+10)
'Deep time' is so ingrained in people's thinking today that it has become a part of their 'mental furniture'—their way of thinking. The only way around it is the 'renewing of our minds' that only God's Word can bring (Romans 12:1–2), which helps highlight how faulty the assumptions on which the whole 'deep time' concept rests really are. Dr Don Batten brings biblically consistent answers to one Christian struggling with 'deep time'.
Anthony C. from Australia writes:
Dear CMI
My situation is I am a 100% serious Christian, converted from atheism 6 years ago.
I love the Bible and read and study it every day. At the moment I am writing a book, two books actually, on the subject.
I would dearly love it if the creation account in Genesis 1–2 was proven or even if I came across some more good evidence to back it up and refute the old-agers' dating process. I'd especially love it if I got it in time to include reference to it in my book/s. The idea that the earth is 6 millennia old appeals to me on a number of fronts.
But the facts are:
Atheist scientists seem to believe unreservedly in the old earth and that the fossil evidence completely rules out the possibility of a young earth.
I'm not all that worried about that. But I also read of Christian scientists (not Christian Scientists) who also believe firmly in the fossil evidence of an old earth and who utterly refute the young-earthers' position as unscientific.
Here's one that I read recently-John Clayton: [Weblink deleted as per feedback rules—Ed.]
This guy actually supports the Genesis evidence but believes the billions of years happened in verses 1–3 of chapter 1.
The point is that he does not question the dating methods used by scientists to date fossils. And he sees no confounding evidence in the placement of tree fossils and all the other things that Walter Veith [a South African creationist prof.] alludes to in his defence of the Genesis account.
Now, that's not the end of the story by any means. I'm quite happy to be convinced by you that there are YE explanations for the findings he talks about, which mean that a young earth is possible.
But it needs to be a thoughtful, exhaustive explanation on the part of the young earth proponent , not a few flippant, even a lot of flippant, remarks such as I hear in Kent Hovind's videos (hugely entertaining tho' they are).
BTW I have to say I no longer find Prof. Veith's assertions on this topic credible, even tho I love his testimony and him as a person, simply because he is too dismissive of the evidence.
If he's going to portray the serious beliefs of people who aren't ridiculous, as ridiculous then I can't accept that.
Their arguments should be treated seriously and methodically, one by one.
I know atheists treat us as idiots but that's their problem. It's bad science to appeal to —what did Shakespeare say—to split the ears of the groundlings?
Kent tends to do that too I have to say.
I'm not a scientist and I've never seen a fossil. Well I might've seen one or two but they didn't help me on this question. I have to rely on sources like you.
I recently read a blog posting. It was Don Batten responding to a post by a woman named Nicole rejecting the Scientists choke on frogs article. Dawkins and the origin of genetic information.
Don's answer was all I could have asked for. He addressed all her points, one at a time, respectfully and, it seemed to layman-me, exhaustively. I came away satisfied that Nicole's points had been very satisfactorily answered.
That's the sort of treatment I'd like to see given to fossils and the geological column etc.
For all I know you have done that somewhere already and I apologise profusely if that's the case.
If so (or even if not) please tell me if you can: Why do most, or if not most, many, scientists believe 100% (it seems) that their dating methods are very reliable (not carbon dating, the other ones) and they show indisputably that fossils exist which are at least a million years old and a young earth is impossible?
Are they bluffing? Are they mistaken? Are they right? If they are mistaken, how so? What are they missing?
As it stands for now, I would not dispute an atheist's claim that the earth is billions of years old, that dinosaurs lived and became extinct before man was created, etc.
I'd LIKE to be able to dispute it but right now I don't have the grounds for it. I'm sitting on the fence, although leaning towards Young-Earth purely in hope.
I feel pretty safe in arguing against the theory that man evolved from protozoa and I'm happy to go in to bat on that one. But young age of the earth? The jury's still out for me.
Hope this is not too long and you have time to respond. If not, I understand.
In our Creator's boundless love for all of us.
Anthony C.
CMI's Dr Don Batten responds:
Dear Anthony,
Thanks for sharing your brief testimony; it always encourages me to hear from *former* atheists.
1. John Clayton's idea? We call this the 'soft gap theory'. See: 'Soft' gap sophistry and chapter 3 of the Creation Answers Book. You should get this book if you don't have it. It has answers to all your questions (radiometric dating, for example). If Clayton accepts the radiometric dating of billions of years for the rocks, if he is consistent he must accept the ages for the fossils in those rocks as also being millions of years old. Then he cannot have God creating everything pertaining to the earth in six days some thousands of years ago. Totally inconsistent! He also has death before the Fall and God is not good because He created a world of death and suffering (a big argument of the atheists, which John Clayton has ceded to them; a free kick!).
2. I agree that some 'lone ranger' creationist speakers can be entertaining but a bit lacking in technical accuracy at times. But none of us is perfect.
3. Radiometric dating? The chapter in the Creation Answers Book is good (What about carbon dating?). It's about radiometric dating in general, not just carbon dating. See also the Q&A page on radiometric dating for lots of articles. I suggest these in particular: The dating game and The pigs took it all.
These articles show how radiometric dating is not objective science but sophisticated-sounding story-telling, essentially no different to microbes-to-man story-telling (which you rightly reject). It is difficult for many people to comprehend this, but it is just not possible to measure the age of something objectively, without making unprovable assumptions (and of course the assumptions made are part of the ingrained way of thinking that permeates 'science' today). See The fatal flaw with radioactive dating methods for a simple explanation of the assumptions matter.
Even when the hard data contradict the millions of years belief, people don't even think to question the deep time; it is part of the way they think (e.g. Mary Schweitzer with her dinosaur soft tissue; see Dinosaur soft tissue and protein—even more confirmation! and linked reading).
That is why "they all believe it". It is technically called canonical phase locking or confirmation bias, where researchers are looking for data that fits with what they already believe and tend to not see, or even deliberately ignore, what does not fit their preconceptions. We can all be 'guilty' of it.
