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Assistant accountant charged with £328,500 Norfolk Chamber of Commerce fraud
PUBLISHED: 08:26 09 July 2014
Archant © 2012
A 22-year-old assistant accountant has been accused of fraud after £328,500 was allegedly taken from the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce.
Alexander Dickerson, of Davidson Road, Norwich, was charged yesterday with fraud by abuse of position between 2012 and 2014.
Dickerson has been released on police bail and is due to appear at Norwich Magistrates' Court on Thursday, July 24.
A spokesman for the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce said: "Norfolk Chamber of Commerce have been co-operating fully with an investigation by the Norfolk Constabulary, which resulted directly from a request made by the chamber for their assistance.
"The individual in question has not been employed by the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce since the end of March. Prior to and during court proceedings we are unable to discuss the case as it would be sub judice.
"I can assure you that this situation has not and will not impact on the day-to-day running of the chamber now or in the future. For us, it is business as usual, as we continue to provide first-class help and support for our members and the wider business community."
The chamber provides help and support and has fought for a better deal for Norfolk businesses since 1896.
It is owned and directed by its business members and supports and represents businesses in all sectors.
The chamber's latest accounts for the year ending March 2013 showed the organisation's total expenditure was £661,038. It had been £744,084 in the financial year ending March 2012.
It reported an operating surplus of £23,114 in the year ending March 2013 and £10,491 in the previous 12 months.


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Pencil skirt in Italian stretch wool
- Quantity:
size & fit
- Sits slightly below natural waist.
- 22" long.
- Falls above knee.
Product Details
A long and lean skirt made from a stretch wool we found at Lanificio di Tollegno (est. 1862, it's one of Italy's oldest mills). Polished and refined, the fabric is a standout for its flattering close cut and ease of wearability (i.e., you can wear it year-round, with just about everything).
- Italian wool with a hint of stretch.
- Back zip.
- Lined.
- Dry clean.
- Import.
- Online only.
- Item 95905.

subset: commoncrawl


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Life After Death –
DNA Matching Solves Mysteries and Unlocks Benefits
There are many situations in which the DNA of a deceased person can be helpful, if not imperative to unlocking mysteries, and more practically, unlocking financial benefits. Many situations where one person may be entitled to financial benefits after the death of another person hang on determination of the biological relationship between the two individuals. Properly collected and documented DNA evidence is the most decisive, reliable method available to cut through questionable claims and reward proper ones.
State laws determine how the estates of people who die "intestate," that is, without a legal will, will be divided. In most states, if a person dies intestate without a legal spouse, the laws of succession dictate that their biological children inherit first; if no children, then siblings inherit next; if no living siblings, then nieces and nephews; then more distant cousins; etc.
The science of DNA testing and analysis have advanced greatly in recent years. It is now possible, within a certain degree of uncertainty, to determine the probability not only that a person is a direct, biological child of a deceased person, but also a sibling, and with lesser certainty, more extended familial relationships such as nieces, nephews and cousins.
Did you know?
- Collecting a DNA sample is a simple process: 1) Swab a separate, clean Q-tip inside each cheek; 2) Allow each Q-tip to air dry; and 3) Seal them in separate, labeled, paper bags.
- Few states have addressed the collection of DNA samples from deceased persons, neither expressly prohibiting or authorizing it. This leaves the matter largely up to the estate representatives.
- Attorneys who represent funeral homes are beginning to advise them to counsel family members that at the time of a loved one's death is the last best chance to secure such direct samples.
- If direct DNA samples of a deceased person are not collected, "touch DNA" may be collected from their personal belongings, but at much greater expense and with reduced certainty of reliability and usable results.
- If direct DNA samples of a deceased person are not collected, familial relationships of unknown persons may still be determined by comparison with DNA samples from known biological relations, but again at greater inconvenience, expense, and lower certainty and reliability of usable results
Health Questions Answered with DNA Testing
DNA testing of a deceased blood relative can be instrumental in helping solve mysteries related to hereditary health conditions. The simplest and easiest way to make these connections is to make sure to arrange for collection of a sample of DNA from the deceased as part of the process of final interment.
These days attorneys have begun to discuss leaving DNA samples or instructions for collecting them with their will and estate clients. A will or legal directive can instruct funeral home personal to collect a sample as part of the process of preparation for final disposition of their remains. This is, practically speaking, the last best chance to get a high quality, reliable sample.
Funeral home directors increasingly make a point to discuss the benefits of DNA sample collection with family members at the time of final arrangements for a loved one or with those forward-thinking individuals who make their own end-of-life arrangements with the funeral home in advance. It is a simple service with potentially far-reaching beneficial impact on families for generations to come.
But even if that isn't done, the increasing sensitivity of DNA testing allows more reliable results with smaller and smaller samples. A new subset of the DNA science called "touch DNA" can discern the identity of distinct individuals with fewer than ten skin cells from each person, collected from items they handled casually. These samples are invisible to the naked eye, but more than sufficient for reliable testing and analysis. DNA Touch evidence is what finally exonerated the parents of Jon Benet Ramsey from accusations of her murder in the famous, decades-long murder investigation.
Learn More About Our Testing Services
Accurate. Reliable. Confidential Testing.


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KEXP Reviews
|Browse by one of the following:
- (Nonesuch)
The fifth album from Jeff Tweedy & co. continues the experimentalism of 2002's acclaimed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but it's not just more of the same. A Ghost Is Born is a more low-key and cohesive affair, featuring a number of hushed, hypnotic ballads, a couple of rhythmic post-rock experiments and some occasional bursts of rock energy and pop melody. While Tweedy's offering up a more subdued aesthetic this time, his gift for songcraft and engaging melodies keeps A Ghost Is Born from getting too self-indulgent (with the exception of the lengthy ambient noise that draws out "Less Than You Think" to over 15 minutes), making it another valuable offering from one of American rock's most creative bands. 6/11/2004 - Don Yates
Other Wilco album reviews:
Star Wars - 7/17/2015
The Whole Love - 9/20/2011
(the album) - 6/22/2009
Sky Blue Sky - 5/8/2007
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - 4/15/2002
Summerteeth - 3/15/1999
Being There - 11/15/1996


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BoraZ has done another of his magisterial overviews of the blogosphere, this time focusing on the state of blog commenting. It's an interesting picture that I mostly agree with, but some of it not — partly because he's making a general survey, and Pharyngula is a weird beast. This bit I'd like to tattoo on a few people's foreheads (backwards, so they could read it every time they looked in a mirror.)
Free Speech is a very American concept. Most of the other 200 nations on the planet do not provide constitutional protection of free speech. And Internet is global.
And even within the USA, the concept of free speech does not mean everyone has the right to say everything everywhere. It does not mean you have the right to say your stuff on my blog. It means you have the right to start your own blog. Just because I have commenting functionality on my site, does not mean you have the right to post whatever you want on it. Every host of every site has the right to delete, edit, or modify any comment in any way, to ban users, and to implement whatever moderation norms and techniques one wants.
Commenting is a privilege, not a right. You have to earn it.
That should be easy to understand, right? Yet there are so many people who wax indignant at the thought that I might actually tell them to go away.
But there are other things that I found odd. He claims blog commenting is down overall; I haven't seen that at all. Commenting keeps sliding upwards here.
There's also this, again a generality that may not apply everywhere.
While early bloggers were generous, giving their rare online spaces up to public discussion, there is no need to feel so generous any more. Starting one's own blog is easy these days, and ranting on social media is even easier. There is plenty of space for people to discuss stuff, and that does not have to happen on your site – the era of such generosity is mostly over, and most veteran bloggers have severely tightened their commenting rules over the years.
I'm a veteran blogger, I think, and my rules haven't changed substantially over time. I'm not banning more people or editing more comments; if anything, as a proportion of comments made, I'm doing less of that.
I also don't think that tightening up commenting rules is detrimental to the quantity of comments. One thing I've done that complicates his analysis is that Pharyngula has evolved to have one social thread that is more heavily moderated (and just the existence of dedicated social threads may confound some of his interpretations), and another that isn't moderated at all, that I actually encourage annoying pests to infest. I think those contribute to overall activity that spills over into other threads, and vice versa.
A relevant datum here, though, is that the moderated thread is much, much more active than the openly unmoderated thread, usually. Sometimes the jerks are just wearing, and having a thread where they're excluded can be enabling to more discussion.
Also, one obvious point: science posts get fewer comments than other kinds of articles. I think that's because they require more specialized knowledge to assess; maybe Bora is seeing a decline in the science blogs he reads because the ecosystem is shaking out, and people are specializing more — many blogs are less widely discursive now, and that's another area where Pharyngula is weird. I'm just as scattershot and flibbertigibberty as ever.
The threads that go on the longest are the ones where some obtuse nitwit comes in and stubbornly sticks to some stupid point, and everyone has to show up and take a whack. I'm often told that controversy draws in more traffic; I disagree there, I think good writing and provocative thinking contribute far more, but I know that controversy definitely stirs up more community engagement, which can lead to the formation of a solid base of readers. And yes, that's another place where Pharyngula is deviant relative to other science blogs out there. Kids nowadays just seem reluctant to pick a fight.


