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An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of MS.
What Is Multiple Sclerosis?
Patients with multiple sclerosis are treated with medications and rehabilitation. Seven disease-modifying drugs are approved to treat multiple sclerosis. These drugs can help reduce the frequency and severity of relapses and slow disease progression and disability. Drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:
Drug Approvals
Recent FDA Warnings
In 2012, the FDA warned:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease that involves the central nervous system (CNS), the nerves that comprise the brain and spinal cord. It has two major features:
Myelin is the layer that forms around nerves. Its purpose is to speed the transmission of impulses along nerve cells.
The symptoms, severity, and course of MS vary widely depending partly on the sites of the plaques and the extent of the demyelination.
Multiple sclerosis is thought to be an autoimmune disorder. In autoimmune diseases, immune factors attack the body's own cells. In the case of MS, the immune system attacks the tissues that make up myelin. The damage to myelin, and nerve fibers (axons), is caused by over-active T cells. T cells are a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes.
Doctors generally group multiple sclerosis into four major disease course categories:
As with other autoimmune disorders, the exact cause of MS is unknown. A combination of environmental and genetic factors likely plays a role.
Multiple sclerosis is not hereditary, but genetic factors appear to play a role in making some people susceptible to the disease process leading to the condition. The most significant genetic link to MS occurs in the major histocompatability complex (MHC), a cluster of genes on chromosome 6 that are essential for immune system function. A much smaller percentage of MS cases may be due to variations in interleukin-7 (IL-7) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene receptors, which are also related to immune system regulation.
Multiple sclerosis is more common in certain geographical areas of the world, particularly areas that are farther from the equator. Prevalence is generally highest in northern European and North American countries. The clustering of MS cases in these regions has led researchers to investigate whether certain toxins, infections, or vitamin deficiencies (such as vitamin D) may play a factor in triggering MS in genetically susceptible people.
Infectious organisms, mainly viruses, have long been suspects. They include Epstein-Barr virus (the cause of mononucleosis), herpesvirus 6, herpes simplex virus, influenza, measles, mumps, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and Chlamydia pneumoniae. However, no direct link has been proven between these infections and multiple sclerosis. There is no evidence that any type of vaccination causes multiple sclerosis.
About 400,000 Americans and 2.5 million people worldwide suffer from MS.
MS usually first appears between the ages of 20 and 50, with an average age of about 30. It rarely develops before age 15 or after age 60.
MS is about 2.5 times more common among women than men. The gender gap is strongest among people who develop MS at a younger age. However, some research indicates that men may be more disabled by the disease than women.
Multiple sclerosis occurs worldwide but is most common in Caucasian people of northern European origin, especially those of Scottish descent.
A family history of the disease may put some people at risk for MS, although the risk for someone inheriting all the genetic factors associated with MS is only about 2 - 4%. Some research indicates that family members who have MS tend to develop the disease at around the same age. However, family history does not predict whether one family member will experience the same disease severity as another family member.
Estrogen and Oral Contraceptives. Higher estrogen levels may temporarily lower the risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Studies indicate that oral contraceptives (which contain estrogen) and pregnancy delay the onset of multiple sclerosis. The risk for a first clinical attack increases, however, in the first 6 months after a woman gives birth.
Multiple sclerosis is not a fatal disease. Except in rare cases of severe disease, most people with multiple sclerosis have a normal or near-normal life span and usually die from the same conditions (heart disease or cancer, for example) that affect the general population. Still, MS symptoms can negatively affect quality of life. Suicide rates among patients with MS are higher than average.
The majority of patients with MS do not become severely disabled. Twenty years after diagnosis, about two-thirds of people with MS remain ambulatory and do not need a wheelchair, although many of them may use a cane or crutches for walking assistance. Some patients use an electric scooter or wheelchair to help cope with fatigue or balance problems.
The severity of the disease, and how the disease progresses, varies widely from patient to patient and is unpredictable. About 20% of patients remain asymptomatic or become only mildly symptomatic after an initial clinical event. Another 20% experience a rapidly progressive condition. Most patients will have some degree of disease progression.
Women tend to have a better outlook than men. Factors that determine a higher risk for a severe condition include:
Symptoms of multiple sclerosis appear in a variety of ways. Most patients first have a single attack of symptoms, a neurological episode called a clinical isolated syndrome, which typically occurs between the ages of 20 and 50. Initial symptoms may be mild enough that patients do not always seek medical care. Once a second attack occurs, the patient is considered to have relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Much less commonly, the disease is progressive from the start, with the patient having more or less continuous symptoms.
Symptoms in multiple sclerosis depend on the location of the nerve lesion. Not all symptoms affect all patients.
Symptoms more likely to occur earlier in the disease include:
Other common symptoms that progress over time include:
Bladder and Bowel Problems. Some patients have problems emptying their bladder (urinary retention) and bowels (constipation) or find they cannot control their bladder and bowels (incontinence). Patients with urge incontinence need to urinate frequently or are unable to reach the bathroom before leakage occurs. Bladder problems, and catheterization for urinary retention, can lead to urinary tract infections.
Pain. Most patients have pain at some point during the course of the disease, and many are never completely pain free. MS causes many pain syndromes; some occur for a short time while others continue for a long time. Some worsen with age and disease progression. Pain syndromes associated with MS include trigeminal (facial) pain, powerful spasms and cramps, pressure pain, stiffened joints, and a variety of sensations, including feelings of itching, burning, and shooting pain.
Sexual Dysfunction. Sexual dysfunction is a common problem. Men are likely to have erectile dysfunction, and women often have problems with vaginal lubrication. Sexual dysfunction appears to be highly associated with urinary dysfunction.
Speech and Swallowing Problems. Up to half of patients have trouble chewing or swallowing. Some patients have slurred speech and problems speaking clearly.
Thinking, Concentration, and Memory Problems. Cognitive problems, such as having trouble concentrating, reasoning, and solving problems, affect about half of patients. Up to 75% of patients have problems with memory. These disabilities can create difficulties in the workplace.
Mood Swing.Depression is very common and is sometimes very severe. Depression can be caused both by physical changes in the brain as well as emotional response to the stress of dealing with MS. Less commonly, psychosis (manic depression and paranoia) can occur. About 5% of patients with severe MS have uncontrolled and extreme mood swings where they alternate between uncontrollable laughing and weeping (pseudobulbar affect).
Some patients find that MS flares (relapses) are triggered by certain factors. Possible symptom triggers include.
Infections. Viral and bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections, may provoke MS symptoms.
Heat and Cold. Sudden changes in temperature or humidity can trigger symptoms. Many patients with MS have heat intolerance and find that heat worsens their symptoms.
Stress. Many patients report that stress worsens their symptoms.
Most patients first seek medical help after an initial attack of symptoms, called a clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Not all patients who have a CIS go on to develop MS, and it is difficult to predict which patients will or will not.
Multiple sclerosis can be challenging to diagnose as there is no one test for it, and a number of other conditions may mimic its symptoms. To confirm a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis the doctor needs to find:
A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is based on results from a combination of various tests. These include the patient's medical history, neurological exam, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, evoked potential tests, and possibly a spinal fluid test.
The doctor will ask about the patient's personal and family medical history, including lifestyle factors, prescription or other drug use, and other medical conditions that the patient or relatives may have had. The doctor will ask the patient to describe their symptoms, when they occurred, and how long they lasted.
In a neurological exam, the doctor will test the patient's vision and reflexes and evaluate balance, coordination, and muscle strength.
This is a simple and painless electrical test of nerve function that assesses how long it takes nerve impulses from the eye, ear, or skin to reach the brain. It involves having electrodes placed on the scalp over specific areas of the brain that process sensory information. Evoked potential tests can be used to evaluate nerve transmission for vision, sound, or muscle responses in the legs or arms.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are important diagnostic tools in MS and are used for diagnosing multiple sclerosis, tracking changes over time, and helping to determine treatment effectiveness.
MRIs scans can detect bright patches that indicate areas of damaged myelin and injured tissue (lesions) caused by MS. However, about 5% of people who are confirmed to have multiple sclerosis based on other diagnostic criteria, do not show evidence of lesions in an initial MRI.
Once diagnosed, periodic follow-up MRIs can be used to track the disease and effectiveness of treatments in two ways:
A spinal fluid test by itself cannot confirm or exclude multiple sclerosis but it can be useful when combined with other tests. Obtaining a sample of spinal fluid requires a lumbar puncture (also called spinal tap). Spinal fluid in patients with MS usually contains unusually high levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies as well as other proteins and fragments of myelin. These can be signs of an autoimmune disorder, but not necessarily multiple sclerosis.
A lumbar puncture, or spinal tap, is a procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid to check for the presence of disease or injury. A spinal needle is inserted, usually between the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae in the lower spine. Once the needle is properly positioned in the subarachnoid space (the space between the spinal cord and its covering, the meninges), pressures can be measured and fluid can be collected for testing.
The symptoms of MS overlap with a number of other diseases that must be ruled out. These conditions include stroke, alcoholism, emotional disorders, Lyme disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, AIDS, cervical spondylosis, certain neurologic degenerative illnesses, transverse myelitis, and certain other autoimmune disorders (hypothyroidism, scleroderma, Sjogren syndrome, vasculitis, and systemic lupus erythematosus).
The goals of treatment for multiple sclerosis are:
Patients are recommended to seek care from a neurologist experienced in treating multiple sclerosis.
Early Treatment. Evidence strongly suggests that the most destructive changes from multiple sclerosis in the brain occur very early on in the disease process -- and may cause considerable damage even before symptoms begin.
Many doctors recommend treatment after a first neurological episode of MS (a clinically isolated syndrome) using disease-modifying drugs. The best current approach is to use specific findings from MRI scans to determine patients at highest risk for progression, making them likely candidates for early treatment with these drugs.
Over a third of patients will progress even with immediate treatment, but without early treatment about half of patients will progress to clinically identifiable multiple sclerosis.
Eight disease-modifying drugs are approved by the FDA for treatment of multiple sclerosis:
The interferon drugs (Betaseron, Extavia, Avonex) and glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) are given by self-injection at home. Natalizumab (Tysabri) and Mitoxantrone (Novantrone) are given by injection in a hospital or medical clinic setting.
Most of these drugs are taken on a long-term basis. They can help reduce disease activity and progression for relapse-remitting MS (the most common form of MS) and other types of MS that have relapses (secondary-progressive MS, progressive-relapsing MS). At this time, there are no proven treatments for primary-progressive MS. Disease-modifying drugs can have significant side effects.
If disease-modifying drugs do not work, doctors may try other drugs that are not specifically approved for MS. They include intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), methotrexate, azathrioprine (Imuran), and cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan).
A relapse (also called exacerbation or flare-up) is an attack that brings about new symptoms or worsening of old symptoms. It is caused by inflammation in the central nervous system. Relapses can be mild or severe. They may last from a few days to several months.
Pseudoexacerbations are temporary worsening of symptoms that are usually caused by an external trigger, such as infection, heat, or stress. Pseudoexacerbations do not involve myelin inflammation and symptoms usually subside within 24 hours. To be considered a true relapse or exacerbation, symptoms and neurological signs must last at least 24 hours and occur at least 30 days after a previous attack.
Not all acute relapses require treatment. For attacks that are severe, a short course of high-dose corticosteroid drugs is the standard treatment. Typically, intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) is given for 3 - 5 days. Sometimes this is followed by oral prednisolone for a few days. Long-term treatment with corticosteroids is not recommended. These drugs can cause serious side effects and do not have any effect on MS disease progression.
Other treatment options for relapses are injections of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and plasmapheresis (plasma exchange). These treatments are usually reserved for a small percentage of patients with very severe symptoms who do not respond to steroid drugs.
MS symptoms are managed through a combination of treatment approaches that include medications, self-care, and physical and occupational therapy.
Drugs that are specifically approved for treating symptoms associated with MS include:
Oral Medications. There are numerous new drugs for multiple sclerosis that are currently being investigated in clinical trials. Among them are several new oral medications, including dimethyl fumarate (BG-12), a pill for relapse-remitting MS that has shown promise in phase III trials.
Stem Cell Transplantation. Investigators are studying the benefits of stem cell transplantation procedures. Stem cells are produced in the bone marrow and are the early forms for all blood cells in the body (including red, white, and immune cells). Early studies indicate that stem cell transplantation may slow MS progression. Larger randomized controlled trials are currently under way.