There is plenty of evidence for a creation much younger than the figures bandied about by the secularists and their fellow-traveller church folk. See for example, Age of the earth. Please note the introductory comments that we cannot 'prove' a young earth any more than someone can 'prove' an old earth using scientific methods, which can only operate in the present (see 'It's not science'). By the way, carbon dating is powerful evidence against the millions of years—it is covered in the Age of the earth article, where you can find links to relevant articles for the details.
Don't forget to use the search engine on creation.com; it is your friend. If you have a question, search for some key words that relate to it. There are over 8,000 articles on all manner of topics that you have questions about. You can also browse the Q&A pages (from the Topics button on the menu bar) where some of the best articles are categorized by topic.
Every blessing,
Don Batten
Related Articles
Further Reading
"As it stands for now, I would not dispute an atheist's claim that the earth is billions of years old, that dinosaurs lived and became extinct before man was created, etc. I'd LIKE to be able to dispute it but right now I don't have the grounds for it. I'm sitting on the fence, although leaning towards Young-Earth purely in hope." (Anthony C.)
I would like to offer Anthony something which I have found helpful. It has to do with geology which is pretty much the first area of science to be hijacked by evolutionists with the idea of billions of years.
About 70% of the earth's landmass is covered with sedimentary layers. In some places these deposits are thousands of metres deep and many extend over hundreds of kilometres in each direction.
Where did all the sediment come from? How did it get there? How come it is sorted so nicely?
Did the sediment derive from previously solid rocks, like basalt or granite? This is highly likely, given the identifiable similarities in mineral composition. Most people seem to agree on this.
How was hard rock broken down into fine particles? Erosion is the likely explanation. Water jets can be used to cut steel if the pressure and velocity are high enough. On the destructive side, water flow can damage propellers, turbines and structures. 'Cavitation' is usually the culprit - high velocity produces localized low pressure resulting in vaporization of the fluid with associated extremely high temperatures and shock waves.
Take a look at this article http://creation.com/beware-the-bubbles-burst
Even in roadside drains and small streams, scouring can be an issue. The scouring velocity in soils can be 0.5 metres per second or less. Compare this with velocities in turbine nozzles which can be 1000 m/s or more.
OK, so we need massive amounts of energy to convert vast quantities of rock into fine particles. If water is the tool, then we end up with water and sediment churning along together - murky water at the least and maybe of slurry consistency if the sediment-carrying capacity is high enough.
What about the process of depositing/sedimentation? Evolutionists claim that it was a batch process - that the layers were deposited one by one with a gap of maybe a year between layers. Suppose a layer is 0.2mm thick and the depth of deposit is 1000 metres. That would represent 5 million years of deposits. Hence the millions (or billions) of years the evolutionists invoke.
A few years ago I built a house on a steep block. The house footprint covered most of the block. This presented a logistics problem. I had to remove beautiful topsoil, but had no-where to store it. I had to truck it offsite. Then, when the building was finished, guess what, I had to truck back in all the topsoil I needed for the gardens.
Let's think through the logistics of the sedimentary process. For water to deposit fine sediment, the velocity has to be extremely low. If a scouring velocity is say 0.5 m/sec, then the sedimentation velocity has to be less than that. So, for the process of sedimentation to occur, a very still environment (low energy) is needed. Remember, we had an extremely high energy environment to create the sediment. In the evolutionary view, these operations of scour and deposit (high energy/low energy) occurred over vast areas, ultimately covering most of the earth's surface, not just once but many times, sequentially.
How were the high energy and low energy actions separated from each other? Where was the sediment stored? How was the material transported from the high-energy to the low-energy site? After one layer was deposited, how was the next layer brought in without destroying the former? Problem: Incoming suspension velocity exceeds the scouring velocity of the previous layer.
What would happen if, after successfully depositing thousands of layers over thousands of years (if that were possible), there was a bit of a dust-storm, or maybe a tropical downpour? You would have to start all over again. Of course that plays into the evolutionists' desire for vast eons of time.
I believe the answer is that the process was not of the sequential/batch type at all.
Could it have been a dynamic process? Could the high energy scouring have been followed by a lower energy suspension stage, then a dynamic process of depositing as the velocity continued to drop? Could this solve the logistics problem?
Take a look at these experiments where multiple layers are deposited along a forward-moving front. http://creation.com/images/pdfs/tj/j12_2/j12_2_218-221.pdf (the picture at Figure 3 is explanatory)
Clearly we can't re-run what happened in Noahs flood, but we do know that there was immense, high-energy geological and hydraulic activity going on all over the earth. We do know that the waters receded over several months. We do know that the earth's crust bears signs of such a global catastrophe.
I also know that when I ask people who believe in long-ages about this, they haven't even thought about the problems inherent in their position. In a similar way, when they claim fossils are evidence against the Bible, they really haven't thought through what they are claiming.
I know there is plenty we can't explain, but when I look at the evidence I come away with even more confidence in the Bible and more saddened by the evolutionary paradigm that has become sacred in our nation.
Like Andy Capp said long ago,"It's a mug's game."
When speaking of the high percentage of scientists who believe in an old earth, your questioner should also be aware that this has happened before. Probably an even higher percentage at the time of Galileo believed in geocentrism, as opposed to the heliocentrism of Copernicus and Galileo. In fact, it was the professors and scientists of establishment science who sought to silence Galileo. They used the power of the church to protect their paradigm and silence him, as it was the only entity that could do so. Today, they use government and school administrations the same way. Scientific paradigms were difficult to change then, and they still are. But numbers don't add up to truth, and we can't allow scientific laws and theories to be set by popular vote.