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Camera moved after A-Rod homer
MLB, FOX push it back several inches behind right-field wall
By Anthony DiComo / MLB.com
"After close inspection by FOX and MLB, as a precaution, we've moved the right-field foul pole camera back slightly so that the edge of the lens is completely line with the top of the wall," Dan Bell, vice president of communications for FOX Sports, said in a statement.
In the fourth inning Saturday, Rodriguez hit a ball down the right-field line that glanced off the lens of the camera and back into play. Initially ruling it a double, umpires gathered on the infield grass before four of them disappeared to review the play.
Replays clearly showed that the ball struck off the camera, which umpires had decided before the game would be ruled a home run.
"We tour the field during the series whenever we go to a new ballpark and discuss specific ground rules and potential trouble areas just like that," crew chief Gerry Davis said after the game. "Because we cannot control what the cameraman does with the camera, one of the specific ground rules is when the ball hits the camera, home run."
The review was the first in postseason history, under a system that Major League Baseball ratified last August. Rodriguez also hit the first ball to be reviewed under the system, last September at Tropicana Field.
"It's only fitting, right?" Rodriguez said Saturday. "I don't know if that's controversy with the replay. I'm just glad we got a good ruling."
Anthony DiComo is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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It can be hard these days to distinguish between a genuine celebration of cultural traits and a crass marketing effort exploiting lame stereotypes. Which, then, do you think is at play with Barbie's new "Dolls of the World" collection?
Pundits aren't exactly sure what to make of the set of dolls, which includes a woman in a cheongsam clutching a panda and, perhaps more problematically, a Mexican figure in a pink party dress holding a Chihuahua. The truth, of course, is probably that 25-year-old women from Shanghai to Mexico City are all dressing like Lena Dunham's character in "Girls."
What do you think?
Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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War Rock
War Rock is an intense online military tactical first person shooter (FPS) featuring state of the art weapons, team or solo based play and unbelievable missions and maps! Intense with action and competition, War Rock explodes with a powerful arsenal of customizable weapons and vehicles while placing you in control of the most extreme battle mod(#5.1.2es in modern warfare!
Game News
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Now Playing
4 Users
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I'm a long time CCC user on the Mac platform. I'm pretty happy with it as an application to clone my HDD on a fortnightly basis as a backup measure. Recently the price went from $0 to $39.95. That's a not insignificant price hike. Certainly not gouging but a hike none-the-less. I'm willing to pay that money even tho' it's twice what I just paid for a full OS (OSX Mountain Lion) just recently.
So before I take the plunge I'd like to sound out some of the competition, namely SuperDuper!. This is $27.95. Clearly this wins out on price.
SuperDuper! also advertises the fact that it employs Smart Update. As I understand it, this simply means that only what has changed since the last update will be changed in the backup, thus saving a lot of time. SuperDuper! minus this capability is free. The problem is that CCC seems to employ a similar approach too. Yet a 400 GB run will always take around 4 hrs on my HDD set-up using CCC.
Will SuperDuper! be significantly faster? Anyone on here have experience with both? Any other approaches I should look at?
(The data on my HDD are of the 'I really can't lose it' variety.)


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Where: St John's Lutheran Church
When: April 22, 2013 at 11am-1pm
What: Spaghetti Lunch (proceeds go to Relay For Life)When: April 22, 2013 11am-1pmWhere: St. John's Lutheran Church in Napoleon INSponsered by: The Napoleon State Bank and St. John's Lutheran Church.Co-Sponsered by: Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, SE Ind Chapter #30859
Tickets can be purchased at any of our locations. Delivery is available with a minimum of 5 orders. Tickets are $10.00. Proceeds benefit Relay For Life. If any questions, please call 812-852-4002.
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text: In my opinion most of the previous arcs have a bit shorter than this one, and kept the dynamic of the story and characters evolveing. The war arc has been going for about 100 chapters and seems a bit excessive. Where as other arcs are about 25 chapters give or take. And even in the previous arcs Kishi managed to keep the different parts of the story line moving with different parts of the arc taking place simultaneously instead chapter after chapter of the same part of the war going on. I'm not talking trash I'm just wondering what other people think about the current state of the manga/anime, and the way the chapter


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Hattiesburg, Miss., April 9, 2013 - William Carey University hosted a Career Fair for Carey students on Monday, April 8, from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the Student Conference Center. The 25 companies and agencies recruiting included Bancorp South, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, Citizens National Bank, Forrest General Hospital, General Dynamics Information Technology, Hattiesburg Clinic, Hattiesburg Public School District, Health Help Mississippi, Marshall Durbin, MDE/Teacher Center, Mississippi Baptist Convention, Mississippi Children Home Service, the Navy, New York Life Insurance Company, Pine Belt Mental Healthcare Resource, Prudential Insurance Company of America, Regions Bank, Rodan and Fields Dermatology, Sanderson Farms, South Mississippi State Hospital, Target, Tower Loan of Mississippi, LLC, , The University of Southern Mississippi Army ROTC, Waffle House, and Wesley Medical Center.
The event gave WCU students, as well as alumni, the opportunity to discover career opportunities and internships and network with local professionals. The career fair was sponsored by Student Support Services and Career Services.


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Flood Risk Preparedness Meeting Offered to Pleasant Valley Residents
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
The City of Colorado Springs Office of Emergency Management will host a resident preparedness meeting on the post Waldo Canyon Fire flood risk Thursday, April 11 for residents of the Pleasant Valley neighborhood and the general public.
Pleasant Valley Resident Preparedness Community Meeting
April 11, 2013
6 to 8 p.m.
The Great Hall at Glen Eyrie (3820 N. 30th St.)
The meeting will provide education and updated information with regard to the increased flood risk following damage to vegetation in the Waldo Canyon burn scar. Speakers will spend the first part of the evening addressing key issues relating to flood risk in the Pleasant Valley area.
Following the presentations, representatives from the following agencies will be in attendance to offer one-on-one opportunity for questions:
- Colorado Springs Office of Emergency Management
- Colorado Springs Fire Department
- Colorado Springs Police Department
- KKTV Meteorologist
- KRDO Meteorologist
- National Weather Service
- Flood insurance
- US Forest Service
- Colorado Springs Stormwater
- AspenPointe
The meeting location is wheelchair accessible. Reasonable accommodations for the deaf and hard of hearing through closed captioning or sign language interpreter will be provided upon request. Please notify Vickie at email@example.com or 719-385-5957. Requests should be made at least 5 days prior to the event to assure accommodations can be provided. Every effort will be made to fulfill requests made within 5 days, but cannot be guaranteed.