Unproven Treatments. Patients with MS should be highly skeptical about treatments touted for MS that are unproven, have not been rigorously investigated, and have scant scientific evidence for safety or efficacy. In 2012, for example, the FDA warned of injuries and deaths associated with "liberation therapy." This surgical procedure uses balloon angioplasty devices or stents to widen veins in the chest and neck associated with chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI). However, there is no proven link between CCSVI and MS. The procedure has caused stroke, nerve damage, and death in several patients.
Interferons (so-called because they "interfere" with viral replication) suppress inflammatory factors in the immune system that are associated with the attack on myelin. Interferon drugs are the main treatments for relapsing-remitting MS. Doctors recommend that these medications be used early in the course of the disease and continued indefinitely, unless they produce no benefits or have severe side effects. When the drug is discontinued, disease activity may increase.
Brands. Interferon drugs used for MS are interferon beta-1b (Betaseron, Extavia) and interferon beta-1a (Avonex, Rebif). Avonex and Rebif are the same chemical, but Avonex is given as weekly intramuscular injection and Rebif is taken as subcutaneous injections three times a week.
Side Effects. Side effects include:
Neutralizing Antibodies That Reduce Effectiveness. Over time, people taking interferons develop antibodies to the drugs, some of which can neutralize their effects. The risk for neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) increases with higher doses and greater frequency of use. Interferons injected under the skin (Betaseron, Rebif) are more likely to produce neutralizing antibodies than Avonex, which is injected into a muscle. Patients who have this reaction may be treated with an alternative interferon or with glatiramer, which has an extremely low risk, for NAbs. Often after switching drugs, NAb levels decline, and the patient may be able to return to the original interferon.
Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) is a synthetic molecule that resembles a basic protein found in myelin. It is used as a decoy to trick white blood cells into attacking it instead of myelin. It is approved to help reduce the frequency of relapses in patients with relapse-remitting MS. It comes in pre-filled syringes and is given by subcutaneous (under the skin) injections.
The best results are for patients in early stages of MS, but the longer patients remain on the drug, the greater the improvement. Benefits have lasted for years. Glatiramer acetate appears to work as well as interferon beta drugs in decreasing the number and severity of relapses, but it may have less effect on lesions.
Side Effects. Side effects may occur right after the injection. They include pain at the injection site, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, flushing, anxiety, and shortness of breath.
Natalizumab (Tysabri) is a monoclonal antibody drug approved for treatment of MS. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) are drugs that target specific antibodies involved with the immune response. Natalizumab should only be taken by patients who have not responded to or who cannot tolerate other disease-modifying drugs. Natalizumab can only be taken alone, not in combination with other immune-modifying drugs. The drug is given by IV infusion once every 4 weeks.
Many patients who take natalizumab have reported great improvement in reduction of MS relapses and the drug appears to work well in slowing disease progression. However, natalizumab does carry risks for potentially serious side effects.
Common Side Effects. Common side effects include headache, fatigue, depression, joint pain, abdominal and chest discomfort, along with urinary tract, pneumonia, and other infections.
Severe Side Effects. Patients who take natalizumab must be monitored for signs of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). PML is a rare neurological disease that can affect people with compromised immune systems. As of 2012, PML had occurred in several hundred patients out of nearly 100,000 treated with the drug.
The risk for PML appears to increase when patients receive more than 24 natalizumab infusions (2 years of treatment). The risk is also increased if a patient has previously used an immunosuppressant drug (such as mitoxantrone, azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide, or mycophenolate). Natalizumab should not be given in combination with another immunomodulatory medication, and patients with compromised immune systems should not receive this drug. The risks for PML are reduced when natalizumab is given alone and not in combination with other immunomodulatory medications.
Patients who take natalizumab must enroll in a special program called TOUCH, which is run by the drug's manufacturer. Patients need to get magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scans before they begin taking the drug, and they are evaluated regularly during drug treatment to make sure they are not at risk of developing PML. Symptoms of PML may include progressive weakness on one side of the body, clumsiness of limbs, vision disturbances, and changes in thinking, memory, and orientation that may result in confusion or personality changes.
Natalizumab may also cause liver abnormalities. Cases of liver injury have been reported within a week after a first dose of natalizumab, as well as after multiple doses. Signs of liver injury include yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice), sudden darkening of urine, fatigue, and nausea and vomiting. Patients should immediately contact their doctors if any of these symptoms develop. If blood tests confirm liver injury, natalizumab should be discontinued.
Mitoxantrone (Novantrone) was the first drug approved specifically for secondary-progressive MS and progressive-relapsing MS. It is also used to treat worsening relapsing-remitting MS. Mitoxantrone is often used in combination with an interferon beta drug or glatiramer acetate (Copaxone).
Cumulative doses can have toxic effects on the heart, including heart failure, so the drug is only used for a limited period of 2 - 3 years. Patients should have a heart evaluation, including evaluation of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), before starting this drug and before each dose administration. Mitoxantrone can also increase the risk for leukemia.
Side Effects. In addition to risks of heart damage, common side effects of mitoxantrone include nausea, thinning hair, bladder infections, mouth sores, and loss of menstrual periods. Patients may experience a temporary bluish color to their urine or eyes during the first 24 hours after IV infusion.
Fingolimod (Gilenya) was the first oral drug approved to treat relapsing forms of MS. Approved in 2010, fingolimod may help reduce relapses (flare-ups) and delay disability progression. Fingolimod is taken daily as a pill.
Fingolimod is the first in a new class of drugs called sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor (S1PR) modulators. It is thought to work by keeping white blood cells (lymphocytes) contained to the lymph nodes and preventing them from traveling to the central nervous system where they could damage the myelin that protects nerve fibers.
Common Side Effects. Common side effects may include headache, influenza, diarrhea, back pain, cough, and abnormal liver enzymes.
Severe Side Effects. Fingolimod can decrease heart rate (bradycardia, or bradyarrythmia) especially after the first dose. (The doctor should monitor the patient for six hours after the first dose to make sure there are no heart problems.) Heart rates usually stabilize within a month after starting fingolimod. Because of these cardiac side effects, patients with certain pre-existing heart conditions or recent history of heart attack or stroke should not use fingolimod.
Other serious side effects include macular edema (fluid accumulation in a part of the eye's retina), increased risk of serious infections, and shortness of breath. Fingolimod can cause liver problems; patients should have liver tests before starting the drug. This drug may cause birth defects. Women of childbearing age who take fingolimod should use birth control while on the drug.
In 2012, the FDA approved teriflunomide (Aubagio), the second oral treatment for relapsing forms of MS. Like fingolimod, teriflunomide is taken as a once-daily pill. Heath risks for liver problems and birth defects are similar to those of fingolimod.
People with multiple sclerosis should make every effort to preserve their general health. A healthy diet, sufficient rest, establishing priorities to conserve energy, and developing emotional support networks can all be very helpful.
Patients with MS can benefit from various rehabilitation services to help them cope with the physical and emotional symptoms of their condition.
Physical Therapy. Physical therapists can provide professional guidance on exercise programs. Patients with MS should engage in a variety of exercises including stretching, muscle strengthening, and range-of-motion. Exercise can help reduce fatigue and relieve muscle spasticity. Physical therapists can also provide advice on how to best use mobility aids (such as canes, crutches, and scooters) and other assistive devices.
Occupational Therapy. Occupational therapists help patients learn how to improve their functioning and independence within their home and workplace environments. They can provide professional advice on what sort of adaptive tools, such as grab bars, should be used in the bathroom, bedroom, and kitchen. Occupational therapists may also be able to evaluate and treat problems with thinking and memory.
Vocational Therapy. Vocational therapists provide guidance on how patients can best manage in the workplace.
Speech/Language Therapy. Speech and language therapists treat problems with speech and communication. They can also help address problems with swallowing.
Psychological Therapies. Psychotherapy can help patients and their families cope with a difficult and chronic disease.
Some dietary suggestions for patients with MS include:
Special diets, such as those that are gluten- or yeast-free, do not have any direct effect on the symptoms or course of MS.
Body overheating causes demyelinated nerves to function less efficiently than usual. Although this effect is resolved within a few hours of regaining normal body temperature, active cooling can help reduce fatigue and improve stability.
The following measures may help:
MS symptoms worsen during a cold or the flu, probably because of increased immune system activity. Doctors recommend that patients with MS receive a flu shot in the fall. However, patients should not take the nasal spray version of the flu vaccine (FluMist Intranasal). Unlike the flu injection vaccine, which uses an inactivated virus, FluMist contains a live virus. Live virus vaccinations may be harmful for people with MS, especially those who take immune-suppressing drugs.
Many patients with MS try some form of nontraditional remedies. Research on any benefits is slim, and there may be some danger with certain herbal remedies. Alternative therapies used to treat MS include:
Relaxation and Meditation Techniques. Patients may try relaxation, meditation, biofeedback, music therapy, yoga, tai chi, and massage therapy. They are generally harmless, and possibly helpful.
Acupuncture. Some patients report benefit from acupuncture.
Generally, manufacturers of herbal remedies and dietary supplements do not need FDA approval to sell their products. Just like a drug, herbs and supplements can affect the body's chemistry, and therefore have the potential to produce side effects that may be harmful. There have been a number of reported cases of serious and even lethal side effects from herbal products. Patients should check with their doctor before using any herbal remedies or dietary supplements
The following warnings are of particular importance for people with multiple sclerosis:
Calabresi P. Multiple sclerosis and demyelinating conditions of the central nervous system. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2012:chap 419.
Farinotti M, Simi S, Di Pietrantonj C, McDowell N, Brait L, Lupo D, Filippini G. Dietary interventions for multiple sclerosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2007 Jan 24;(1):CD004192.
Goodin DS, Cohen BA, O'Connor P, Kappos L, Stevens JC; Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Assessment: the use of natalizumab (Tysabri) for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (an evidence-based review): report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2008 Sep 2;71(10):766-73
International Multiple Sclerosis Genetics Consortium, Hafler DA, Compston A, Sawcer S,Lander ES, Daly MJ, et al. Risk alleles for multiple sclerosis identified by a genomewide study. N Engl J Med. 2007 Aug 30;357(9):851-62. Epub 2007 Jul 29.
Kappos L, Freedman MS, Polman CH, Edan G, Hartung HP, Miller DH, et al. Effect of early versus delayed interferon beta-1b treatment on disability after a first clinical event suggestive of multiple sclerosis: a 3-year follow-up analysis of the BENEFIT study. Lancet. 2007 Aug 4;370(9585):389-97.
Kappos L, Radue EW, O'Connor P, Polman C, Hohlfeld R, Calabresi P, et al. A placebo-controlled trial of oral fingolimod in relapsing multiple sclerosis. N Engl J Med. 2010 Feb 4;362(5):416-26. Epub 2010 Jan 20.
Khan F, Ng L, Turner-Stokes L. Effectiveness of vocational rehabilitation intervention on the return to work and employment of persons with multiple sclerosis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Jan 21;(1):CD007256002819.
Kuehn BM. FDA warns about the risks of unproven surgical therapy for multiple sclerosis. JAMA. 2012 Jun 27;307(24):2575-6.
Lovera J, Bagert B, Smoot K, Morris CD, Frank R, Bogardus K, et al. Ginkgo biloba for the improvement of cognitive performance in multiple sclerosis: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Mult Scler. 2007 Apr;13(3):376-85. Epub 2007 Jan 29.
Marriott JJ, Miyasaki JM, Gronseth G, O'Connor PW; Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Evidence Report: The efficacy and safety of mitoxantrone (Novantrone) in the treatment of multiple sclerosis: Report of the Therapeutics and Technology Assessment Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology. 2010 May 4;74(18):1463-70.
Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Consensus Group (MSTCG), Wiendl H, Toyka KV, Rieckmann P, Gold R, Hartung HP, et al. Basic and escalating immunomodulatory treatments in multiple sclerosis: current therapeutic recommendations. J Neurol. 2008 Oct;255(10):1449-63. Epub 2008 Oct 29.
Pelletier D, Hafler DA. Fingolimod for multiple sclerosis. N Engl J Med. 2012 Jan 26;366(4):339-47.
Polman CH, Reingold SC, Banwell B, Clanet M, Cohen JA, Filippi M, et al. Diagnostic criteria for multiple sclerosis: 2010 revisions to the McDonald criteria. Ann Neurol. 2011 Feb;69(2):292-302. doi: 10.1002/ana.22366.
Prakash RS, Snook EM, Lewis JM, Motl RW, Kramer AF. Cognitive impairments in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a meta-analysis. Mult Scler. 2008 Nov;14(9):1250-61. Epub 2008 Aug 13.
Ransohoff RM. Natalizumab for multiple sclerosis. N Engl J Med. 2007 Jun 21;356(25):2622-9.
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Is that a bakers hat on the summit of Mount Baker? On this day Craig Willis became the 10th person to complete the WA County Highpoints. June 20, 2012.
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James H Shannon
Civil War Soldier
submitted by Sue B. Moore
"If you teach them where they come from, they won't need as much help finding where they are going!"
Cordelia Carothers " Aunt Dee" Geoghegan (1894-1987)
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CLEVELAND — Cleveland's police chief says the three women held captive in a house for nearly a decade were restrained with ropes and chains and allowed out into the back yard occasionally.
Chief Michael McGrath said in an interview on NBC's "Today" show Wednesday that the physical condition of the three women rescued Monday was "very good considering the circumstances."
McGrath says he was "absolutely" sure police did everything they could to find the women over the years. He disputed claims by neighbors that officers had been called to the house before for suspicious circumstances.
McGrath says the three men who have been arrested in the case "are talking" but he wouldn't say if they have confessed. He says a charging decision could come later Wednesday.