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If you are being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use vitamin E supplements without first talking to your health care provider:
Antidepressant medications -- Vitamin E interferes with the body's absorption of the antidepressant desimpramine, which belongs to a class of drugs known as tricyclics. Other members of that class include imipramine and nortriptyline.
Antipsychotic medications -- Vitamin E can interfere with the body's absorption of the antipsychotic medication called chlorpromazine, which belongs to a class of drugs known as phenothiazines.
Aspirin -- A study evaluating the effects of vitamin E and aspirin suggests that the combination appears to be safe and may benefit patients at risk for stroke. However, if bleeding or bruising occurs, talk to your health care provider.
AZT -- Vitamin E may protect against toxicity and side effects from AZT, a medication used to treat HIV and AIDS.
Beta-blockers -- Vitamin E interferes with the body's absorption of propranolol, a member of a class of medications called beta-blockers used for high blood pressure. Other beta-blockers include atenolol and metoprolol.
Cholesterol-lowering medications -- Cholesterol-lowering medications such as colestipol and cholestyramine, called bile-acid sequestrants, decrease the absorption of vitamin E. Gemfibrozil, a different type of cholesterol-lowering medication, called a fibric acid derivative, may also reduce vitamin E levels. Statins (such as atorvastatin, pravastatin, and lovastatin), a third class of medications used to lower cholesterol levels, may reduce the antioxidant activity of vitamin E. On the other hand, the combination of vitamin E supplements with statins may help protect blood vessels from dysfunction.
Cyclosporine -- Vitamin E may interact with cyclosporine, a medication used to treat cancer, reducing the effectiveness of both the supplement and the medication. However, there is controversy about this interaction. Another study suggests that the combination of vitamin E and cyclosporine may actually increase the effects of the medication. More research is needed to determine the safety of this combination.
Hormone replacement therapy -- Vitamin E supplements may benefit women taking hormone replacement therapy by improving lipid profiles.
Mebendazole -- Simultaneous supplementation with vitamins A, C, E, and selenium significantly reduced the effectiveness of this vermifuge (treatment to eradicate intestinal worms) in a study.
Tamoxifen -- Tamoxifen, a hormonal treatment for breast cancer, boosts blood levels of triglycerides, increasing one's chances of developing high cholesterol. In a study of 54 women with breast cancer, vitamins C and E, taken along with tamoxifen, counteracted this effect by decreasing low density lipoprotein (LDL, or "bad") cholesterol and triglyceride levels while increasing high density lipoprotein (HDL, or "good") cholesterol. Vitamins C and E also enhanced the anti-cancer action of the tamoxifen.
Warfarin -- Taking vitamin E at the same time as warfarin, a blood-thinning medication, increases the risk of abnormal bleeding, especially in vitamin K-deficient individuals.
Weight loss products -- Orlistat (also known as alli) is a medication used for weight loss. Olestra is a substance added to certain food products. Both are intended to bind to fat and prevent the absorption of fat and the associated calories. Because of their effects on fat, orlistat and olestra may also prevent the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E. Given this concern and possibility, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration now requires that vitamin E and other fat soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, and K) be added to food products containing olestra. How well the body uses and absorbs vitamin E from such food products is not clear. In addition, doctors who prescribe orlistat may add a multivitamin with fat-soluble vitamins to the treatment regimen.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch)
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2013 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.