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Moderator: bac
pennybug84 wrote:this isn't really a special effect, but I didn't know where else to post. Did anyone else notice how much more pale/white Carlisle looked compared to the other Cullens? I thought it looked really bad!
#1twi-guy wrote:Was I the only one who wasn't pleased with the effects when the vampires would move fast?
Like when the Nomads killed the guy on the boat, when they would move you'd see their outline like fading away.
I was like come on! Really? That's what they do in cartoons! Lol
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Join the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and receive a subscription to JCSM with your membership
Both obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and prolonged QRS duration are associated with hypertension, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. However, possible links between QRS duration and OSA have not been explored.
Cross-sectional study of 221 patients who underwent polysomnography at our center. Demographics, cardiovascular risk factors and ECG were collected to explore a relationship between OSA and QRS duration.
The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was positively correlated with QRS duration (r = 0.141, p = 0.03). Patients were divided into 3 groups: AHI < 5 (61), AHI 5-29 (104), and AHI > 30 (55). The mean QRS duration prolonged significantly as OSA worsened (AHI < 5, 85 ± 9.5; AHI 5-29, 89 ± 11.9; and AHI > 30, 95 ± 19.9 ms, p = 0.001). QRS ≥ 100 ms was present in 12.7% of patients with severe OSA compared with 0% in the rest of the sample (p < 0.0001). After adjustment for age, race, and cardiovascular risk factors, this association remained significant in women but not in men.
QRS duration and OSA were significantly associated. Severity of OSA independently predicted prolonged QRS in women but not men. Nevertheless, prolongation of QRS duration in either sex may potentiate arrhythmic risks associated with OSA.
Gupta S; Cepeda-Valery B; Romero-Corral A; Shamsuzzaman A; Somers VK; Pressman GS. Association between QRS duration and obstructive sleep apnea. J Clin Sleep Med 2012;8(6):649-654.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been associated with several cardiovascular conditions1,2 including hypertension,3 congestive heart failure,4 and sudden cardiac death.5 In fact, OSA has been associated with a 60% to 70% increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.6
OSA is highly prevalent and underdiagnosed7 in the general population. This problem may be worse in subjects with coronary artery disease, as recent studies have shown a 50% to 70% prevalence of OSA in such patients.7,8 This high prevalence suggests that OSA may play a key role in the development of cardiovascular events.
Numerous studies have shown that OSA is associated with changes in cardiac structure, including left ventricular hypertrophy,9–12 which can widen the QRS complex on the electrocardiogram (ECG).13 QRS duration is an independent predictor of sudden cardiac death15,16 and mortality16,17 in conditions commonly associated with OSA, such as hypertension and heart failure. However, the relationship between OSA and QRS duration is unknown.
In this study we hypothesized that OSA severity, measured by the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), is independently associated with QRS prolongation. If so, this could help explain any increased risk of sudden cardiac death in OSA.
We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study of consecutive patients who had a clinically indicated polysomnogram (PSG) study from January 2007 through July 2009 at Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Inclusion criteria were age over 18 years and availability of a resting 12-lead ECG within the 6 months preceding polysomnography. Patients with known sleep apnea were excluded as were those with classic right or left bundle branch block or a ventricular paced rhythm. Patients with atrial fibrillation were included but other non-sinus rhythms were excluded. The final study population consisted of 221 subjects. This study was approved by the Albert Einstein Institutional Review Board.
Current Knowledge/Study Rationale: QRS duration is an independent predictor of mortality. Obstructive sleep apnea produces structural changes of the heart which can lead to a widened QRS but this potential association has not been adequately explored.
Study Impact: QRS duration prolonged significantly as sleep apnea severity increased; however, on multivariate analysis the effect remained significant only in women. QRS widening could help explain associations between sleep apnea and cardiovascular events while the effect in women points to possible areas for future research.
All patients were initially evaluated by a certified sleep medicine certified physician. PSG recording and scoring were performed using the VIASYS SomnoStar Pro System. Electroencephalogram, electro-oculogram, and electromyogram were monitored for sleep staging. Nasal pressure monitoring, chest wall movement, abdominal movement, snoring, and oxygen saturation were monitored for respiratory assessment. Electrocardiogram and tibial electromyogram were monitored for cardiac arrhythmias and nocturnal limb movements, respectively. The AHI, defined as the sum of apneas and hypopneas per hour of sleep, was recorded from the PSG report. OSA severity was defined by AHI according to recommendations from the Sleep Task Force of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (no OSA when AHI < 5, mild-moderate OSA with AHI 5-30, and severe OSA with AHI > 30).17
The resting 12-lead ECGs of these patients were accessed from their electronic medical records. Heart rate, QRS duration, PR interval, and corrected QT interval (QTc) were abstracted from the computerized ECG interpretation (Marquette 12SL ECG Analysis Program run on the MUSE ECG system). The onset of QRS is detected first because it is the easiest; the slope change is usually very rapid and in great contrast to the other slopes in the median. This is followed by QRS offset. The onsets and offsets are determined by an analysis of simultaneous slopes in all 12 leads. Onsets are defined as the earliest deflection in any lead, and offsets as the latest deflection in any lead. Thus, the QRS duration is measured from the earliest onset in any lead to the latest deflection in any lead. Similarly, the QT interval is measured from the earliest detection of depolarization in any lead to the latest detection of repolarization in any lead. The PR interval is measured form the earliest detection of atrial depolarization in any lead to the earliest detection of ventricular depolarization in any lead (the QRS onset). The QT is corrected for heart rate using Bazett's formula. The values of these intervals were recorded in milliseconds (ms).
PSG, ECG, and demographic data including age, gender, and race were collected from electronic medical records. Cardiovascular risk factors—namely hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, atrial fibrillation, obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2), and smoking status—were noted from the records. Recording of these variables were done blinded to the OSA status or severity.
Data were summarized by calculating mean ± SD for continuous variables, and numbers and percentages for categorical variables. Due to non-linearity of the variables analyzed we used Spearman correlation coefficients to explore the association as continuous variables between AHI, mean and minimum oxygen saturation during sleep, with QRS and other ECG intervals. We performed one-way ANOVA and independent t-tests to assess differences between cardiovascular risk factors and ECG intervals by presence or absence of OSA and by its severity (AHI < 5; no OSA, AHI 5-29; mild-to-moderate OSA and AHI ≥ 30; severe OSA) and by mean oxygen saturation < 88 % (cut-off used by Medicare for home oxygen) and minimum oxygen saturation < 94% (lowest quartile) during sleep. We then assessed whether severity of OSA was associated with a prolonged QRS (≥ 100 ms). Finally, we performed regression analyses to identify significant univariate predictors for QRS duration (p-value ≤ 0.10). To assess the independent effect of OSA on AHI and mean and minimum oxygen saturation during sleep, we performed multivariate analyses adjusting for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors (p-value < 0.05). Due to significant differences in QRS duration between men and women previously reported18,19 and noted in our study, we performed analyses stratified by gender, and therefore no adjustment for gender was needed. All analyses were performed using JMP 8.0 (SAS Institute; Cary, NC) and 2-tailed p values < 0.05 were considered significant in advance.
Baseline characteristics of the 221 participants (64.2% female) are shown in Table 1. Characteristics of the subjects and prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors according to the presence or absence of OSA and its severity are shown in Table 2. Overall, subjects with OSA tended to be older and male. Subjects with mild to moderate OSA had a higher prevalence of congestive heart failure and subjects with severe OSA tended to be more obese and hypertensive. Because there were no significant differences between the mild and moderate OSA groups, we decided to cluster them in a single group.
Baseline characteristics of the subjects included in the study
(more ...)
Characteristics by presence or absence of obstructive sleep apnea and by its severity
QRS and AHI showed a weak but significant and positive correlation (rho = 0.14, p = 0.03). Table 3 displays ECG intervals by presence or absence of OSA and by its severity. QRS was significantly wider as OSA severity increased (Figure 1). Furthermore, QRS ≥ 100 ms was present in 12.7% of those with severe OSA compared with 0% of patients in the mild to moderate OSA group, and 0% in those without OSA, p < 0.0001 (Figure 2). PR and QTc intervals were not significantly correlated with AHI (rho = −0.03, p = 0.58 and rho = −0.02, p = 0.75, respectively) and were not significantly different among groups.
ECG intervals by presence or absence of OSA and by its severity
0 = No OSA; 1 = Mild-moderate OSA; 2 = Severe OSA.
QRS duration by obstructive sleep apnea severity measured by apnea-hypopnea index0 = No OSA; 1 = Mild-moderate OSA; 2 = Severe OSA.
QRS > 100 ms by presence or absence of OSA and by its severity
To examine a possible relationship between nocturnal hypoxemia and QRS duration, we also looked at mean oxygen saturation and minimal oxygen saturation. Mean QRS duration was 93.4 ± 16.4 ms for the lowest quartile of mean oxygen saturation (< 94%) versus 88.9 ± 14.3 ms for those with mean oxygen saturation ≥ 94% (p = 0.049). We next divided patients into those with minimum oxygen saturation of ≤ 88% (current Medicare criteria for home oxygen prescription) and those with minimum oxygen saturation > 88%. Mean QRS duration for patients with nocturnal hypoxemia as defined above was 91.6 ± 16.0 ms compared to 86.1 ± 10.3 ms for those without (p = 0.005). After stratifying by sex, the difference in QRS duration remained significant in women (88.6 ± 14.3 ms vs. 83.5 ± 8.3 ms in patients with and without nocturnal hypoxemia), but not in men (96.1 ± 17.5 ms vs. 96.4 ± 11.5 ms in patients with and without nocturnal hypoxemia).
Sex, race, hypertension, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and AHI were significant univariate predictors for QRS duration (Table 4). After stratifying by sex, women had a shorter QRS duration than men (86.8 ± 12.7 vs. 94.9 ± 15.1 ms), consistent with previous studies.18,19 In multivariate analyses, in men, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and race remained significant predictors of QRS duration after adjustments, while in women, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, and AHI remained as significant predictors (Table 5). Minimal oxygen saturation was not a significant predictor of QRS duration on multivariate analyses.
Univariate predictors for QRS duration
Multivariate predictors for QRS duration stratified by sex
Our major finding is that QRS duration and OSA are significantly associated. This was particularly true for patients with severe OSA (AHI > 30), where 12.7% had a QRS ≥ 100 ms compared to 0% of patients without OSA or with only mild to moderate OSA. After multivariate analyses, AHI remained a significant predictor of prolonged QRS in women but not in men.
Previous small studies have looked for a possible association between QRS duration and OSA. Andreas et al.20 found a mean QRS duration of 96 ± 9 ms in OSA, similar to the 95.20 ± 19.9 ms found in our study. Their control subjects had similar QRS duration (96 ± 10 ms) and the authors concluded that OSA was not associated with QRS prolongation. In our study, subjects without OSA had a more normal QRS duration (85.8 ± 9.5 ms). This difference may relate to the fact that their controls were snorers with an AHI up to 10, while in our study controls had an AHI < 5 as suggested by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Task Force.17 Furthermore, their sample size was small (n = 47). In another study, Steiner et al.21 studied 12 patients with congestive heart failure and compared ECG parameters by presence or absence of OSA. Although they noted no statistically significant changes in QRS duration between OSA groups, the mean QRS was 99 ± 13 ms in controls and 144 ± 43 ms in patients with OSA. This study is limited by small sample size (6 patients in each group) and by the mean AHI of the OSA group being only 17.8; therefore few conclusions can be drawn from these results.
In previous studies, QRS ≥ 120 ms has been independently associated with all-cause mortality15,16 and sudden death.14–16 Though mean QRS duration in our patients with severe OSA was < 120 ms, it is notable that only severe OSA subjects had a QRS ≥ 100 ms while this finding was absent in others. We can speculate that changes in QRS duration occur slowly and move in only one direction (wider). In addition OSA probably worsens over time. Therefore our patients might, over time, develop additional QRS widening. Further study is needed to investigate this possibility.
One of the interesting findings in this study is that AHI was independently associated with QRS duration in women but not in men. There are several possible ways to explain this. Prior studies have noted shorter QRS duration in women, as we also found. Any increase in QRS duration in response to OSA would produce a greater percentage change in women versus men, making it easier to detect statistically. On the other hand, there may be a true difference between men and women in response of the left ventricle to the afterload burden imposed by OSA. Animal studies have shown differences in gene expression between males and females in response to pressure overload.22 In addition, women appear to have greater wall thickening in response to aortic stenosis than do men.23 Among hypertensive patients followed by the LIFE study, women had reduced regression of electrocardiographic hypertrophy after 5 years of therapy versus men.24 Given these findings, it may be that women develop greater left ventricular hypertrophy in response to OSA, leading to greater QRS prolongation. Wall thickness tends to be slightly less in women than men; thus the female heart might experience greater wall stress from the high negative intrathoracic pressure produced by obstructive apneas.
Regarding the relationship between QT duration and OSA, previous studies have reported conflicting findings. Smith et al.25 measured QT and PR interval changes associated with spontaneous and respiratory-related arousals in OSA patients, finding a shortening of the QT during arousal. However, that study included only 20 OSA patients and lacked a control group. In another study, Lue et al.26 reported opposite findings with prolongation of the QT and corrected QT intervals in the OSA group compared to controls. In our study, we did not find an association between OSA and QTc interval. These conflicting results might be explained by the multiple factors that influence QT duration, and the fact that it can change very rapidly.
Prolonged QRS and OSA can each be seen in various cardiovascular conditions with important clinical implications.1,2 Both have been associated with increased left ventricle mass, hypertension,3 congestive heart failure,4 and ventricular arrhythmias.27,28 Several pathophysiologic mechanisms can explain these associations. In OSA, breathing against a closed upper airway generates high negative intrathoracic pressure, which increases left ventricular transmural pressure and afterload, contributing to left ventricular hypertrophy.29 Furthermore, OSA is an accepted causal factor for the development of hypertension, which also contributes to left ventricular hypertrophy. Other possible mechanisms by which OSA might contribute to QRS widening include endothelial dysfunction,29 systemic inflammation, sympathetic activation, blood pressure surges, and oxidative stress, all of which contribute to increased arterial stiffness9 and increased afterload stress on the left ventricle.
Our study has a large sample size in comparison with most OSA studies. All of our patients underwent polysomnography study, the gold standard test to define this condition; this allowed us to assess OSA severity. We performed multivariate analyses to control for many of the clinical factors that could confound our results. Our study has some limitations. Given the cross-sectional nature of the study we cannot determine causality, as we cannot assess if prolonged QRS duration preceded or followed development of OSA. Our sample population was mainly African American, limiting generalizability of these results to other populations. In the multivariate analysis QRS prolongation was independently associated with OSA in women, but not in men, which could be due to overadjustment (example: hypertension and obesity, conditions commonly found in OSA) or insufficient power, as the majority of our population sample were women. Lead time bias is likely present in our study, as the onset of OSA in our population is not well established. However, in theory the longer the disease has been present, the greater the impact on cardiovascular disease, in our case the greater the QRS prolongation.
This is the first study linking increased QRS duration with OSA and may help explain the increased risk of sudden cardiac death in both conditions. For the overall sample, increased QRS duration was significantly associated with OSA, particularly in those with severe OSA (AHI > 30). After multivariate analyses severe OSA remained a significant independent predictor of prolonged QRS in women but not in men, while congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation remained independent predictors in both men and women. Nevertheless, prolongation of QRS duration in either sex may potentiate arrhythmic risk associated with OSA. Mechanisms underlying the gender effects of the QRS-OSA interaction remain to be determined.
This was not an industry supported study. Dr. Somers serves as a consultant for Apnex Medical, Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Sova Pharmaceuticals, Respicardia, ResMed, and Neupro. He has received research support from Philips Respironics, Inc. Dr. Pressman has received a research grant from Philips Respironics, Inc. The other authors have indicated no financial conflicts of interest.
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Gami AS, Somers VK, authors. Implications of obstructive sleep apnea for atrial fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. J Cardiovac Electrophysiol. 2008;19:997–03
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Lee CH, Khoo SM, Tai BC, et al., authors. Obstructive sleep apnea in patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction. Chest. 2009;135:1488–95. [PubMed]
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EMERSON, Ga. – Heading into week three of the WWBA National Championship series, the 17u WWBA National Championship takes center stage at Perfect Game Park South at LakePoint in Emerson, GA. The event starts on Friday, July 4th and concludes on Friday, July 11th. The event will also take place at a variety of local high schools and parks.
This marks the 12th edition of the 17u WWBA event. The field is set for 304 teams, which are up from last year's event, which saw 270 teams. Teams from 29 states including Georgia, New Jersey, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Tennessee, New York, California, Colorado, North Carolina, Ohio, Delaware, Virginia, South Carolina, Maryland, Massachusetts, Illinois, West Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Connecticut will come to North Georgia in an effort claim a Perfect Game title. Two teams from Ontario, Canada will also be in attendance.
Last year saw the Orlando Scorpions Prime beat FTB Chandler 3-2 in the championship game.
FTB Chandler comes into the tournament with the most players ranked in the Perfect Game rankings with 6. They are led by a standout 2015 class. Those players include Ryan Mountcastle (No. 16, UCF commit), Jonathan India (No. 27, Florida commit), Mitchell Hansen (No. 29, Stanford commit), Juan Hillman (No. 34, UCF commit), and Wyatt Cross (No. 48, North Carolina commit). They also have an impressive 2016 grad in Herbert Iser (No. 5, uncommitted).
The Elite Squad 17u Prime also has an impressive roster. They are led by 2015 grad Daniel Reyes (No. 5, Florida commit). They also have a strong 2016 class led by Anthony Molina (No. 2, Miami commit) and Gregory Veliz (No. 4, Miami commit).
The Evoshield Canes 17u also come in with a talented roster with three highly ranked players. They are led by 2015s Mike Nikorak (No. 3, Alabama commit), Ashe Russell (No. 7, Notre Dame commit) and Beau Burrows (No. 10, Texas A&M commit).
The All-American Prospects and CBA Marucci have their share of talent in the 2015 class. The Prospects are led by Kyle Tucker (No. 15, Florida commit) and Thomas Szapucki (No. 18, Florida commit). CBA comes in with Kyle Molnar (No. 13, UCLA commit) and Chris Betts (No. 25, Tennessee commit) on their roster.
Chandler World and the Easton Rockets are two teams that participated in the 17u WWBA Elite Round Robin. They should be closely watched because of their high-profile players. Chandler has standout players in 2015s Devin Davis (No. 24, Loyola Marymount commit) and Greg Pickett (No. 26, uncommitted). The Rockets have two big right-handed flame-throwers on their roster in 2015s Triston McKenzie (No. 40, Vanderbilt commit) and Austin Smith (No 41, Florida Atlantic commit).
The Elite Baseball Training-Chicago 2016 team and the Houston Banditos Black are also two teams to watch out for. Elite Baseball Training is led by 2016 standouts Anthony Holubecki (No. 20, Notre Dame commit) and Drake Fellows (No. 23, Vanderbilt commit). The Banditos Black has talent in the 2015 class in Ryan Cole McKay (No 8, LSU commit) and Kody Clemens (No. 43, Texas commit).
Two programs who have historically done very well in Perfect Game events are back to claim a 17u WWBA title. The San Diego Show and the Scorpions 2016 Prime have a wealth of talent on their rosters. The Show are led by 2015 standout Drew Finley (No. 46, Southern California commit) who has already been selected to play in the Perfect Game All-American Classic on August 10 at Petco Park in San Diego. They also have a very talented 2016 player in Mickey Moniak (No. 22, UCLA commit). The Scorpions are led by a talented 2016 class including Cole Ragans (No. 6, FSU commit) and Drew Mendoza (No. 11, FSU commit).
The Tri-State Arsenal Showcase 1 and Twelve have talented players. Tri-State is led by 2015 grad John Aiello (No. 11, Wake Forest commit) and 2016 grad Jason Groome (No. 14, uncommitted). Twelve is led by 2015s Ryan Johnson (No. 9, TCU commit) and Luken Baker (No. 28, TCU).
Three local teams from Georgia come in with rosters that will surely have scouts watching. HP Maldonado, the Georgia Roadrunners, and Team Elite Roadrunners will try to keep the National Championship crown in the state. HP Maldonado comes in with two 2015s that should be watched in Cornelius Randolph (No. 17, Clemson commit) and Tristin English (No. 37, Georgia Tech commit). The Georgia Roadrunners are led by 2015 grad Brandt Stallings (No. 23, Georgia Tech commit) and 2016 grad Seth Beer (No. 7, uncommitted). Team Elite Roadrunners are led by 2015 grad Jahmai Jones (No. 6, UNC commit) and 2016 grad Jonathan Gettys (No. 13, uncommitted).
Some other notable 2015s that will be in attendance this week include Nicholas Shumpert (No. 14, Kentucky commit) from the Prospects National Team, Hogan Harris (No. 20, Louisiana-Lafayette commit) from Marucci 17u Trosclair, Kep Brown (No. 30, uncommitted) from the Atlanta Blue Jays 17u, Alonzo Jones (No. 32, Vanderbilt commit) from East Cobb Baseball, and Christifer Andritsos (No. 45, Oklahoma commit) from Houston Kyle Chapman.
Some other notable 2016s include Riley Pint (No. 8, uncommitted) from Mac-n-Seitz Foster, Jeff Belge (No. 16, St. Johns commit), and T.J. Collett (No. 24, Kentucky commit) from Lids Indiana Bulls Black.