text:
In earlier blog post SQL SERVER – Basic Explanation of Query Hint NOWAIT – How to Not Wait on Locked Query, we learned how we can use NOWAIT query hint to not wait on any locked query and return error. The Query Hint works on query and table level. There is similar setting which can work at a connection level as well, it is SET LOCK_TIMEOUT. When any connection starts the value of the SET LOCK_TIMEOUT is -1, which means that the query has to wait for infinite time for the lock to be released on another query. If you want to simulate the scenario of SET LOCK_TIMEOUT to match NOWAIT query hint, it should be set to value 0. Let us see a similar example where we demonstrate how SET LOCK_TIMEOUT works.
First Let us create a table:
USE tempdb
CREATE TABLE First (ID INT, Col1 VARCHAR(10))
INSERT INTO First (ID, Col1)
VALUES (1, 'First')
Now let us open two different connections.
Run following command in the First Connection:
DELETE FROM First
Run following command in the Second Connection:
SELECT ID, Col1
FROM First
In this case, I have set the value of the SET LOCK_TIMEOUT to 2000 milliseconds. This query will wait for 2 seconds to another query to release the lock. If another query does not release the lock in 2 seconds, it will display the following error:
Msg 1222, Level 16, State 45, Line 3
Lock request time out period exceeded.
This is the same error which we have discussed in an earlier blog post here.
Here are a couple of very interesting differences between SET LOCK_TIMEOUT and NOWAIT query hint.
- User can configure the time to wait before throwing error in SET LOCK_TIMEOUT, whereas in case of NOWAIT it is always zero (o).
- The scope of the SET LOCK_TIMEOUT is wholly connected however the scope of NOWAIT is the table where it is applied.
I guess, now it is very clear when to use what. In my daily routine I usually use SET LOCK_TIMEOUT as it gives me more flexibility and achieves the same purpose as NOWAIT.
Reference: Pinal Dave (https://blog.sqlauthority.com)
6 Comments. Leave new
Thanks Pinal sir.
Thanks for sharing.
if we put query timeout to 600 then how much time it take sir..
From what I understood from Pinal Example is, the time mentioned in the set statement is in milli seconds, if you set the value as 600 it actually means 0.6 seconds, the query will wait for .6 seconds. In the example Pinal has used 2000 milli seconds which means 2 seconds, same is shown with an arrow in the screenshot.
hello pinal sir
sir what is mean by log shipping in sql server 2005
sir i want to download turo c
plz sir send link of download site
Great information, does this do the same for blocked tables (as compared to locked tables)