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Welcome to Harrisburg City Council
Harrisburg's City Council is the Legislative Branch of City government. The City Council consists of seven members who are elected at large. The City Council President is elected by the Council members and presides over the Council meetings. In the event of illness or absence, the Vice-President presides over the meetings. City Council considers and evaluates legislative concerns through a study committee structure consisting of committees on Administration, Budget & Finance, Building & Housing, Community & Economic Development, Parks, Recreation & Enrichment, Public Safety, and Public Works. City Council also confirms all department directors and certain other Mayoral appointees. Council is also required, by the Third Class Optional City Code of Pennsylvania, to pass an annual budget by December 31st of each fiscal year.


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June 9, 2009
Guess Who's Sportin' a Stache? :-) Brian's 100 Monkey's NYC Concert Pics
Brian got to check out a recent 100 Monkeys Show in NYC last night, and sent along these great pics. Thanks, Brian!
3 comments:
- AnonymousJune 9, 2009 at 5:07 AM
ohhh Jackson is back ... so long without knowing about him and finally de showed up ... only appears to lack nikki jajajaReplyDelete
by the way he looks so great... I love him... I miss him he is so cute!!!
he looks very nice playing the trumpet
Only Jackson could look hot with a Pancho Villa mustachio!ReplyDelete
Jackson in that hat and moustache looks like Robin Williams' character in Night at the Museum!ReplyDelete
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George: Crunch time turning into Anthony Spencer time for Cowboys
Linebacker has made a habit of making big plays late in games
IRVING — A closer look at Cowboys linebacker Anthony Spencer's sacks could finally change critics' minds about his ability to consistently rush the quarterback.
The one knock against Spencer has been that he doesn't get enough sacks to complement linebacker DeMarcus Ware and give the Cowboys an adequate pass rush.
Spencer has 81/2 sacks over the last two seasons compared with 29 for Ware. Keep in mind that Ware rushes the quarterback on almost every down while Spencer spends many downs dropping back in pass coverage.
Then there's this: 76 percent (61/2) of Spencer's sacks have come in the fourth quarter, with 41/2 of them coming in the final 1:20 of the game. Only 33 percent of Ware's sacks (91/2) have come in the fourth quarter over the last two seasons.
"Sacks late in the game and in crunch time are really critical sacks," Cowboys coach Jason Garrett said. "Spencer has made some really difference-making plays that have sealed the deal for us."
On Sunday at Philadelphia, Spencer and Ware hit Eagles quarterback Nick Foles at the same time with 46 seconds left. Spencer hit Foles high, knocking the football from his hand. Cowboys defensive end Jason Hatcher recovered the fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.
What's more is that Spencer predicted exactly what would happen.
"We were on the sideline before we went out there and Spencer said, 'DeMarcus, me and you are going to get a sack and somebody is going to cause a fumble,'" Ware remembered. "I'm looking at him like, 'All right, let's go.' He said, 'You know what, Hatcher, you're going to score a touchdown.' That's exactly what he said. And lo and behold, I grab the guy, Spencer comes over the top and Hatcher is there to get the fumble. And we looked at each other like, 'What! Are you kidding me? Seriously!' and he did the same thing against Washington last year."
Added Spencer: "Yeah, that was my second prediction that came true. Just out of the blue."
Hatcher called Spencer's premonition Sunday "unbelievable."
"It was crazy," Hatcher said. "That's why when I picked it up that's all I could think about. I was like, 'I can't believe that this just happened.' It happened for a reason. I don't know why it happened, but it was a very special moment."
Sacks in the final minute aren't new for Spencer. In fact, 31/2 of his sacks over the last two seasons have come in the game's last 60 seconds. They've all secured wins for the Cowboys, with two of the sacks ending in fumbles that Dallas recovered.
Before Sunday, Ware hadn't recorded a sack in the final four minutes of a game in the last two seasons.
"I'm rushing more steadily toward the end of the game, especially when the game is more on the line, so I'm able to set things up," Spencer said. "Sometimes when I'm rushing they're anticipating that I'm dropping, so I'm unaccounted for."
Ware agreed that Spencer is able to "sneak up" on teams late in games because he's spent most of the downs early on dropping back.
Spencer excels at pass coverage and in setting the edge in the Cowboys' run defense.
The Cowboys wanted to sign Spencer to a long-term contract last year but couldn't find a happy medium in negotiations, so they used their franchise tag to lock him up for one season at $8.8 million.
Ware said it's important the Cowboys sign Spencer after the season is over.
"They know how important he is to our defense," Ware said, "and I hope that they can sign him to a long-term contract."
If so, those late-game sacks should keep coming from Spencer.
"He's playing well and he's certainly made some of those signature plays," Garrett said. "We need him to keep doing that."
Follow Brandon George on Twitter at @dmn_george.
Timing is everything
Cowboys linebacker DeMarcus Ware has more than three times as many sacks as linebacker Anthony Spencer over the last two seasons, but Spencer's sacks have come at key times. How the two outside linebackers compare over the last two seasons in total sacks, fourth-quarter sacks, last-minute sacks, forced fumbles and forced fumbles recovered by the Cowboys:
Player Sacks 4th qt Last min FF Rec
Spencer 8.5 6.5 3.5 2.0 2.0
Ware 29 9.5 0.5 6.0 1.0


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Spring training preview: Catchers and DHs
Fifth and final in a series of spring training roster breakdowns this week. Monday: Starters. Tuesday: Relievers. Wednesday: Infielders. Thursday: Outfielders. Today: Catchers and DHs.
As the Red Sox prepare for spring training, here is a look at their catchers and designated hitters:
Expected starter: Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
In the mix: David Ross, Ryan Lavarnway.
Prospects of note: Christian Vazquez.
Organizational depth: Dan Butler.
Break glass in case of emergency: Mike Napoli.
Breakdown: Is Salty the starter or could he get traded? All we know for sure is that the Sox signed Ross with the intent of using him more than an average backup. They value his defense and leadership. Lavarnway, who made great strides defensively last season, is an organizational favorite. But the Sox could maintain their depth by sending him to Pawtucket. With Saltalamacchia a free agent after the season, that would be a prudent move. Butler and Vazquez were added to the 40-man roster in November. It's unusual for a team to have five catchers on the 40-man, but that's the situation for the moment.
What's good: Salty belted 25 homers last season and drove in 59 runs. That made him one of the more productive catchers in the game … Ross threw out 15 of 34 runners last season, and the Braves were 54-35 in games he started the last two seasons … Lavarnway was voted the best defensive catcher in the International League last season. He hit .295/.376/.439 for the PawSox.
What's bad: Saltalamacchia hit .222 with a .288 OBP last season. He struck out 139 times in 448 plate appearances … Lavarnway struggled offensively (.157/.211/.248) in 166 major league plate appearances … Napoli was initially expected to catch a few games, but the diagnosis of avascular necrosis in his hips could limit him to first base.
Theme song: "Supply And Demand" by The Hives.
Expected starter: David Ortiz.
In the mix: Mauro Gomez.
Prospects of note: Juan Carlos Linares.
Organizational depth: Ryan Lavarnway.
Breakdown: Ortiz was given a lifetime achievement contract of two years and $26 million. But at 37, he remains the best DH in the game. Many teams are using the DH as a way to give position players time off from the field. But the Red Sox are sticking with a traditional slugger. Gomez, who profiles as a DH, could fill in if needed. The same is true of Lavarnway.
What's good: After struggling in 2008-09 (.250/.348/.482), Ortiz went .296/.391/.558 over the last three seasons with 84 home runs. He has hit .325 with 17 home runs against lefthanders the last two seasons. Amidst all the chaos of the last two seasons, he has become the face of the franchise.
What's bad: Ortiz strained his right Achilles' tendon last July 16 and played only one game the rest of the season. He is expected to be at full speed for spring training. But Ortiz has to be cognizant of doing the proper stretching and getting enough treatment to avoid further injury.
Theme song: "A Legend In My Time" by Johnny Cash.