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JACKSONVILLE --- A proposal drafted by the Governor's Blue Ribbon Task Force could lower tuition for certain majors in Florida in an effort to steer students into science, technology and engineering degree programs.
Even though the proposal is still in the works, it's already receiving mixed reactions from students.
Rob Byther is a political science major at the University of North Florida and is one of many students that would not see a reduction in his tuition if the a state task force proposal is passed. He chose political science because he enjoys the social sciences, but fears that if only STEM programs such as science, technology and engineering get lower tuition, it could change the future of education.
"I think it will make it more empty. That's the thing I really like about the liberal arts degrees, it's a very well rounded education where as math is focused on you know numbers and science is specifically focused on the methods and the research," said Byther.
The proposal would lower tuition for majors which would benefit the state, like nursing, biomedical engineering, and coastal biology.
"I think it would definitely improve [state education] because more people would be motivated to go into those majors because it would be easier for them to pay for the tuition and all the other fees that come along with tuition," said Mary Jo Monk, a Coastal Biology Major at UNF.
But not all college students are on board with focusing only on increasing enrollment in certain degrees.
"Without extreme emphasis on the social sciences like history, poly sci, you know psychology, criminal justice, like all those majors play an important role in functioning as a society," countered Byther.
Most of the students who favor the proposal are already planning on pursuing a STEM program major which would have a lower tuition. Others who might be undecided about their major may choose a STEM major if it means no college loans for four years.
"I would actually love that because I'm actually in debt right now, so I could definitely use some relief from my debt," said Jose Villaseco, a music major at UNF.
There's no word on how much the proposal would lower tuition for the majors in demand, but the task force, which UNF President John Delaney is heading, will meet two more times before making a decision on the proposal.