text:
Click here to read a Consumer Update on food safety precautions for eating outdoors.
FDA Consumer Updates may be posted and published elsewhere without permission. Please credit "FDA Consumer Health Information" as the source. FDA values feedback on its consumer health information. Send questions, comments or story ideas to: [email protected].
For rates and information on advertising, call Mike McCurdy at 877-634-9180. Or email at [email protected] We have over 7,000 journalists as subscribers.


text:
Wincing and Dining with Pujols
Pujols' oblique muscle strain caused pain for Cardinal Nation today. Let's hope he's not out for too long, and let's hope some of our minor leaguers can step up to fill a couple of mighty big gaps in the lineup. Personally, I wonder if Pujols just wants a couple of weeks off so he can be more hands-on and prevent his wife from having total control of his new Westport eatery?? Albert and Diedre don't have much time to redo boring ol' Patrick's before a planned reopening as Pujols 5 in August. I look forward to sampling the arroz con plasma screens and drowning my sorrows in Bud Light if the Cards don't stop getting hurt.


text:
Related quotes
"Teaching is more than imparting knowledge, it is inspiring change.
Learning is more than absorbing facts, it is acquiring understanding."
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand."


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Isaac Clarke returns, joined by merciless soldier John Carver, to chase a risky plan that promises to finally stop the Necromorphs. Together Clarke and Carver must explore the frozen planet of Tau Volantis and track down the secret they hope will end the Necromorph plague forever, all while overcoming avalanches, treacherous ice-climbs, and the violent wilderness. Facing deadlier evolved enemies and brutal elements, the unlikely pair must work together to save mankind from the impending apocalypse.
- Team Up in Co-op
Team up with a partner as Isaac Clarke or John Carver as you take down your enemies together. The unlikely pair will work together to build weapons, overcome the harsh environment, and most importantly save mankind from the impending apocalypse.
- Play as Carver
Dead Space 3 introduces Earthgov Sergeant John Carver, a merciless soldier with a complex history that is revealed during the co-op campaign. Unlock collectibles and new paths using clues only Carver can see as he comes to grips with his traumatic past. Together with Isaac Clarke you will fight to discover the secret to stopping the Necromorph infestation.
- Change the Game
Fighting alongside a co-op partner changes the way you play the game. While playing the co-op version of Dead Space 3's campaign, you will uncover additional story elements, cut-scenes, and battle strategies that are exclusive to this mode. Play how you want - immerse yourself in the classic single-player campaign with Isaac Clarke, then discover how the story evolves when a co-op partner is present in your campaign.
- Drop in Drop out
Play together with a friend or go it alone as Isaac Clarke using the seamless new drop in, drop out functionality. Your partner can join and leave at any checkpoint in the game, so you'll never have to backtrack or play catch-up.


text:
proven reliable on a study conducted in Spain
10.10.2011 - A study conducted by the Centre for
Legal Studies (CEJFE) in Catalonia, Spain has proved wrong the assumption that in the
judicial sphere, the testimonies of child victims of sexual abuse are unreliable.
As part of the study, 135 children aged between three and six, have been tested and
were able to recount traumatic experiences in great detail with a margin of error
of five percent.
Traditionally, the judicial system in Spain has expressed doubts on the reliability
of the testimonies of children, but this study concludes that even if children's testimonies
do contain flaws, they should never be disregarded in courts.
Please read the
related article on CRIN (Children Rights Information Network).


text:
Robert was spotted again at a SoHo pub in London for open mic night. Apparently, he was there with some buddies and performed two songs which apparently "silenced the room" with how good he was. Read more at Perez Hilton!
In a separate appearance, Robert was spotted looking a little hairy recently, sporting a beard. Source: Lion_lamb LJ
Edit: Oops. I just read over at Spunk Ransom that these leaked Robert photos were from somebody's private Facebook account, and not necessarily meant to be shared, but now they're everywhere...
January 20, 2009
Robert Pattinson playing surprise Pub gigs in London + Leaked Facebook Photos
2 comments:
poor over-exposed Rob, but hey if he's gonna be exploited like this, can we at least get some audio?ReplyDelete
i'm just asking..
Yes, yes, he is over exposed and exploited by the media. But everyone in the world seems to have a Robsession and Twilight has come and gone? I think Rob will just have to settle for being a sexy movie star phenom and live life to the fullest for it. ;)ReplyDelete
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Review Group Week 214 - IRREDEEMABLE #12
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
by S.F. Jude Terror » Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:17 am
Here's the thing, on its most basic level.
If OMD is/was the beginning of a plot that will eventually be resolved, I'm cool with it. If it was a story with no other purpose than to undo Peter's marriage, it feels too much like a DC universe reboot to me and drives me crazy. I mean, I don't care one way or the other if Peter is married to MJ. I would just like them to, at some point in the future, address and resolve what, to me, was the beginning of a story. A spider-man story doesn't END with Peter making a deal with Mephisto. Something has to happen later. When I believe that something will happen, I'll jump back on board, maybe pick up some hardcovers.
by S.F. Jude Terror » Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:18 amI will DEFINITELY be doing a review this week. I had to review Jeff Parker's Mysterius trade as an obligation first, which I did last night, so I'll be doing this hopefully tomorrow.
by Eric Ratcliffe » Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:32 am
You make it sound like that book is a chore to read. Mysterious is awesome and a fun read.
by S.F. Jude Terror » Sun Mar 21, 2010 12:41 am
You're so sensitive!
I loved it and gave it a high score. I just mean it was an obligation because the book comes out soon and I had to get the review done fast because I got it late because I just got on the Wildstorm review copies list two weeks ago (otherwise I would have sent it out to one of the staff writers to review).
In any case, the review will be posted on the front page tomorrow.
by Eric Ratcliffe » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:32 am
Nuh-uh you are!
by S.F. Jude Terror » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:44 am
by Frag » Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:46 am
How am I a hypocrite? You were the hypocrite in that thread because you complained about the same thing that you did in starlord's thread.
My god punchy, you're so dense sometimes.
by thefourthman » Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:45 am
There have been hints since the very beginning of Brand New Day to this day that OMD is a story that will resolve itself eventually. This is most evident every time MJ is in the book, because she remembers more than even Peter seems to know. It is a very long process and epic in that manner.
by 3MJ » Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:48 am
Exactly how I feel.
by thefourthman » Sun Mar 21, 2010 5:49 amSo after rereading Irredeemable Vol. 1, for the second time, I still don't get it. I have actually read issue 1 three times now and still don't remember much of it.
Furthermore, upon reading Morrison's afterword, I am fully convinced there is another book called Irredeemable that the rest of the comics world is reading that is different from the one I keep reading. The one he describes sounds awesome. The one I keep reading is derivative, boring, and ultimately forgettable. Anyhow, he goes the first reading of volume 2.
by thefourthman » Sun Mar 21, 2010 6:55 amSo volume two was better until the end. It was cool to get real insight into what brought about Plutonian's breakdown, but two things really bugged me in the end of this volume.
1st, Charybdis's little Dues Ex Machina... . I still have my powers... bite me. If Tony is so omniscent because of his powers, why didn't he know that Cary was all superpowerful upon waking up, wouldn't he especially be paying attention to the heroes that he is trying to take out. Wouldn't all that uncontrolled energy make the hospital moniters freak out... it doesn't gell with the Tony that is presented earlier in the book... sure he is distracted, but he still had the wherewithall to figure out the baddies' plans, why not those he is closest to.
Then there is Samsara being the breaking point. It's a little weak, maybe if there had been more exploration of the relationship between Sam and Tony, I could buy it. But all we know about Sam in this book where everyone is hiding something, we are supposed to take on heresay second accounts.
It's sloppy story telling at best and weakens what was otherwise a very strong stretch of the book. It's a shame, because before I got to issue Eight, I was really starting to dig it.
I'll 9-11 later today and then take another break before I read 12.
by Punchy » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:34 am
I'd be OK if they never mentioned Mephisto ever again.
Just concentrate on telling good Spider-Man stories, which is what they're doing.
by thefourthman » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:37 am
really it's not.
a. there are the continuing threads.
b. the only way that story (OMD) is acceptable is that it is resolved... getting JMS off the book would have helped, OMD did not need to happen to get him off the book.
by Punchy » Sun Mar 21, 2010 7:45 am
The only threads that really need to be answered don't necessarily have to involve Mephisto, the Harry Osborn reveal proves that. The restoration of the secret identity probably has nothing to do with Mephisto.
I know they probably will address it this year, that jigsaw teaser shows that, but I don't think it's necessary, I'm perfectly fine with them not going back to it, and just moving forwards.
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text:
Hi Reg, long time no see...Do you see many fridge failures in the field? (I am assuming you do their wty work )
Most parts are available at SearsPartsDirect RepairClinicMCM Electronics(search for part number)
..they are very difficult to get parts..( I am currently waiting on a washer hose for a week now)..
Change isn't the problem all manufacturers are upgrading their technology. The problem I find is they sell appliances in areas without considering tech support and they are very difficult to get parts out of. ( I am currently waiting on a washer hose for a week now). Every time I work on an LG I run into this problem. If a customer asks me about which appliance I would recomend I always steer them away from LG. Nobody wants to wait weeks to get an appliance fixed. John you sound like an LG rep spewing the company line to me.
..The hose is for a Tromm 609kwta00145 it is the hose between the tub and pump.
... If LG or any other manufacturer wants to survive in this market they must make it convienient for their customers to get the things repaired. This means having most parts readily available to be supplied through parts houses so techs everywhere can easily access them.


text: Yes, there was some hint of evil Marilyn. The hoboes finding a home wasn't evil, though, but offbeat sentimentality. There was also explicit family dynamics that didn't fit evil Marilyn. Nor did her attempt to save the scoutmaster fit that. If she was supposed to killed him on purpose, the scene was incorrectly set up. For one thing, the "oops" was too cute by half. They probably would have tried to get the character to gel, but it was too blurry to keep my interest.