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News & Events
For the Media
Clarkson University National Society of Black Engineers Chapter Wins Honors in Toronto
[A photograph for media use is available at http://www.clarkson.edu/news/photos/nsbe-toronto.jpg]
Nineteen members of the Clarkson University chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) joined 6,000 other students and Clarkson President Tony Collins at the 36th annual national NSBE convention in Toronto in April.
Collins was invited to address the convention's opening session and during his speech announced that NSBE Executive Director Carl B. Mack would receive an honorary degree from Clarkson in May.
During the convention, the Clarkson chapter was recognized as Region 1 chapter of the month for November 2009 and as chapter of the year for 2009-2010, due to their progressive academic and technical work, and program delivery and participation in competitions at the Regional and National levels.
National Scholarships were awarded to Clarkson students Theodore Glave, Stanley Onyewuchi, Roshan Das, and Christianne Gosling. On a regional level, Clarkson students Muhammed-B Yusef and Gosling were awarded the academic improvement scholarship, recognizing students who increased their GPA by .4 within a single semester.
From among three competing Clarkson teams, Glave and Gosling also won the judges award in the Boeing Flight Competition, which recognized the team with overall performance, including exceptional planning, teamwork, exemplifying the spirit of the competition, best report, and a flying glider that flew well.
Convention activities included workshops, the academic technical bowl competition, the turning your research into dollars competition, the Boeing Flight Competition, regional meetings, and a career fair with more than 200 companies in attendance, where several Clarkson students were offered summer internships.
The Clarkson Chapter is the only one of the more than 350 chapters in NSBE to hold annual exclusive meetings with Carl Mack.
Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in six alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.
Photo caption: National Society of Black Engineers annual convention in Toronto, as Clarkson President Tony Collins (at podium) and the NSBE at Clarkson chapter members as Collins announced that NSBE Executive Director Carl B. Mack (far right) would receive an honorary degree from Clarkson in May.


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On visit to northern Lebanon, UN official praises efforts to assist Syrian refugees
|UN News Service
|Publication Date
|20 November 2012
|Cite as
|UN News Service, On visit to northern Lebanon, UN official praises efforts to assist Syrian refugees, 20 November 2012, available at: http://www.refworld.org/docid/50af47712.html [accessed 22 January 2018]
|This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States.
A senior United Nations official today praised efforts made by the Lebanese Government to help Syrian refugees who have fled the violence in their country, while noting that as the winter approaches, more will need to be done to ensure the population's well-being.
"Let me say how impressed I have been by the generosity and hospitality that the Lebanese communities in Akkar continue to extend to the Syrian refugees, twenty months after the breakout of the crisis," the UN Deputy Special Coordinator for Lebanon, Robert Watkins, said in a press conference in the Akkar district in the north of the country.
"Despite the many challenges they themselves face, Lebanese families are still hosting and supporting around 30 per cent of the Syrian refugee population," he added.
Syria has been wracked by violence, with at least 20,000 people, mostly civilians, killed since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began some 20 months ago. The violence has spawned more than 380,000 refugees, with some 125,000 currently in Lebanon.
During his visit, Mr. Watkins visited the area of Wadi Khaled, on the border with Syria, to examine the impact of the Syrian crisis on different Lebanese communities, as well as a local centre of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Qobayat, where he was updated on the assistance extended to thousands of displaced Syrians.
"I welcome the commitment and efforts of the Lebanese authorities and communities in the Akkar to address the ever increasing needs of both refugees and local populations," Mr. Watkins said.
"It is clear, however," he continued, "that as we are at the beginning of the winter season, and there is every likelihood that even more refugees will be arriving over the coming months, it is crucial that we act together quickly to ensure the health and safety of both refugee and local Lebanese populations."
Mr. Watkins, who met with Lebanese officials in the city of Tripoli yesterday, added that there are many Lebanese families who have been forced to leave their homes in the border areas inside Lebanon because of cross-border shelling and other security-related incidents along the border. "Their lives have been disrupted, especially farmers who can no longer tend their fields," he said.
UN agencies and other local and international non-governmental organizations are assisting these Lebanese families to meet their immediate needs, but also with a longer-term objective of promoting development in the area, which has been strained by the crisis, he noted.
In addition to projects undertaken by UNHCR, more than $250,000 has been earmarked by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) for some 16 development projects in collaboration with local communities and authorities in Akkar.
"These projects aim at addressing the priority needs for the Akkar, including the rehabilitation of the agricultural sector and infrastructure, boosting the educational sector, and promoting a culture of peaceful coexistence, particularly in schools or areas where there are both Lebanese and Syrians living together," Mr. Watkins said.


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Student or Learner
I am wrting an essay for application. I don't know whether I have used the right form of tense in thses sentences. Could you tell me how should it be? Thank you!
1. I learnt that these students good performances in English tests largely came from extra tutoring outside of school. For families that cannot afford this, their children go to free tutoring organization to learn English with others much older or younger than them.
2.Their poor knowledge of English worried me because not even one of them complained to me about the script. According to my own experiencenevertheless, this lack of independent thinking is definitely an obstacle for them.......Another thing got me worried was .........
Thank you, b!


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Cotton's campaign said the freshman Republican congressman from Arkansas has $1.04 million cash on hand. Cotton represents the 4th Congressional District in south and west Arkansas, and was first elected last year.
Cotton, of Dardanelle, is viewed as a potential challenger to Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor next year. He's already been targeted by Democratic groups that have run ads criticizing the Republican lawmaker.
Cotton has indicated he'll make a decision about his political future later this year.