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(Jens Astrup/AFP/Getty Images)
By Abby Hassler
Ever wanted to hear Justin Bieber singing in Spanish? Fans get their wish in Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's "Despacito" remix, where the singer starts the new track with a verse in English but switches over to Spanish for the chorus.
Related: Ringo Starr Confirms The Beatles are Bigger than Justin Bieber
The "Sorry" singer built up anticipation ahead of the track's release by posting photos from his recording session on social media last week. One of the photos ended up being the cover for the remix.
Listen to the remix below.


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Discussion in 'Odds & Ends' started by zapvor, Apr 24, 2007.
Hey, man. Sorry you dropped the ball - and dropped it - and dropped it.
The only thing you will see streaking today are my off-target serves and maybe my buddy "Q's" groundstrokes. That dude has no fear and gets to every thing.
BTW- are you breaking out the Xis-hippie outfit? If so, I gotta run home and grab the camera.
Happy 10,000th post everyone!!!!!
When does TW run out of server space on our account?
Yup, tie-died t-shirt with big peace symbol on the front, Hawaiian-style shorts (very loud) and colorful headband. Far out, man. Thinking of bringing some 60s heavy metal, too, like Iron Butterfly, but that's optional at the moment.
Gotta nap now and conserve my energy.
Hey, Lady Topaz. Looks like Sappy can dish it out but can't take it. Guess he's the Sad Sap today.
Just saw another thread called "Tennis Toe." Is that yours? *innocent grin*
Kinda bummed now - I actually don't have time to grab the camera.
Damn, that looks cool. I'm sure Sergey will have us hooked up this afternoon!
sap dishes and takes plenty. did you see the debauchery made of last thursday's meet? i believe it's called i'm owed.
JRK, sry can't make it tonight. phone out of bat and got home too late
make it happen between topskunk and xisfm.. think it'll be a good match. i believe we are still waiting for skunk to step up to the plate and bat.. game on.
Ok new mexico really sucks. dont go there.
I will play tommorrow morning for the first time in 2 weeks so lets pray I didnt lose my sweet backhand
Hey Sup,
Do those **** dudes negotiate on prices at all? they gave me a price that seems a little steep.
you've been missed hollywood. do you want to set up a hit next week?? i was hitting with tfm's wood frame today and he really liked one of my back hands stating that it has at least twice as much spin as schmad's so i'm think it was at least 50rpm.. . indeed a sweet shot.
What say you to a mini-meet thursday? As of now all days for me, but tuesday are open. I have some league matches that need rescheduling though but I have not done that yet. So we can go any day but tuesday.
tfm.. next week
You did hit well with the wood racquet. Then again your dunlop is strung like a trampoline.
P.S Lost my doubles match with Frank the Tank in 3 sets. Brutal but I got to drink, so all is well.
play doubles with tfm next time
tennis on espn right now. Jankovic def has a nice body. not so mule like dementieva
I talked with TFM afterwards and he asked to play doubles next time. He also mentioned eating a turkey leg and something about my racquet. Didn't get it. Must of been one of his posts or something about you Sap.
kankovic def has a ridiculous body. too bad no face to match
OH! That looks tasty. Post meet grub maybe?
Hollywood- good to have you back man. I'm down for a Thursday mini-meet (*assuming no last minute schedule changes from HQ).
Team Xisstreaker played Bruce Willis and "A" and we crushed...or rather we got crushed. Still had a lot of fun and I got a taste of Xisbum's doubles game when we switched partners. Good times!
Xis-hippie also busted out the psychedelic tennis gear while I did a poor James Blake impression with my headband:
Only downer of the night were this group of guys who were trying to illegally "reserve" all four courts at Shadowood and wouldn't let this couple take an empty court - but we had to set them straight.
i'll be here drinking tonight.. anyone else??
^^^Don't forget the sidecar for the motorcycle so Thumber doesn't have to leave you behind!
So you will get there at before 9pm? Is Thumber going? Are you playing or just watching? Have I asked enough questions?
Peace, brother. Sup, can you e-mail your orthopedic specialist's name? Knee is really barking today, and it's becoming a regular thing.
Thanks, brother.
I would like to play a little tennis today with PP and Sup, if possible. PP, you awake yet? Sup, you sober yet? (Just kidding).
Disclaimer: My body is a little beat up from playing 5 hours yesterday.
You sounded pooped on the phone. Just chill home, take some advil.. and perhaps drink a beer or something. Shcmad done for today.
You are right. I am pooped. My mind tells me I want to play but my body says otherwise.
On days like this, Shintan would love to remind me that I'm "done"
Shcmad, we need to play before you go back to school. You up for a hit Tuesday???
guitar hero is tomorrow. we won't be doing any playing. the site has the date wrong
ARe you sure Sappy? Seems odd that it would be a Sunday rather than a Saturday.
Ughhh, huge hangover today. I really need to stay away from beer, it always give me a severe hangover the next day. If I drink vodka all night, I feel like a million bucks the next day.
I always recover better with liquor as well...plus it tastes better!
there's some mass confusion out there on the event. i ended up calling hard rock cafe and was informed that it's going to be held tomorrow
site listing 26th as the date for the event. along with express paper,
hard rock dc website listing 27th as the date for the event
i may swing down there later just to spectate a large gathering of nerds bashing their home made guitar at the footsteps of hard rock cafe.
in the event it goes down tomorrow?? TW mac guitar hero event??? rule is that you have to get there 2hrs early to register and person with the highest score gets barging rights.
topaz, skunk, nerd fest alert.. they are all likely to be single, 30s with steady IT job..
Hahaha... half asian was talking about how she was excited that the new X-Files movie was coming out. I said "nerd-alert, nerd-alert!" and she got really pissed. Nothing like cutting someone down when they are excited about something.
JRK, i played armstrong today. biked from dc to old town. ate at the pita cafe. threw a big ol middle finger to NE, SE of DC and then biked home... okay i metro-ed the bike home. it was f-ing far
^^^Not sure, as I have some friends in town...but maybe. I have never, ever played guitar hero though...can't you just go and watch (ridicule?)?
You were in old towne? Should have given me a call!
Siccy. Tenis tomorrow.
actually it was only 4.5 hours. and i ended up playing with that girl today. 1.5 hours. after all teh tries, we spontaneously did it. hah.
Right on the court?
Youre an animal. Although somehow I doubt youre spaontaneously doing it skills you probably went to pull youre shorts down and walk over, then tripped on the things. Gave a few random fist pumps and went home to watch a dirty movie
Zap...wow...you did it on the tennis court??? I knew you were crazy enough to do something like that, but...man...congratulations!!
2 things.
-The adidas hurts my eyes.
-What happened to the Nike?
Man...JR you look a lot skinnier!! All the work you put during the summer is paying off, eh???
Time to go up the mountain. I've got home from a long night of drinking around 3 hours ago. No sleep! Be afraid.
So, was she any good at it? (At tennis, I mean)
Curse you and the rain, Sup. By the way, I was at church when you called me.
I was planning to hit with you and PP today, but thanks a lot. Thanks.
JR, sorry I haven't been checking e-mail for a while. I just replied to yours.
I can't rock the Nadal shirt everyday - gotta mix it up. I did have a Nike headband on and I just picked up two Nike dri-fit t-shirts (BTW 20% off all Nike at City Sports in DC).
Thanks Shintan - yeah I"ve been putting in some work in the gym. Lost about 15 lbs - need to loose another 20-30 lbs to get back to my soccer playing weight.
Cool - I'll check the e-mail.
Sup - Sorry I missed your call last night... no reception in the bar, which I didn't realize until I left the bar. The show was alright, my friend is just the lead guitar in the band... I don't know the rest of the dudes.
BTW, what happened on Friday night? I was pretty drunk by 9:00pm, so sorry if you showed up later and I wasn't there. I don't remember what time we left but it wasn't that late. There was some 80's theme party going on and all I remember was talking to two girls, one was dressed like Madonna and the other was supposed to be Punky Brewster maybe.
If I was sober enough I could've asked them to join the kickball team, hahaha.
Today I'm eating poke, drinking a Sapporo and watching "Old Boy" which I think is a Korean film. Pretty much have all my "Asian" bases covered.
For once, I was impressed by Sup's timing, as the shower was right on time to cool me off from my morning (ok, late morning) run. Ahhh...
I'm hoping we are once again 'on' for Thursday night mini-meet? Since the men's open is at Skyline this week, I definitely won't have clinic.
Separate names with a comma.