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She was born March 2, 1962, in Columbus, Ohio. Bonnie was a member of Restoration Church in Russellville.
Survivors include her father, Wilburn Perkins and wife Linda, of Bryant; her mother, Ivory Wright and husband Charles, of Bryant; her fiance J.D. Jones; her son, Michael Moss of Dardanelle; her daughter, Amber Welch and husband Steven of Oklahoma; two brothers and sisters-in-law, Anthony and Stephanie Jarrett of Benton and Jeff and Tonya Jarrett of Arkadelphia; two sisters, Connie Smith of Haskell and Sandy Turtley of Conway; two grandchildren, Joshua Wagner and Colby Henderson.
A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Saturday, July 6, 2013, at Salem Cemetery in Plainview, officiated by the Rev. Jerry Graham and Rev. James Findley. Pallbearers will be David Moss, J.D. Jones, Anthony Jarrett, Tim White, General White, and Jeff Jarrett.
All arrangements are under the direction of Broussard Funeral Home of Russellville.
Visitation will be conducted from 6-8 p.m. today at Broussard Funeral Home of Russellville, 3323 E. 6th St., 968-1143, with an open visitation from 8:30-11 a.m. Saturday morning.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donation be made to Broussard Funeral Home to help defray funeral costs.
The online obituary and guestbook are available at www.broussardfuneral.com.


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Hello all,
My fiancée has an aging HP dm1 (AMD E-350, 2 GB RAM) that seems to be increasingly frustrating for her to use. She is a school teacher, and she uses this computer for work (word processing) as well as surfing the internet. This is the only computer she owns, and she was able to get it for $250 during some Groupon deal about 1-1.5 years ago. She has been saying that the computer has become increasingly slow over time, with increased lag during single tasks and multitasking. I understand that a majority of the problem (aside from the relatively anemic CPU) is the low amount of RAM the computer has.
I was entertaining the idea of buying more RAM, and maybe throwing in a SSD. The total upgrade cost will be a little under $200. I know that this will help improve her computing experience tremendously, but I'm concerned the system is hamstrung by its lack of CPU power. I don't just want to throw away $200 if I'm going to have to end up getting her a new computer anyway. So, I'm wondering if it might be better to just get her a new PC. She is not necessarily in the market for a new computer, but I feel that if I could find one in her price range (lowest possible) that meets her needs, I might be able to convince her that it's worth it. What makes this a bit more challenging is that she likes the sub 13" form factor, and probably won't be interested in anything bigger than that. I appreciate any help/suggestions you all can give me. Thanks!


text:
Weber State's Jody Sears and Liberty's Turner Gill are the only first-year FCS head coaches without victories this season, but both hope to change that fact this weekend.
Part of the blame for Weber State's 0-5 start can be related to a very tough schedule. The Wildcats' first two games were on the road at FBS Fresno State and BYU, and they also have lost against nationally ranked McNeese State and Eastern Washington.
In all, WSU has been outscored 110-12 in the first half of its five losses this season. It doesn't get much easier this week as the Wildcats host No. 20 Cal Poly in a Big Sky Conference game Friday night.
In a very similar situation, Liberty (0-4) also has fallen victim to playing difficult opponents. The Flames, perennial powers in the Big South Conference, lost a heartbreaker to open the season at Wake Forest, 20-17, then faced Norfolk State, Montana and Lehigh.
Gill has had to deal with plenty of injuries to key players, including having to start redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Woodrum at then-No. 12 Montana in Missoula.
With a 28-26 loss to Lehigh on Sept. 22, Liberty fell to 0-4 for the first time since 1982. The Flames have had two weeks to prepare for Saturday's home game against Gardner-Webb.


text:
Lookbook: Supreme x The North Face® Mountain Parka, Medium Day Pack Backpack And Roo II
Supreme joins up with an old homie this Spring to produce a new line of The North Face Mountain Parkas, Medium Day Pack Backpacks and Roo IIs.
The new pieces are exclusively fit for Supreme, with the Mountain Parka featuring a 3M® reflective shell with abrasion resistant ripstop panels on the shoulders, elbows and cuffs. The color choices seem to be "Day vs Night" inspired, coming in hues of red, black, white, and grey. The reflective shell makes its way onto the Medium Day Pack Backpack and Roo II as well. The lightweight alternative that these offer makes this a suitable choice for those days when a snorkel is overkill.
Grab these up in stores in NYC, LA, London and online on April 4th, with Japan getting shipments on April 6th.