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Iglesias prepared for shot with Red Sox
By Richard Justice / MLB.com
TAMPA, Fla. -- He was at his home in South Florida last winter when he heard the Red Sox had signed veteran Stephen Drew to play the position he hoped would be his.
"I mean, it wasn't fun," Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias said. "I take that as a challenge. I prepared myself the best way possible to help this team win. I think that'll pay off."
And isn't it funny how things work out? Two weeks ago, Iglesias seemed headed back to the Minor Leagues. He had Drew ahead of him on the depth chart and hotshot prospect Xander Bogaerts just behind him.
Iglesias had looked overmatched at the plate in a brief tryout at the end of last season. Never mind that he's all of 23 years old and in just his fourth season of professional baseball. Never mind that Iglesias has started just 24 Major League games after flying through the Minor Leagues.
Iglesias emphasized he didn't worry about what anyone thought. He prepared himself to play this winter and let others worry about where he stood with the organization.
"I didn't want to show anybody anything," Iglesias said. "Like I say, I just want to be a better player, be better every day. That's all I can do."
He may have caught the kind of break every young player must have. Drew's concussion has again thrust Iglesias into the spotlight. Iglesias seems likely to be the Red Sox's Opening Day starter at shortstop, and if he takes advantage of the opportunity, he can thank plenty of people.
Iglesias got some tough-love talks from Red Sox coaches in the final days of last season about his attitude and about keeping the same approach regardless of circumstances.
Iglesias added 10 pounds during an offseason that included a trip to Arizona to work out with Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who believes Iglesias has a chance to be an elite defensive shortstop.
At the moment, Iglesias, ranked as the No. 6 Red Sox prospect by MLB.com, is still a work in progress. He's an impact defensive player. That part of his game has never been questioned.
"We're confident he can be a Major League defender right now," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "He's got very good hands. He's got a good internal clock. He's got quite bit of range."
Offense is the issue. Iglesias batted .118 in 68 at-bats last season and was going so badly that former Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine pulled him in the middle of an at-bat in September. If his confidence can survive that kind of slap, there's probably an inner toughness that's not on display for the entire world.
Then again, Iglesias has been through plenty. He defected from Cuba to the United States at 18 and hadn't seen his mother until a reunion was set up in Mexico last winter.
Iglesias has revamped his offensive approach this spring, and even though he's hitting just .217, Farrell said the shortstop has taken steps in the right direction.
"He's looked confident since games began," Farrell said. "In the box, he has been a confident hitter. I think he's started to figure some things out and what's best for him. Not only the type of swing to take, the aggressiveness to it. The fact that he's a little more upright in his setup in the box has allowed him to see the ball a little more readily, and it's translated to much more consistent hard contact."
If the Red Sox get enough offense out of other areas, they may be able to afford a run-saving shortstop even if he's not a great offensive player. However, they probably can't live with him hitting .118 regardless of his defense.
Again, though, Pedroia and others emphasize how far Iglesias has come in such a short period of time. The Red Sox promoted him all the way to Double-A ball in his first pro season and had him in the Major Leagues a year later.
Then this season, just when Iglesias seemed headed back to the Minor Leagues to finish polishing his game, Drew's injury has opened a door.
"I feel pretty good," Iglesias said. "I'm trying to stay positive, stay with my plan. Even if you don't have a good game, stay with it. When you give 100 percent every single day, you're going to be happy with yourself."
Richard Justice is a columnist for MLB.com. Read his blog, Justice4U. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Bill Gleason: Legendary Sportswriter, Unique Character, Wonderful Guy and Unabashed Sox Fan
For those of us growing up in the 50s and 60s with our sights set on working in sports, the sportswriters and sportscasters of the day were our heroes as much as the athletes themselves.
For me, one of my favorite writers was Bill Gleason, a legendary character in Chicago sports circles. I'm sorry to say that Gleason passed away yesterday at the age of 87, leaving many friends and admirers both in and out of the business.
I've been lucky enough to reach a point where I've personally gotten to know many individuals who once served as professional role models for me. Gleason was one of them. I first met Bill while I was in college, we crossed paths many times over the years in one press box or another and he even did an event with his "Sportswriters on TV" crew when I was at Sports Illustrated. He was always kind and encouraging, something I'll never forget.
It's a bonus for me that Gleason, a true South Sider, was a proud White Sox fan. Sportswriter Mike Downey wrote the following after Bill's death: "Gleason was a White Sox homer and had the courage to say so. He made a commitment to the South Side personally and professionally."
According to Rick Telander in today's Sun-Times, Gleason requested that there be no Irish wake, no weeping and sadness and that his passing be celebrated next spring on the South Side with a jazz band, drinking and great merriment.