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MADISON, Wis., Jan. 29 (UPI) -- As urban farming gains strength, small goats are proving popular as entertaining and intelligent pets in backyards throughout the United States.
While many communities still ban goats, other cities such as Seattle, Portland, Ore., and Oakland, Calif., are changing zoning laws to accommodate small goats.
In Portland, the newspaper Willamette Week predicted goats will replace chickens as must-have backyard companions this year.
Goats have become so "omnipresent" that "it's time to recognize them as the pet poised to break out as most likely to show up in your neighbor's yard," Willamette Week wrote in its 2010 predictions story.
For some, owning a Pygmy goat or a Nigerian dwarf goat is purely about the companionship of an intelligent, affectionate animal that grows no bigger than a Labrador retriever and is funny, full of antics and keeps the landscape tidy.
Nikki Willis of West Palm Beach, Fla., got her two Nigerian dwarf goats -- Jerry Seinfeld and Elaine Benes -- as Christmas presents for her husband, Brian. It's been so cold in Florida this year Willis made little coats for Jerry and Elaine and then posted a video of the two goats wrestling on YouTube. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TsYhCqy5F0)
"They follow me everywhere and call out to me," Willis said. "They are adorable and so much fun.
For the record, goats don't eat tin cans. They are browsers, meaning they prefer more than grass and enjoy hay, leaves, scrub brush, most weeds and the inadvertent piece of human clothing, leather purse, book or piece of house siding within reach. Goats mouth nearly anything, even if they don't swallow it.
In 2007, the Seattle City Council voted unanimously to allow each home three goats under 100 pounds each. The council's action resulted from a spirited campaign by the city's Goat Justice League with the motto: "I'm pro goat and I vote." League founder Jennie Grant keeps two miniature goats for their fresh milk and twice a year teaches an "urban goat" class that draws 20 to 30 students at a time.
Any of the more than 210 breeds of goats worldwide can be crossbred to a dwarf breed to produce a miniature goat while Pygmy goats are a true breed unto themselves.
Grant says many people are drawn to goat-owning by the back-to-the-land food movement that disdains milk and meat from large factory farms.
"In our society, we have pets we love and we have factory farm animals that we treat dismally," Grant said. "I want to return to a world where animals are both, like in Africa and Greece where they treat animals very well and then eat them. I think that is a much better model."
While the growth in goat numbers nationwide is elusive, goat enthusiast Lela Perez, 16, of Killeen, Texas, has seen goat projects in her Future Farmers of America chapter rise from five projects in 2008 to nearly 20 this year.
Perez has leash-trained her goats and said she enjoys the startled look on people's faces when they realize it's a goat, and not a dog, that's out with her for a walk or a run.
Perez has three goats -- one named Mamie Eisenhower -- and considers them pets she loves but nonetheless will eventually be table-bound as food.
Lee Zasloff, a California researcher, says a segment of backyard goat owners, such as Perez and Grant, consider their animals pets with a job. Zasloff, who studies human-animal bonds, is conducting the first known survey of human relationships with goats through her studies at American River College in Sacramento.
A goat owner herself, Zasloff worries about goats becoming a fad where unprepared people acquire backyard goats with no knowledge about trimming hooves, proper nutrition, secure fencing and the cost of feed and veterinary care.
"It's a lot of work and can be quite expensive," Zasloff said, "and we know from visiting any animal shelter that many people don't do a lot of research or planning before getting an animal."
(To learn more about goats, visit www.AllThingsGoat.com.)


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Doha Climate Summit off to a Rocky Start
The EU will not commit to renew climate funding which runs out in 2013 ahead of talks at the Doha climate summit, which opens today (26 November). But new climate aid may be announced in the conference's second week.
Development NGOs reacted angrily to an EU statement on 23 November which said only that in Doha, the EU would "discuss with its developing country partners how major flows of EU climate finance can continue in 2013-2014".
"If the EU and other developed countries are serious about making climate action a reality for the period 2013-2020, they can't afford to come to Doha empty handed," Lies Craeynest, Oxfam's EU policy adviser told EurActiv. "Vague promises to increase support in developing countries won't help communities who are facing the impacts of climate change now," she said.
Senior EU officials believe that most member states have factored climate aid into their medium term financial plans and leaders are likely to announce commitments at the conference itself.
"Normally, if it is about money, it is not the senior mandarin who will announce anything but his masters," the EU's chief climate negotiator Artur Runge-Metzger told a Brussels roundtable on 16 November.
Such declarations are often synched with the ebb and flow of negotiations.
"It will probably happen in the [conference's] second week," Runge-Metzger said, "and I don't think this will be a pledging exercise, just what is in the drawer at the present point in time and what has been agreed to in the next year and maybe the year after".
The UK and some other member states reportedly want to launch new initiatives that blend public and private funding sources. "I'm sure a lot of noise will be made about this in Doha," Runge-Metzger said.
Doha, Qatar photo via Shutterstock.
Read more at EurActive.


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Probably a lot of you remember watching and/or have seen videotapes of Tai Babilonia/Randy Gardner's heartbreaking experience at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.
Tai and Randy were the five-time US champions and the reigning World champions. Granted, their 1979 World title was a bit tainted, as the longtime World and Olympic champions, Soviets Irina Rodnina/Alexandr Zaitsev, had taken the 1979 season off, as Irina had given birth to their first child. Still, Tai and Randy were at the top of their game, and an Olympic gold medal was a real possibility, and on their home ice, to boot.
Unfortunately, Randy pulled a groin muscle in a practice session a few weeks prior to the Olympics, and he had reinjured himself at a practice just a few days before the Olympic short program. He and his coach, John Nicks, kept the injury private. Tai was completely unaware that her partner was seriously injured.
Then, filmed on live television, Tai and Randy took to the ice for their short program warmup. They skated their side-by-side stroking movements cleanly and with power. Then they attempted a side by side double axel, and Randy crashed on the ice. They attempted it again, and Randy fell again. Clearly, something was wrong, and they skated to the boards to confer with Nicks.
They left the rink, and the competition began. When it was their turn to skate, Randy came out on the ice alone, skated around a bit, and attempted to land a double flip. Crash, down on the ice. He skated to Tai and their coach, and they withdrew from the competition.
Dick Button and Jim McKay were commentating for American television. Dick said, "My heart is in my mouth", and Jim replied, "I can hear it." After Dick announced the withdrawal he said. "I feel so badly for Tai and Randy. I don't feel badly because they are Americans, but because they had worked so hard for so many years, and they were finally in a position to show their talents to the world. What a luck of the draw!"
Many Americans (myself included) sent a telegram of sympathy and support to Tai and Randy. When I spoke to the operator at Western Union about an hour afterwards, she told me she and her staff had been "swamped" with calls from throughout the United States and Canada.
President Jimmy Carter called Tai and Randy to express his sympathy and concern.
It was truly a moment to reach for the Kleenex. I can't imagine how devastating this must have been for them. A year later, I had the pleasure of attending a performance of Ice Capades, where Tai and Randy, now professionals, skated the short program they had been unable to skate at Lake Placid. It was a great program - fast, clean, dynamic - and it brought everyone to their feet in a long, standing ovation.