text:
I have just updated to the recent most version on windows 7 ultimate and noticed I am not getting traffic movement on the indicator while surfing or streaming radio.
I have just updated to the recent most version on windows 7 ultimate and noticed I am not getting traffic movement on the indicator while surfing or streaming radio.
Last edited by GeorgeV; September 30th, 2010 at 10:07 AM. Reason: YouTube link Violates Posted Fourm Rules
I'm Sorry, but This seems to be a Problem on your particular Computer..
as the Moderator explained in another thread, THIS IS NOT A BUG in ZA 9.3.037.000..
Just a simple "Fluff Feature" not needed for your protection..
Maybe you had an upgrade issue. Try uninstalling using our uninstaller, then install 9.3.037 again with Default settings to see if that helps.
*** NOTE: This is a plain and simple Fluff feature and that's all it is with no real purpose and has no real function in Protection provided by Zone alarm...
ZoneAlarm® Extreme Security
Click here for ZA Support
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How can you say ~~snip~~ that its MY PC thats causing the ZoneAlarm traffic indicator not to function properly, when indeed it is a bug in ZONEALARM. If I revert back to a previous version the indicator works flawlessly, so there is NO issue with my computer as I am not a beginner with ZA or in the computer industry. ~~snip~~
Last edited by fax; September 30th, 2010 at 08:28 AM. Reason: offtopic - user disparage - against forum rules
the issue has been already discussed here:
Tray icon is static although there is internet traffic
and official feedback already given.
Please read it and if you disagree then there is nothing you can do than contacting ZA staff and explain that this is not the case and that there is a problem. We are all users here and there is little use to keep insisting on a potential issues if an official response has already been given.
Thank you in advance for your understanding and support.
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text:
Australian GP - Thursday - Press Conference
DRIVERS - Felipe MASSA (Williams), Daniel RICCIARDO (Red Bull Racing), Kevin MAGNUSSEN (McLaren), Lewis HAMILTON (Mercedes), Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull Racing), Fernando ALONSO (Ferrari)
Q:Sebastian, can we start with you. You're a four-time world champion, it's your 121st grand prix and your seventh season in Formula One. Four times a world champion consecutively but would it be fair say that as we sit here today you're not terribly optimistic about making it a fifth in a row this year?
Sebastian VETTEL: I don't think that's fair to say. It's a long year. Our pre-season testing, our preparation, hasn't been ideal and, yeah, we're probably not in the best position for this race but I think it's a different story when we think about the championship. There's a long way to go. Two years back Fernando was on the grid with 1.5 seconds to pole position but he was very close to beating us to the title at the very last race. Anything can happen. That's why this race is important, just as any other one. But there are a lot of races this year.
Q:Obviously we've all seen from the outside, and you've mentioned now the difficulties you had in pre-season testing but what are you doing to try to put that right - you personally?
Vettel: It's obviously a tough step for all the teams, all the drivers, a lot of new things to get used to. We know that obviously we're not in the best shape yet. There are a lot of things we need to solve. Unfortunately, you can't solve them overnight. We'd love to but we can't. So you really have to go step by step, together with Daniel, I think just trying to be as precise as we can, trying to give the engineers the best feedback possible about the whole power unit so that we move forward on that and also talking about the car because at this stage it's a bit unknown where we are. It's not a secret: you need very, very strong reliability to be a title contender, so we'll see... I'm looking forward to tomorrow and especially Sunday to get a feel for the new regulations and see where we are.
Q:Thanks for that. Moving on to Fernando: two-time world champion of course, 193rd grand prix this weekend, 14th season he's beginning in Formula One. Ferrari a little hard to read from the outside in terms of testing, you haven't really stood out, for good or bad. From your perspective how to do you feel Ferrari is placed with this new technology going into this very different new season?
Fernando ALONSO: I think it's very difficult to tell how competitive we are at the moment. We'll get some answers in 24 hours or 48 hours, we will know a little bit more than we know now. The car itself and the technology that Formula One brought this year are a little bit complex to everyone. We are learning and we are developing the car every day that we work on it. As I said, a little bit of an unknown situation for everybody. We just need to put everything together, maximise what we have, and see where we are.
Q:Some changes have just been announced recently to the qualifying format, particularly in relation to the final part of qualifying. I was wondering if we could get a comment from you on those changes and the impact they might have?
Alonso: I think it will not be a huge difference, from the outside especially. OK there were some cars that didn't run in Q3 or they only did one run in Q3 and now maybe we'll see an extra lap from everybody but apart from that I think it's not a huge change in approach in the qualifying for the teams and the drivers. Anyway, I think this change is welcome, to see more cars on tracks. I arrive many times with no new sets for Q3, so now I'm happy.
Q:Moving on to the 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton, who is starting his 130th grand prix. It's his eighth season now in Formula One at the age of 29. Obviously it looks very promising after testing and both you and Nico Rosberg it seems are in a position to take an advantage of Mercedes' competitiveness. I wonder will it come down to which one of the two of you wants it more?
Lewis HAMILTON: Possibly. Yeah, it's very technical this year and we're all in the same boat. We're always trying to find where the advantages can be between two drivers. From race to race I think you'll see... one race he'll be ahead, one time I'll be ahead, same as you saw last year. Obviously the goal is to be ahead all the time.
Q:Can you talk about the feeling of driving these 2014 cars, compared to the cars of the last generation: the pleasure you get from driving them, whether they're more you're kind of car, what's coming through the steering wheel to you?
Hamilton: Well, naturally I think.. I probably speak for all of us that last year's car felt better, it was perhaps a little bit nicer to drive, when we had lots more downforce. But that was a car that was in the fourth year of its evolution. Now we're in a new phase and it's just something that just takes some time to get used to. The sound, for example, is not as impressive as what we had in the past but once you get all the cars on the track, on the grid, I'm pretty sure it will be impressive for the fans still.
Q: Felipe, 192nd grand prix this weekend, your 12th season you're starting in Formula One and certainly from the outside, your decision to move to Williams at this stage of your career is starting to look fairly inspired, judging by the winter testing programme. What do you think can be achieved this year, in terms of results?
Felipe MASSA: I don't know. I think it's new to everybody so maybe we start having some answers this weekend. Not all of the answers but some. I'm really happy to be with Williams. Really enjoying the working with it to now, to feel the car and the working. It's a lot to do. You can never forget that it was a very difficult time for Williams in the last years and it's a lot to do, a lot of work, a lot of development going on inside the factory, inside the team. So many new people arriving - including me. But, I'm pretty motivated. For sure we can be there. I don't know how competitive we're going to be compared to the other teams. Maybe we will see teams better than us - I don't know. Maybe we can see ourselves fighting with them and be as competitive as the top teams like these three guys here - but I think it's just the beginning. It's a lot to do, a lot to understand and the understanding will be very important for trying to make the car better and better all the time. But, feet on the ground, I think maybe this weekend we start to understand a little bit.
Q: Obviously you've got the Mercedes engine which at this point looks to be the one to have, going into the season - but there's clearly more to the Williams renaissance than just that. Can you tell us some of the things you've noticed? Maybe one or two points of things that you've noticed that have changed?
Massa: Well, I feel the team is really motivated. They want to grow, they want to get better and they want to be back in the good times. So I feel a lot of understanding for the people. I'm really happy with the people I work with, they're really professional. So many new people are arriving and there are many good ideas inside the team. Me as well. I'm trying to give as much experience, as many ideas as I can from my experience in a different team. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward. I think it can be a nice season for us - but how nice I don't know. We need to see.
Q: Daniel, it looks like you had one really good day of testing in the car. Observers were saying the car looked pretty good when it was going around. Do you share that view.
Daniel RICCIARDO: I think we had one stand-out day. There weren't many, as Seb said but at least one for me was pretty good. I think we're all a bit unsure how good our cars are. Speaking for all the drivers, I think we're just curious and hanging out to get on the track this weekend and see where everyone stands and get a clearer picture. I've had a busy week leading up to the race and I'm probably more excited than anyone else right now to get in the car.
Q: You've got your big break, here you are, it's the big time with the World Champion team. You've got a four-time world champion sitting on the other side of the garage from you. What's your strategy from here? Are you going to just focus on your own job or trying to look at what Sebastian's doing and try to beat him?
Ricciardo: I think for now just focus on what I've done the last few years and keep doing what I've been doing to get to this point - and then assess it from there and see how it's going. Obviously I get a good view behind the scenes from the engineers of how Seb works with his guys and understand a little more through that as well - but for now it's just do my thing and see where I stand off that and we'll work from there.
Q: Kevin, welcome to Formula One, if you look around you at the drivers sitting here with you this afternoon, who have seven Drivers' World Championships won between them, 104 grand prix victories between them. Do you feel you have to pinch yourself to believe you're sitting here today.
Kevin MAGNUSSEN: Yeah. Definitely. It is a dream come true and every day is fantastic at the moment - I'm sure it will keep staying like that. I'm just really excited to be here. It's been a long winter, since signing. I've been looking forward to this weekend but yeah, feeling good. It's been a good winter in terms of preparation with the team. They've done a really good job in terms of preparing me for this. It's not easy. It's a big job, a big challenge but I think I'm pretty much as ready as you can be these days. I've done a lot of work over the winter but I'm not underestimating the challenge that I'm facing. It's a big challenge but I'm looking forward to it.
Q: Shed a little light on it for us. McLaren looked very strong at the start of the testing but perhaps the end looked a bit more difficult. What was going on?
Magnussen: I think the whole testing we pretty much ran the launch car and were behind a little bit on development - but the car feels good. If you didn't know the lap times of the other guys you would think that it's pretty fast - and that's a good sign. If we can just put some downforce on the car and keep developing as we did over the winter with the car, I think we can be in a good position. The team obviously come off a difficult season and they are massively motivated to come back to where they belong and that's a good feeling.
Q: To all six of you: I was wondering in development terms if you could tell us the difference between the cars that were packed up in Bahrain and the cars that we're going to see leaving the pit lane tomorrow?
Vettel: I think it will be a very different car. Obviously, for us, we had a lot of problems during the test so we didn't get to test a lot of stuff and we hope we do some more running here and obviously put the parts to the car that we think are better for overall performance. Yeah, it will be a bit different but I think it's the same for all of us.
Q: Fernando, I was on the same plane as Pat Fry and he was certainly pushing a lot of boxes out through customs when we arrived, so you've got quite a lot of new parts I guess.
Alonso: No, maybe they found some...
Vettel: Spare parts.
Alonso: ...food or something. The car is exactly the same as it was in Bahrain, not new sponsor, not anything.
Hamilton: It's very similar to the two next door... probably more so to Fernando. There'll be a couple of things on the car but generally it's going to look the same.
Massa: The same car.
Magnussen: We've got a few bits on the car so hopefully we will be good.
Q: (Ian Parkes - Press Association) Sebastian, obviously this past pre-season has been very different compared to previous pre-seasons with Red Bull. I was just wondering if you come into this season with a different mind-set, knowing you've got a car that could struggle to even cross the finishing line on Sunday, compared to the car you've had in previous seasons where you know it's going to be pushing for the front row of the grid, pushing for race wins. Does your mind-set alter?
Vettel: I think generally, at this stage for all us it's difficult to know what to expect, how the racing will look, how it will feel inside the car, how many cars will cross the line. We saw that we had a lot of problems, others had a lot of problems during the tests that we had. It's difficult to have any sort of expectations for most of us I think, but as I said in the beginning, it's a long season and so obviously I'm going out here, not trying to just make it round, I'm going out here to push to the maximum and do the best I can and then we will see where we are and we will see how far we get. The target, for sure, is to finish and the target for sure is to finish in the best possible position, so that's the mind-set, fairly straightforward and for the rest of the year, I think we're a strong team, we have a lot of good people on board, we have strong resources so I'm confident we should progress as the season goes on.
Q: (Dan Knutson - Auto Action) Lewis, you and Nico get along very well, you got along very well last year when you were going for wins. This year, you might be both going for the championship, you've been in that kind of a fight before. Do you see that putting a bit of a strain on the relationship with Nico?
Hamilton: I mean when everyone's talking about the relationship between us, it will be the same at the start as it will be at the end. We've been racing together since we were 13, we've been in championships competing right to the end, one where he's won, one where I've won and it's been the same since... It's a more fierce championship and a lot more is riding on it but at the end, I don't see any issues.
Q: (Trent Pryce) Kevin, you say that the McLaren feels quick, does that mean it's responding well to set-up changes? Does it feel like it has a good baseline?
Magnussen: Yeah, both, I would say. It just feels like a Formula One car, it feels like it's balanced and I don't have a lot of experience with Formula One cars but definitely the car that we had last year just didn't have the right feeling about it. This year's car is responding well in terms of driving the car and also set-up changes and has a good feel about it.
Q: (Shane McInnes) Seb, have you offered much advice to Daniel, your new teammate now racing at Red Bull and if you have offered some advice, can you share that wish us?
Vettel: Not much, we didn't drive that much this year so there was not much I could talk about. Obviously you do your own thing once you are in the car, but as a team we share everything that we experience and together with the engineers, it's always... people expect that if you come to a new team or if you have a new teammate or you know a certain driver very well, people expect kind of questions like 'how hard do you approach turn three in Australia' or in Monaco. It's not like that. Obviously everybody's got his own style and even if I told him to brake here or there, then he would still try and find his own way. There are some things where I'm open so if he has some questions he can ask. It's the same for me the other way round. I think I can learn a lot from him so obviously he's a new guy, he has a different driving style to Mark. I didn't see that much yet in testing because we didn't run so much, but I'm sure, as the season goes on we'll both learn from each other.
Q: (Ben McKay - Australian Associated Press) Felipe and others if you wish, there are so many uncertainties leading into this season, is it fair to say that Formula One is under something of a cloud with the continued poor health of Michael Schumacher?
Massa: Sure, I always think about him every day, pray for him every day so I really hope that things can go back and be OK for him. For sure it was a shame to see what's happened but I keep thinking about him, he's on my helmet and we'll keep praying and believing that things can be OK for him and he's coming back.
Q: (Mat Coch) Kevin, this year you're up against Jenson Button who I guess is getting towards the end of his career while you're at the very start. Do you feel that it's a little bit of a make or break year for both of you and that if you beat him, your career is made whereas if he beats you, you're perhaps in a bit of trouble?
Magnussen: Well, we all know that you are measured against your teammate but I don't see it like that, I try and do my best, try and learn as much as I can in the early part of the season and see where it takes me. There is a lot pressure in being in Formula One, especially when you are with a big team as I am. It's where I want to be, I've always dreamed of being with McLaren and I'm here and I'm going to do my best and try not to worry too much about the negative things.
Q: (Sylvia Arias) Felipe, I want to know that after so much time with Ferrari, working with a Latin team, how do you feel now with a British team, what differences have you found, your feelings?
Massa: For sure, working with the car is the same and everything, similar things. It depends which team you are with but the idea, the working is the same but it's very different the way... outside, the way they talk, they are much more quiet. The Italians, they cannot talk without shaking their hands. I am like that because I am from Brazil as well, so for sure it's a big change for me. I'm trying to learn everything quickly, changing some names as well, understanding the way they talk as well, because I never lived in England, so that's also new for me. But it's nice, it's a nice experience as well, but definitely the mentality is pretty different.
Q: (Carlos Miguel - La Gaceta) For all six, it's a simple question: which team is the favourite for the championship?
Ricciardo: I think the championship is... as Seb said before, a long way away so... I could probably say for this race, judging from testing but I think we're going to develop so much throughout the year, all teams with the new cars this year so to answer the question simply, for this race, I would put my money on Mercedes but try not to count anyone else out but to answer your question in one word then it's them.
Magnussen: I don't know, it's very hard to predict. We've seen for many years whoever is strong for the first part of the season might not always be the one at the end of the season so it's hard to predict. I don't know.
Massa: Yeah, I think I would say Mercedes.
Hamilton: I will say Williams.
Vettel: Yeah, not much to add. I think for this race Mercedes based on winter testing for the season. I think after three or four races we will know a little bit more.
Alonso: I've no idea.
Q: One final question: how many finishers in the race on Sunday?
Alonso: How many are we? 16.
Vettel: 12
Hamilton: 15
Massa: 14
Ricciardo: No one. We're all going to be running across the line!
Magnussen: 22.