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If you are going to walk the trail please leave the pets at home. And if you are an officer and get a call about pets locked in a hot car please do something besides writing a note and placing it in their window. To me it sends the wrong message.
Town Square
Original post made by David, Alamo, on Jul 31, 2013
If you are going to walk the trail please leave the pets at home. And if you are an officer and get a call about pets locked in a hot car please do something besides writing a note and placing it in their window. To me it sends the wrong message.
Comments (3)
a resident of Danville
on Jul 31, 2013 at 10:42 pm
Doesn't Lunardi's have a PA system? It's remarkable to me that those dogs weren't overcome in the typical Danville summer heat over the course of an hour. I appreciate your caring, and think that contacting the store managers nearby would have been a likely useful tactic. Your message might go something like this:
"There's a locked car in your parking lot with dogs in it. They are in distress from the heat, and can't shed it easily by panting. I will not stand idly by and witness cruelty. So before I break the window on that car to give those pups some relief, I'd like to ask you to announce the situation to your shoppers, so that one of them can avoid a big repair bill."
EVery year, dogs -- and children -- die in hot cars driven by adults who should know better. I can assure you -- and that driver -- that there are folks like me out there for whom the life of the animal is more precious than your car window. It's a last resort, but I would, and will take it to save the animal first, and worry about whether a court might disapprove later.
The cops, for their part could have called County Animal Control, but Martinez is a ways away under the best scenario.
a resident of Alamo
on Jul 31, 2013 at 11:52 pm
The car was parked close to the train museum. So by where the car was parked one would assume that they were on a walk. I don't know anyone that would park that far away to shop. If it was parked closer to the store I would have had the store do a page. But I still feel the police could have done something other than leave a note. I do have the make/model of the vehicle as well as the plate number. But decided against posting that information.
a resident of Danville
on Aug 1, 2013 at 6:39 am
Went for a walk -- without the dogs? Why bring them at all? So much "Fail" in this situation!
Just heard on NPR that, so far in 2013, 2 California babies/kids and 24 nationwide have died of heat stroke in parked cars. Guessing that the canine toll is much, much higher.
GE's re-organization reaches San Ramon digital headquarters
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Sound and Fury over Vile and Slur-ry
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MEDIA RELEASE: Lawmakers may move to cap NC gas tax
State's gas tax serves as a revenue source for funding vital transportation projects
RALEIGH (Nov. 26, 2011) – Recent statements by North Carolina lawmakers suggest they may take up a measure early next week that would cap the state's gas tax, a revenue source that provides funding for vital transportation projects. Putting in place a gas tax cap could have major consequences on much-needed transportation investments, especially if construction costs continue to rise.
Capping the state's gas tax would constrain a funding source that accounts for more than half of state revenues dedicated for transportation projects, including repairing bridges, repaving roads, and filling potholes. The American Society of Civil Engineers recently estimated that poor road conditions cost North Carolina motorists $1.7 billion annually in additional repairs and operating costs.
"Construction workers need jobs, and there is much needed work to fill in potholes and improve roadways to help relieve traffic congestion," said Edwin McLenaghan, a public policy advocate with the NC Budget & Tax Center. "Yet lawmakers are suggesting a course of action that could hamstring funding for such work at a time when thousands of jobless construction workers are ready and able to get back to work."
The state gas tax changes every six months to correspond to changes in the wholesale price of gasoline. The "variable portion" of the state's gas tax is equal to 7 percent of the average wholesale price of gasoline, on top of a flat rate of 17.5 cents-per-gallon. The rate is set to go up by nearly 4 cents per gallon in January, unless lawmakers intervene to prevent the scheduled increase from taking place.
The reason for North Carolina's relatively high gas taxes is not higher spending on fixing public roads – in fact, data from the North Carolina Department of Transportation shows that the state currently ranks 48th in the country in spending per lane-mile of paved road. North Carolina's gas tax ranks high because road construction and maintenance is primarily a state — as opposed to a local — responsibility. On average, states own about one-fifth of all roads within their borders, while the NC DOT owns and maintains more than three-quarters of the state's roadways. North Carolinians may pay higher-than-average state gas taxes, but those taxes are offset by lower property taxes and vehicle sales taxes.
The N.C. General Assembly's next session will begin at 8 p.m. on Sunday, November 27. Without a clear plan to replace lost revenues resulting from putting in place a gas tax cap, the Department of Transportation will have nearly $100 million less in the second half of the fiscal year to invest in transportation projects.
"Capping the gas tax would increase the gap between the need for investments in transportation and the funding available to meet those needs," McLenaghan said.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Edwin McLenaghan, Policy Analyst, NC Budget & Tax Center, firstname.lastname@example.com, 919. 856.3192; Jeff Shaw, Director of Communications, NC Justice Center, firstname.lastname@example.com, 503.551.3615 (cell).
The N.C. Budget and Tax Center—a project of the N.C. Justice Center—seeks to create economic opportunity and shared prosperity for all North Carolinians through non-partisan research, education and advocacy on budget, tax and economic issues.


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In an attempt to help plug a hole in defense, LA Galaxy coach Bruce Arena sought out some help from his closest neighbor.
Photos: David Junior Lopes
The Galaxy acquired central defender David Júnior Lopes from Chivas USA on Tuesday in exchange for 2011 first-round draft choice Paolo Cardozo. Lopes joins incumbents Tommy Meyer and Andrew Boyens, who have split time alongside A.J. DeLaGarza in central defense.
"He's a big strong center back, left-footed with good athletic ability and it gives us physicality in that position that we haven't had, and experience," Arena told reporters in a conference call on Tuesday.
Despite not having played much for Chivas USA this year, Lopes could find himself in an immediate battle for playing time, fighting with the rookie Meyer and his former Chivas teammate Boyens.
"I think that with all these type of moves, you need to see how the player deals with the transition, and we're pretty open to what kind of role that he's going to play," Arena said.
Acquiring Lopes was not, however, an indictment on the kind of job Meyer and Boyens have done, Arena stressed. The Galaxy have yielded 12 goals in all competitions this season but Lopes will help give the club a bit more flexibility and another body on the backline.
"It's a discussion that we've had with Chivas for a while and gives us the ability to strengthen ourselves in that position," Arena said. "It doesn't say anything. It's a move that we're making to make our team stronger."
Sarachan on Lopes Acquisition


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SANFORD, Fla. - George Zimmerman's public defender filed a motion on Friday seeking the return of Zimmerman's iPhone, Blackberry, a flashlight and a pocketknife that were taken during Zimmerman's arrest on battery charges.
Zimmerman was released from jail last week after posting $9,000 bond, a day after he was arrested on allegations of pointing a gun at his girlfriend.
"These items collected were not related to the charges in any way and are not considered evidence in this matter," the motion read.
According to Zimmerman's intake interview sheet, obtained by Local 6 on Monday, Zimmerman said he was homeless and lists defense attorney Mark O'Mara as his mailing address. Zimmerman told jail staff he did not have an emergency contact and said he is unemployed.
Zimmerman was charged with aggravated assault, battery and criminal mischief following the domestic violence incident with his girlfriend. The judge also ordered that Zimmerman must stay away from his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe and her home on Topfield Court. He is also not allowed to have weapons and ammunition and cannot leave Central Florida.
Zimmerman is on GPS electronic monitoring as he awaits his next court date on Jan. 7, 2014 at 1:30 p.m.
Copyright 2013 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Important rules about forum and game policies. Make sure to give it a look!
Use this control to limit the display of threads to those newer than the specified time frame.
Allows you to choose the data by which the thread list will be sorted.
Note: when sorting by date, 'descending order' will show the newest results first.