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Every 26 seconds a child drops out of school. Less than three-quarters of the students who enter the ninth grade graduate four years later.
At Communities In Schools of the South Plains, we help the kids facing the greatest challenges empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.
Communities In Schools places site coordinators in needy schools to benefit students and their families. These site coordinators fulfill student needs by mobilizing existing community resources and fostering cooperative partnerships.
CIS utilizes evidence-based research to support their model. This model demonstrated the strongest reduction in dropout rates according to an independent study. We believe this evidence of effectiveness is to ensure that children, particularly those most in need are provided programs proven to be effective. This approach would also ensure adequate protection of taxpayer dollars.
As the president and Congress deliberate education legislation like the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, we hope they support opportunities to include funding for site coordinators to use evidence-based programs as a fundamental part of school reform.
DONNA MONTES, executive director, Communities in Schools of the South Plains/Lubbock


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"Bob Barking" retro & vintage celebrity digi stamp for card making and paper crafts. KennyK Stamps - the card making website for fun & sassy digital stamps and clear stamps!
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Cardinals call up Jackson for infield depth
By Mike Radano / Special to MLB.com
"I had just gotten off the plane and heard guys talking," Jackson said. "They told me about the trade and I was like, 'OK, man -- whatever.' Then my manager came over and told me I was coming up."
Jackson -- ranked as the Cards' No. 17 prospect by MLB.com -- returned to Memphis for the night, one in which he admits he tried to shut his eyes but never really slept, and then went to Philadelphia, where he will fill a utility infield role off the bench for St. Louis.
The University of Miami product, who played primarily shortstop but did have chances at second and third for Memphis this season, gives the Cardinals some added depth and replaces what amounts to a disappointing stint for Green with the Cardinals. Jackson hit .269 with a .331 on-base percentage and .398 slugging percentage. Add in 10 home runs, 23 doubles and 45 RBIs, and Jackson gives the Cardinals an option against lefties late in games.
"The first day is always a big deal," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "It's not a courtesy trip. He's going to be put to use and hopefully help us move forward. He impressed us through the spring and he's been consistent, especially lately."
"My dad was on his way to work and I told him he had to reroute and head to Philly," said Jackson, who will have his father, mother and grandfather at Citizens Bank Park for his first game in a Cardinals uniform. "I wasn't thinking about anything but playing as hard as I could. I just came every day and worked hard and tried not to think about [getting the callup.] I just report for duty."
Traveling with Cards, Carp back in Philly
PHILADELPHIA -- Chris Carpenter isn't about to rejoin the Cardinals' rotation, but he is traveling with the team. That type of leadership and experience can't be measured.
"He's yelling and screaming," Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny said with a smile. "He's making sure people are doing things the right way. That's what he does best. I think he knows we like having him around, and he can work with Chris Conroy and the medical staff and work on what he needs.
"We take him wherever it makes sense with his rehab."
With that in mind, Carpenter, who has been out the entire season following surgery on his injured throwing shoulder, said there was no added incentive to making the trip to Philadelphia, where he was on the mound in the National League Division Series against the Phillies last year.
"At times, not just coming here, you think about that," Carpenter said. "It still is and was an exciting time. [The memories are] in my head, so I don't have to come to Philly to remember them. I always enjoy coming here anyway. It's a great ballpark, with great fans and it's fun to compete against them."
Cards weighing extra rest for Wainwright
PHILADELPHIA -- After a strong outing Sunday in which Adam Wainwright threw a season-high 119 pitches in a 3-1 win over San Francisco, the question is will the Cardinals keep him on his fifth day, or with a day off on Monday give him an extra day of rest and push his start to Wednesday against Arizona.
"We've talked about it, but we haven't come to a solid decision yet," manager Mike Matheny said. "You watch how everything else goes between now and then. The cons are how much of a workload can he put in. Also skipping somebody can be taken the wrong way on a staff that has collectively pitched well this year.
"We look at what we see. If what we see is consistency, which is what we see with Adam, who is pitching better than any time this season. He's not making many mistakes over the heart of the plate. The difference now is the location of his fastball and the effectiveness of his cutter."
Worth noting
Rehabbing starter Jaime Garcia threw 75 pitches in six innings on Thursday for Double-A Springfield. "The line wasn't as impressive as the way he looked," manager Mike Matheny said. "Six innings on 75 pitches means you're doing something right."
With Rafael Furcal battling a bad back, Jon Jay filled the leadoff spot of the lineup for the fifth time this season. "You want [your leadoff hitter] to work the count a little better and the bottom line is getting on base," said Matheny. "It's a guy that can't be afraid to be patient." Furcal was in the lineup, but batting eighth.
Mike Radano is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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I have brown converse, not hi-tops, they're in this brown suede-type fabric with a white arrow and a star on the side, and white rubber on the toes and soles, and i wear them nearly all the time, because they're super-comfy to walk in. Also filthy because they need washing...but they'll take ages to dry so i havn't bothered.
I like unusual shoes, and have quite a few pairs, but i don't go out much and would probably break an ankle in heels, so i stick to sparkly flats and kitten heels I bought these purple fake-snakeskin ones a while ago but dunno what to wear them with. Except maybe a necklace. If it was warmer, maybe go out in just those :S