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Shark Tank's Herjavec: 6 Things I Know for Sure
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — During his freshman year of college, it was a threat from his father that left Robert Herjavec with no choice but to make some decisions about his life – fast.
The celebrity judge on the ABC television show "Shark Tank" had enrolled in school to study business, but after a few months, he started having second thoughts.
"I thought, 'this is so boring,' so I quit," Herjavec told attendees at the National Association of Credit Union Service Organization's annual conference held in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in mid-April.
One day, he was at home and his dad walked in, wondering why Herjavec was there in the middle of the day.
"He asked, 'what are you doing home,'" said Herjavec, mimicking his father's Yugoslavian accent. "I told him I quit college. There was a pause. Then he said, 'I'll kill you and bury you in the backyard, no one will know.'"
Herjavec laughed at the memory of his father's teasing, sort of.
"So, I went back to college," he told the audience.
Herjavec would go on to earn a degree in English literature, became an entrepreneur building and selling several IT companies, and later launching The Herjavec Group, a $125 million managed security company.
In addition to being the author of several bestselling books, in 2013, Herjavec won the Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Technology and was presented with the Queen's Jubilee Award for outstanding service.
At the NACUSO conference, he shared several pieces of knowledge he's learned along his life's journey.
Read more: Cash at a crossroads ...
1. Acceptable payments are age related.
"I have a lot of experience with credit unions and not-for-profits. I work with a small credit union in Winnipeg that deals mainly with the farm industry. It's a very interesting industry you're in because the entire idea of cash is really at a crossroads," he said.
In the world of bitcoin, what does that transaction mean? It's such an age-related thing. I still have a hard time using a card at Starbucks. I actually know where my physical branch is. My kids don't understand why daddy has to go to a branch. We have this argument all the time on what is an acceptable form of payment today, will it be tomorrow?"
Read more: Education is crucial ...
2. Education divides the haves and have-nots.
"If you can't talk money and technology, you're going to be left behind in America," Herjavec said. "One of the biggest obstacles to people getting ahead is feeling disenfranchised. Most of the Shark Tank judges have MBAs. I have a classic English literature degree. The great divide is between the educated and the not educated; not the rich and poor. If you don't have a degree, you're already behind. It doesn't even matter what your degree is in."
Read more: It's all about execution ...
3. The status quo doesn't cut it.
"In my world, fast is fast," he said. "Every industry is a little different. In my world, you either grow or you die. In my world, there are no companies that sit around and say, 'I like things the way they are.' There are those types of companies but they are bankrupt. There are no great ideas, it's all about execution."
Read more: America is still the land of opportunity ...
4. Returns can be huge in the U.S.
"How many investments across the world have made money – a substantial return of 20% a year? Only five companies have done this," Herjavec said. "In the (U.S.), the returns are huge. The business of America is consumerism. If you hit, baby, you can really hit big. There was one company (on Shark Tank) that made, shall we say, inappropriate Christmas sweaters. They pitched it on Friday and by Sunday, they had made $350,000."
A NACUSO conference attendee asked Herjavec what was the biggest investment he made on Shark Tank.
"The ugly Christmas sweaters," he said. "People really like them. My dividend check was more than my investment (in the product)."
Read more: Desktops are dead ...
5. Technology is still evolving.
"There will be a day when there won't be any more desktops. People buy laptops," he said. "We don't realize it, but Facebook was only started 10 years ago. There are over one billion people on Facebook. But most of the world is still not connected to the Internet. In places like Africa, there's only 6% penetration. And, where are they going when they get access? They're going immediately to high speed fiber."
Read more: Social media is a must ...
6. Don't restrict social media access.
Shark Tank was the first show to do live tweeting, Herjavec said.
"I think it's really helped the show," he said. "So does the network because it does it for every other show. Social media is such a powerful medium. It makes the audience feel like they're getting a behind the scenes view of what's going on."
"I read an article in the Wall Street Journal that said 65% of corporations do not allow access to personal social media during the day," he continued. "But 90% of employees said 'we use it all the time during the day.' You cannot restrict access to social media. Your customers will expect you to communicate with them over social media."


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Dogs foil drugs-in-rugs smugglers
Sniffer dogs have found millions of pounds worth of heroin woven into hand-made rugs.
The seizure was made at Manchester Airport when Border Force officers became suspicious of a 46-piece consignment of hand-made knotted carpets or rugs that had arrived from Peshawar in Pakistan via Abu Dhabi in the Middle East.
A sniffer dog alerted its handler to one of the carpets and further examination revealed a highly sophisticated concealment where the drug was woven into the fabric of the carpet.
Several other carpets also tested positive for heroin.
Around 50 kilos of heroin have so far been found since the drugs were found on April 24, but examination of the load is continuing and the final total could be far greater.
The haul is already among the largest drug seizures made at Manchester Airport and it is thought the total value of the drugs could run into millions of pounds, the Border Force said.
Following an investigation by officers from the National Crime Agency's (NCA) Border Policing Command, two people were arrested on suspicion of drug importation offences at a business address in London on April 29.
They are on bail pending further inquiries.
Linda Paul, assistant director for Border Force, said: "This is an extremely impressive seizure and I would like to praise the vigilance and hard work of my officers who have ensured that a substantial amount of a harmful drugs have been kept off our streets.
"At this stage it is impossible to put an exact value on the drugs because forensic tests have yet to be carried out. However, it is safe to say that we are looking at a significant amount."
Pete Avery, from the NCA's Border Policing Command, said: "This was a first class detection by Border Force officers of a huge quantity of heroin worth millions.
"It was a sophisticated concealment and demonstrates the lengths organised crime groups go to in an effort to avoid detection. Our investigation has resulted in two arrests so far and inquiries are ongoing."
Anyone with information about activity they suspect may be linked to smuggling should call our hotline on 0800 59 5000.


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Arsenal end trophy drought with FA Cup win
Arsenal ended its nine-year trophy drought on Saturday, coming from two goals...
Mike Cammalleri scored two second-period goals
and Calgary edged the Colorado Avalanche, 4-3, amid reports franchise icon and
Flames captain Jarome Iginla had been traded to the Boston Bruins.
Iginla had played 441 consecutive games before being a healthy scratch
Wednesday night.
According to TSN of Canada, the Flames will receive two prospects and a first-
round pick at this year's NHL Draft from the Bruins.
Jiri Hudler and Steve Begin each lit the lamp in the first period for the
Flames, who have won eight straight at Saddledome.
Ryan O'Reilly had a goal and an assist for Colorado, which fell to 0-7-3 in
its last 10 on the road. The Avalanche have lost three straight and seven of
eight overall.