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BERLIN – Area law enforcement agencies this week are looking for the suspect who beat and robbed a Berlin convenience store owner as he locked up his business Sunday evening.
Around 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, an unknown suspect assaulted and robbed the owner of the Uncle Willie's convenience store in Berlin as the victim was closing and leaving the store for the night. While the storeowner was closing up shop, an unknown suspect, described as an African-American male of short stature, began beating him with a baseball bat or other object.
The victim told police he was struck with the unknown object at last 15 times, which resulted in serious injury. The victim was taken to nearby Atlantic General Hospital and was treated and released. An undisclosed amount of money was taken during the assault and robbery.
Anyone with information about the incident is urged to call Berlin Police at 410-641-1333, or the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation at 410-352-3476.


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Timothy Ray Brown might seem very unfortunate if you knew some aspects of his medical story. A U.S. citizen living abroad in Berlin, Mr. Brown was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
As the disease spread through his bone marrow, he was forced to undergo grueling chemotherapy and then a stem cell transplant. Then the disease flared up yet again, forcing yet another stem cell transplant.
Finally recovering, he then suffered an unexpected neurological side effect, which left him forgetful and temporarily blind. He had to undergo therapy just to be able to try to walk and talk normally.
But the treatment did something incredible, something that has never before been documented in the modern medical community -- it cured Mr. Brown of the human immunodeficiency virus -- better known as HIV.
Deadly, but Effective
Approximately 1 percent of Caucasians in northern and western Europe have a special mutation that virtually prevents them from being infected with the HIV virus. The mutation, dubbed CCR5 delta 32 homozygosity, causes individuals to lack the CCR5 receptor, which the HIV lentivirus uses to accomplish its infection process.
Physicians treating Mr. Brown's cancer purposefully selected a donor who happened to have this beneficial mutation.
Hopes of a cure seemed faint, though. After all, if the HIV infection in Mr. Brown's former CD4 (T-cell) population had advanced enough, it would have developed the ability to infect using the CXCR4 receptor, rendering the protective mutation useless. And even if the virus had not armed itself with this new ability, no one had ever been cured of the disease.
While Mr. Brown may have been unfortunate by and large medically, he apparently lucked out when it came to his HIV infection.
Taken abruptly off antiretroviral drugs after the transplant, he showed no signs of HIV infection. For the next 38 months he underwent immunosuppressive treatment to protect the graft as it repopulated his intestinal mucosa.
Tissue samples taken during this time period showed spiking levels of the donor T-cells and no trace of infection. Weaning off immunosuppressants, the man's T-cell levels dropped to that of a healthy adult male.
Medical researchers concluded that it was unlikely that the man still had HIV -- after all if he had the disease, it would have likely evolved the CXCR4 infection ability and infected his immunotransplant.
Further evidence the disease was gone was shown by dropping levels of his body's HIV antibodies. And viral load testing (RNA) and tests for viral DNA within cells -- two tests that typically reveal the presence of HIV -- came back negative.
Can Doctors Replicate This Unusual Success?
Mr. Brown's ordeal was chronicled in the German magazine Stern.
The results have also been published in an article in the peer-reviewed journal Blood and a study [PDF] in The New England Journal of Medicine.
As the magazine notes, past attempts to graft "immune" T-cells failed, due to the long lifespans of the victim's infected T-cells. Those long lifespans bought the virus enough time to mutate and overcome the graft's immunity. But in Mr. Brown's case, the chemotherapy killed enough of the infected cells that the mutation was not able to occur.
While the treatment regiment is extremely dangerous, chemotherapy -- long aimed at curing cancer -- may soon be used to cure HIV.
The key remaining obstacle is to develop ways to create CCR5 deficient T-cells.
Mr. Brown was fortunate in that a donor was found who happened to have this mutation. Most won't be that lucky. But researchers are hoping to create stem cells from the patient's various cell lines, differentiate them into T-cells, and finally using gene therapy to knock out the CCR5 receptor DNA.
The resulting treatment may not be correct for everybody. HIV is largely repressible with today's advanced drug regimens. Some may decline to risk their lives to be pronounced "cured".
For those who may someday opt for this route, the resulting treatment will likely be very expensive. Thus South Park's irreverent recent episode "Tonsil Trouble", which depicted NBA-great Magic Johnson being "cured" of HIV via a money transfusion may prove somewhat prophetic.


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The Etowah County Sheriff's Office is among several law enforcement agencies whose helicopters will help brighten the day for patients at Children's of Alabama.
The Etowah County Sheriff's Office is among several law enforcement agencies whose helicopters will help brighten the day for patients at Children's of Alabama.
Anyone in Etowah County who would like to contribute toys to be delivered by helicopter is asked to drop them off by Wednesday at the Sheriff's Office at 800 Forrest Ave. in Gadsden, Public Information Officer Natalie Barton said. The toys should be new and unwrapped.
The toys will be delivered Thursday afternoon and the patients who are able will be allowed to watch as helicopters land near the hospital.
Santa will be in the first helicopter that lands at the hospital, and "elves" will be on the helipad to remove presents from the other helicopters.
The toys and gifts are to support the Sugar Plum Shop, an in-hospital holiday toy store for inpatients and their families who spend the holidays at the hospital.
Hospital staff, corporate partners and volunteers build a toy store in the hospital and invite parents to shop at no cost for gifts for the patient and other children in the days leading up to the Christmas holiday.
In 2011, more than 500 children received gifts from the Sugar Plum Shop, including more than 200 patients and 300 of their siblings. Each child received five toys, a book, a stuffed animal, stocking stuffers and board games.
The hospital said there is a particular need for gifts for infants and teens.
Candy or food items, used stuffed animals, used books, toy weapons or weapons that have any type of weapon attached, Yo-Yos, jump ropes and paddle boards with string and ball attached cannot be accepted.