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This morning the video for Usher's latest single, "Climax," was released. Like the song itself, the video for "Climax" is sultry, dark, and soulful. It features Usher, unfettered and in a simple black shirt, singing directly to the camera while delivering an emotional performance of the song.
While performance shots are the overwhelming imagery one takes away from the video, they are interspersed with flashbacks to more intimate times with a former partner and rueful shots of Usher sitting in a parked car outside her home while she moves on with a new man.
The single "Climax" is from Usher's forthcoming unnamed album, due out this spring. The single marks his first collaboration with producer Diplo, who has previously worked with Beyonce, M.I.A., Chris Brown, and Snoop Dogg.
-Courtney E. Smith CBS Local


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Welcome to
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
Liberal arts education is at the heart of the University of Denver. Our faculty, staff and students come together in a shared quest for knowledge of the human condition.
Liberal arts education is at the heart of the University of Denver. Our faculty, staff and students come together in a shared quest for knowledge of the human condition.
Experience AHSS' finest artistic expression on and off campus—whether attending student or faculty music recitals and theatre productions, viewing students' work exhibited at local galleries or reading our poetry magazines.
Faculty and students in the humanities study some of the most profound and exciting thinkers and writers, past and present, to produce pioneering research in the study of language, literature and culture.
Blending theory with practice, our internationally recognized social scientist faculty share their ongoing research in human behavior and development with more than 1,000 social sciences students.
Be a lifelong student. AHSS hosts lectures, concerts, receptions, exhibitions and more throughout the year.
When you take classes in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (AHSS), you join the University of Denver's largest and most diverse academic unit, and gain the education and skills necessary to succeed at nearly any career in today's global, communication-based society.
AHSS is where all DU undergraduate students build the foundation of their higher education. All undergraduate students take liberal arts courses with us, and one-third of these students declare an AHSS major. Plus, the majority of our departments and schools offer graduate or PhD programs.
Under the Asphalt, Denver's Hidden History
As Denver continues to grow, parking lots have been vanishing across the city. While most are concerned about the buildings being erected in place of their former parking spots, the University of Denver's department of anthropology is more interested in what has been entombed beneath layers and layers of asphalt.
Read more.
Roe v. Wade: Past, Present and Future
Associate Professor Joshua Wilson (political science) was interviewed on Impolite Conversation for an episode commemorating the 45th anniversary of the landmark abortion case Roe v. Wade. Discussion centered on how the case changed abortion politics, what the issue looks like today, and what we might expect going forward.
More from our faculty experts IN THE NEWS
AHSS faculty, staff and students come together in a shared quest for knowledge of the human condition. Students from around the world join us to study the many ways in which humans live in time and in space, as individuals and in groups. Our award-winning faculty members incorporate their national and international research and creative endeavors into the classroom to enhance your learning experience.
As an AHSS student, you will learn the theories and techniques of your field as well as the skills to:
Omar Gudino, assistant professor of psychology, is working to understand and meet the needs of children and adolescents who are at high risk of developing emotional and behavioral problems due to exposure to trauma or other forms of adversity. Gudino and his colleagues in the Services for At-Risk Youth and Families (SAYF) research lab at the University of Denver work in partnership with local human services agencies to develop treatment options that meet the mental health needs of high risk youth.
Mark Dodge (MA '00, anthropology) has loved museums since he was a kid, and today he has found a career to match this passion as the Exhibit & Collections Curator for Golden History Museums. He enjoys getting out into the community and speaking with residents, documenting their stories and building the museum collection of artifacts and photos. "Everyone has a story to tell or something to share and museums may be one of the few places still willing to listen," said Dodge.
Two DU students have used their past experiences and academic interests to develop a research project that has allowed them to study different cultures on multiple continents. Sam Estenson and Hannah Parkes have conducted their research for over a year. "The research we have completed so far has given me deeper insights into the global atmosphere through the lenses of languages and the cultures of these countries, which is fascinating," Parkes said.
As an undergrad studying abroad in Ecuador, Alison Krögel, associate professor of Spanish, learned quickly that if she wanted to communicate with Ecuadorians throughout the region, she needed to learn the most commonly spoken indigenous language. Not Spanish, but Quechua, a language spoken by 10-12 million people throughout the Andes of South America. Krögel began studying Quechua both in graduate school and at the Centro Bartolomé de las Casas in Cusco, Peru. Her interest in the Quechua language and culture has led to a career focus on the Andean region.
Wendy Low is a proponent for social justice. It's not a passing interest, but a lifelong passion that was ignited when she joined her first cause at the age of ten. Today, Low continues to advocate for social justice as president of Never Again!, a student group that promotes awareness of the Holocaust and atrocities of genocide to the DU community.


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I have recently started having a problem with IE7 crashing, saying an error has occurred and Internet Explorer needs to close. The message indicates that the problem was caused by add-on tcZon1.dll from Conduit Ltd. When I go into the IE add-on manager, there are two items with this file name, both identified as the ZoneAlarm Toolbar. If I disable these items then IE7 runs fine (but without the ZA toolbar, obviously). As soon as I re-enable these items the ZA toolbar comes back, but IE7 crashes again almost immediately. Any ideas?
ZA Free version 9.2.057.000, automatic update enabled.


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Update: in the preliminary numbers for its first Friday back at 8pm, Nikita averaged a 0.4 adults 18-49 rating and 1.24 million viewers. The Arrow repeat at 9pm averaged a 0.3 and 1.06 million viewers.
Nikita returns tonight with a move to the Friday at 8PM time period where it aired last season. So far this season, the show has languished on Fridays at 9PM earning o.3 and 0.4 Adults 18-49 ratings. Its most recent episode, on November 9, scored an 0.3. At 8PM it will no longer compete head-to-head with Grimm and Fringe which could help improve its numbers. Then again, maybe viewers have just tired of the show or maybe killing off Percy was a mistake. How do you think it will do tonight? Make your predictions then explain your opinion in the comments.


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As Noninterest Income Falls, You Need a Plan B
Everyone needs a Plan B in life–an exit strategy in case what you're doing doesn't pan out. Credit unions are no different in the need for alternatives.
Growing up, the emphasis in my family was school, school, school. When I was ready to graduate college, I panicked and then got depressed. I didn't know what to do with myself. It took me several months after graduation to realize that school was a means, not an end.
I was great at going to school, but I didn't know squat about finding my career path. I didn't have an exit strategy for school.
As credit unions' interest income has declined over time and especially with the stiff competition for good loan paper now, they have turned to noninterest income. In the last couple of years, those sources have been attacked too.
First, the government wanted to charge unrelated business income tax on certain credit-related insurance products. Credit unions fought that in the courts and won. And regulations reined in overdraft protection revenue.
Debit interchange is the one currently under heavy artillery. Despite credit unions' and their lobbyists best efforts firing back, it's likely to come to fruition without a delay from the July 21 implementation date.
In order for the legislation to even be delayed for further study, it would take 60 votes in the Senate, and it would have to reach the president prior to July 21. Don't count on either, much less both.
Credit unions need a plan. Actually they needed a plan yesterday to operate under the new regulatory framework. Though financial institutions under $10 billion in assets are excluded, covering most credit unions, card networks are not required to permit dual interchange rates. Visa has said publicly that it would support dual interchange, which could force others' hands.
Or not, and then the Fed's rate set for financial institutions larger than $10 billion in assets could become the de facto rate for all.
According to a recent NAFCU Flash Report survey, debit interchange accounted for one-fifth of respondents' noninterest income. The credit unions also responded that they expected a negative 35 basis point effect on their bottom lines given the fee cap currently under discussion (12 cents). The Fed's study did not take into account all of the expenses interchange fees were designed to cover, such as fraud and data security.
The Flash showed that as a result, 75% of those surveyed were reconsidering business plans to make up for the loss. What's scary is the 25% that have not. Maybe these credit unions have too much income or do not offer debit cards. Doubtful.
Nearly all plan to keep their debit card programs up and running, but nearly half said they were thinking about getting rid of free checking to make up the difference. Additionally, 46% were considering annual or monthly debit card fees. Forty-four percent said they were considering eliminating debit rewards.
Some people could lose their jobs because of the Durbin amendment, according to 9% of responding credit unions; this does not seem very consumer-friendly given that credit union employees are consumers and there will be fewer employees to serve members.
Some credit unions said there would be minimal effect on their bottom lines. Maybe. Others said the 12-cent fee may not even cover operating debit card programs, "forcing them to eliminate member services, charge new and/or higher fees and reduce dividends." In effect, the amendment is forcing credit unions to act like banks, negating their governing effect on fees and rates.
And make no mistake: the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, also created under Dodd-Frank, will have a significant impact on credit union income even if only three credit unions fall under their direct purview.
Credit card interchange may have escaped the Dodd-Frank bill, but it will not likely elude the CFPB. NAFCU's survey found that 8.2% of respondents' noninterest income was derived from credit card interchange. Sixty percent have estimated their potential losses but less than 33% have stress tested their assumptions.
Noninterest income is nice to counter pinched net interest margins. At the same time, credit unions are in the business of lending.
During a panel I moderated at CU Direct's recent Lending Conference, Redwood Credit Union CEO Brett Martinez made the observation that no one ever wants a loan; they want what it can do for them. So his credit union has taken a holistic approach to member service more focused on financial literacy and reframing loans, specifically when refinancing members' loans with another lender, as a matter of "cash flow." Redwood teaches its employees about budgeting, so they in turn can pass that on to the members they're in contact with every day.
The philosophy contributes to cross selling. Fellow panelist Mandy Jones, CEO of Oregon Community Credit Union, added that cross selling is crucial to developing deeper relationships with members. Her credit union's refocus on a sales culture brought in 8% loan growth in 2010.
Barry Rose, vice president of consumer lending at Citadel FCU, said his credit union used tools such as borrowers' refreshed credit scores to not only mitigate risk but also drive conversations with members on their products.
Wise advice to those whose noninterest income is waning.