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New Scion xB Owners - Give Us Your Report
It sounds like your dealer crossed some wires while installing the Cruise Control.
The OEM tires really stink...I replaced mine with Yokohama Avid TRZ's. Now it drives and handles very well in the rain.
I really hope all turns out well for you.
The dealership (or whoever installed the cruise) certainly is the culprit. Have you been installing accessories on your own? The wiring is messed up, that's why the fuse blew the 1st time. It sounds like they tapped into the lighter wire and when that caused problems, they tapped into another area, and now you may have a ground problem. Why do you keep taking it to the same dealer? Go to another dealer and describe the problems. It sounds like your dealer fixes electrical issues by using a "bigger hammer."
Also the ride in the back is stiff because your rear seat passengers are literally sitting on top of the rear wheels. Go to Sears and buy a set of Monroe Sensatrac shocks and install them yourself. Cost: about $50 on sale. It takes about 20 minutes to install with simple hand tools. The Monroe's ride softer and are better for rear riders. There are many posts on this site with directions on how to change the shocks.
The tires will last about 35k miles with proper inflation and rotation but they're pretty cheap. Read the other posts under "tires and wheels" to find out what works on others XB's I changed mine to Falken Ziex 512's in 195 60 15 and noticed a huge improvement. I have 54,000 on my 2005 TCM and have made the above changes and am pleased with the outcome. Good luck.
Good info on the shocks, thanks. I have put 12,000 mi. on my xB since getting it used w/ 44,000 on it. The new TRZ's work well and add a quieter and softer ride with better steering response.
Have thought about installing an infrared cruise system, but @ $200+, haven't justified the expense.
I recently had the same thing happen to my 2006 xB -- automatic transmission, no cruise control. It seems to go on and off every few days. My mechanic (whom I trust) says he believes it's related to the oxygen sensor passing bad data to the car but before I buy a new sensor (there's apparently a new part number available), I was wondering if you'd let me know how your problem was resolved?!?!
I've had my xB for almost a year. That station-changing problem occured on a large number of radios due to a manufacturing defect, a service bulletin was put out on it, and dealers replaced the radios. At the height of the problem, new radios were in short supply.
Somewhere in doing two radio installs and a cruise control install, your dealer must have shorted something to cause the electrical problems.
I use the cigarette lighter to charge my cell phone on trips, and it does not blow the fuse.
In the first week I replaced my rear shocks with SensaTracs, in the driveway in 30 minutes, and the ride became smooth.
I have stock tires and have not noticed any problem in heavy rain on the Interstate up to 70 mph. Maybe toward the end of their tread life they will not be so good in water.
smithpa4 Posts: 1I bought my 06 XB last March, loved it, but just in the last 6 months, I have got rattles and creaks all through the vehicle, you would swear this vehicle is 10 years old half the time, took it in to the dealership, and isn't it just amazing they didn't hear a thing. Monday my windshield got hit by a rock, wednesday on the way to work ( only 7 miles away) I watched this crack increase in size by 4 inches. The only place here inthe Salt Lake Valley to replace the windshield is the dealer, at a cost of &505.18. I am not that happy little camper anymore. And to top this off, my climate controls arn't matched up with the settings!
Got my 'O6 Manual xB last March and have been lucky. Not a thing to complain about in 11,000 miles. Still smells new, and is so much fun to drive.
After a few more weeks of driving on the new intake, with the lights turning on and off at unpredictable intervals, they have now been off for a solid month. I'm assuming the sensor adjusted to the new mixture or something... Anyway, back to normal!
big_guy Posts: 372I had the dash lights on my '05 xB light up like a Christmas Tree as well. It was pretty scary because I was on my way up the local canyon in the middle of a snowstorm and didn't want to get stuck. I took it to the dealer and they told me there was a service bulletin on this particular issue. Continuing to drive the vehicle was not a problem and they ordered parts and had them in within a week. They did the required service, installed the parts under factory warranty and I was off and running no worse for the wear. Your results may vary depending on the dealer you have service your vehicle.
I bought my xB used for a vendor that is not affiliated with any dealership. I have brought my xB into the local dealership to do a few repairs since I got it but they have been small and minor and have not kept me out of having fun driving my xB and having a blast doing it. I am now modifying my box to fit my style and it is great. There are a lot of owner groups out there that are very knowledgable about the box and can typically help through any problem.
roverton Posts: 202008-White
Just picked it on on Friday and too a 324 mile trip for a mpg of 30.1.
This baby rides smooooth and without wind noise. Another reason for liking this is when hitting bumps on the road it is smooth compared to other vechiles driven.
The only complaints are:
- No arm rest for the passenger
- For the driver, the left arm has no where to rest logically as the bottom of the window is to high and the area where the button are is too low. Otherwise this is a great buy.
-The backseat room is great.
? rhovertonyahoo.com
A reporter would like to get consumer feedback on the redesigned Scion xB. You do not have to be an owner to respond. Please respond to firstname.lastname@example.com no later than June 1, 2007 with your daytime contact information
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i have had my xb now for a week and i couldnt be happier! this little box is a head turner! :shades: i like the new body style - it is a little more rounded but still has that great box style! the color i chose is blackberry crush and what a color in full sun it looks like a dark brownish then you get the red metallic flecks shine through! i added a rear spoiler, rear bumper protector, led underdash and cupholders, illuminated door sill enhancements, mats - front and rear, exhaust tip and it is now at the body shop getting a power sunroof! i am in my late 30's and have 2 kids but when i drive this awesome car i feel like i did in my cruisin days! what a fun ride
i am getting better than expected gas mileage (average to date: 30mpg city/highway) and the ride is quiet and smooth! i went from a luxury sedan to this and the ride is equal if not better imo. i took myself, my friend, her 2 children and my 2 children on a weekend trip and we was all very comfortable! obviously i cant say enough about my cool new ride! :shades:
So how did you squueze 2 adults and 4 children in the XB? 4 kids in the rear seat were comfortable?
lol not as hard as it sounds! the xb has tons of room! i was driving (obviously) my son sat in the front seat (he is disabled) my friend, her son (9 yrs), her daughter (11) and my daughter (12) was in the back seat and they was not crammed! if you have kids or around kids in a car on a trip; if they are the least uncomfortable you will hear about it! i didnt get one complaint on the whole trip! but the portable dvd players and mp3's didnt hurt either!
Well, They must've been sufficiently distracted to not notice that they were cramped. I have an '05 XB and I drove 10 hours with an 18, 16, and 11 year old in the rear. They didn't complain either but they were only 3 deep. I'm looking at the '08's and still not too overwhelmed by the new design. How is the MPG on your 08?
just4fun2 Posts: 461Just took my first trip in my 08 xB and I am very satisfied with my mileage. On the freeway doing 70/73 mph I managed to get 32 mph. My city mpg is 26 mpg. Now, I only have 700 miles on it, however I am pleased with this cars mileage.
Your mileage may vary depending on how you drive and what the traffic is like in your city.
my mileage so far is staying at the 30 mpg. i use 87 octane but i am going to try a higher octane and compare on my next fill up. we live in a rural area so i put a lot of "highway" miles on my xb. we live about 45 min away from the "big" cities. i just hit my 1500 mile mark this weekend. still lovin the ride! :shades:
good luck with your new xb!
oneuglysignman Posts: 1Im sorry but no color beats White! It's sleek and receive many looks. I do have a few plaints about it tho... for instance when it rains all the water on the roof seems to always head for the open drivers window and gets all over the door panel inside. I donrt want them water guards, they're ugly looking.
As for bumps.. the ride could be better. The ipod touch hooked up is a good deal... no more cd's. Other than a fresh cracked windshield from Mr. Pebble i'm content for now. This will be my first new car and first winter coming from a 91 ford e250 cargo. I sometimes cant take the helicopter sound/feeling without rolling down all windows. kills my ears when that happens. I'd give the car a 9.5. Also just learned today that Ford is releasing the Flex next summer. It looks hideous and we'll probably see it all over. See thats another reason why I chose this Scion. No one around my area has the same car, in White. Many tC's and few xA's but hardly any xB's, especially the newer models. For fun, I like to park next to the older model xB's and get a chuckle of the differences between the 2. One time a person w/ a 06 white xb left me a note on my windshield saying... "Very Funny". Well thats my story... I love it. Check out the xD when you get a chance. Make sure to look at iut in WHite also. No other color works for scions.
waps Posts: 19Bought my new xb 8 Feb 08 after looking at cars for well over a month. Lots of room, plenty of power. Very happy I own one. 22 thousand seems like a lot to pay and some of you will say I'm nuts. Fully loaded is worth every penny to me. Last 100 mile trip. 33.2 mpg. Yahoo.
srocks4 Posts: 13I bought my '05 box new and love it, still. But no longer got 34-36 all around (80highway/20city) since taking it to SF Toyota for the oil change. Started to get 20-24 after leaving their shop. They told gave me different reasons of the "normal" cause the winter gasoline, the a/c probably causing it, blah, blah, short of telling the BS, told them I've drivin it for 2+ years and mpg range 32-38mpg and never 20-24mpg.
Told them the problem started after taking the car home from their shop, they rechecked. Turns out they tighten my handbrake so hard that the parking brakes were rubbing as I drove, they said they fixed it but I still got the crummy 20-24 MPG with the same driving. Took it back 3 times and the best I can get now is 28-30 with the same type of driving. So freakin, disappointed. :mad:
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My wife just took delivery of an 08 xB with the manual transmission. Everything is fine but there is one annoyance, and hopefully not a future problem. When driving in 5th gear (50 mph and above), the shifter has a slight vibration when the throttle is pushed down. The buzz goes away when you let the foot off the gas. I don't feel anything other symptoms of this other than in the shifter vibration. Does anyone have a similar experience? I will have to bring this in and let the dealer know in case there is a transmission issue down the road.
How much oil did the tech refill your XB with? Some owners have reported significatntly lower mpg with oil overfills. The owners manual states that 3.7 quarts are requried but some techs don't measure too closely and overfill it. I've never redeemed my 3 free oil changes from Scion as I don't trust the oil change techs. Over fill is said to reduce mpg as well as the wrong oil viscosity. Check your dipstick and drain if overfilled. Also try synthetic oil, new air filter and make sure tire pressure is at 32 psi. I do my own oil changes with 5/30 full synthetic oil every 5000 miles and consistantly run 32-34 mpg on my 2005 XB wth automatic at speeds up to 80 mph. I'm at 83,000 miles now and it still runs great. I've had 2 people in the last week ask me if I wanted to sell it. One was driving a Tahoe and the other an F-150, and both said their fillups are now over $100 a pop. Good luck.
eileenv Posts: 2I have had my 2005 Scion for almost two years. My back windshield has broken three times. I have it parked on the street in front of my house and dont know if someone is breaking it, or if it is breaking for some other reason.
I have lived in this house, this neighborhood for 22 years and have never had a problem with our cars being broken into, etc. I have my husband's car parked out front, and my two sons have their cars parked on the side also. It is just my car getting a broken back windshield about every three months it seems lately. No other cars in the neighborhood so, of couse, the Police think I have some enemies. But I tried to explain to them 22 years here and never a problem until I get this car. I fact I don't think I have EVER called the Police to my house before this started.
Has anyone heard of this problem before. I have seen the faulty FRONT windshield, but could it be the back too.
As of tonight we are going to have to put the car in the garage because now I am afraid my car insurance will cancel my glass coverage and then I will be really out of luck.
I'm retired, but I deliver part time for a florist. She bought an XB in late '05 (at my suggestion). It now has nearly 70000 miles. Multiple drivers, it gets flogged pretty hard in stop in stop and go delivery. It has had one ignition coil go bad, and a damaged gas cap, in addition to routine maintenance.
I've been intrigued by the '08, not by the looks though. My wife and I are car searching. Looked at other Honda models, Toyotas, Subaru. Want to look at a Mazda3 5 door yet. Finally tried the '08 XB today. I like it, they are practicle. Roomy, utilitartian. Economical to buy and operate.
They had a blackberry crush we very likely would have bought today until they mentioned our trade in value. Lets just say it was half the Kelly blue book listed price. We left.
Can you do better on an internet search? I could try to sell my trade in privately.
dreasdad Posts: 276whats your trade? big gas guzzlesr are hurting at trade in right now book value this month is a lot less that what it wass last month
It's a Maxima, premium is the biggest hit against it. Doesn't do bad on the highway, in town another matter.
lspringer Posts: 1My only complaints: :confuse:
-Flap at the bottom of the back seat (when folded down) makes it difficult to slide large cargo in without lifting it a bit at that point so it doesn't get caught.
-Window ledge way to high to rest arm on comfortably, door ledge too low.
-The scrolling takes forever on the Pioneer radio's iPod feature.
-Very small center mirror (says my fiance, but I have no real problem with it)
-No passenger arm rest.
-Seat not very raiseable
-At least one back window must be open when the front ones are or there's an extremely annoying vibration sound.. If there are any bags in the back though, I obviously can't open the back windows without there being the swooshing/crinkling sound of shopping bags.
Praise! :blush:
-Copious amounts of cup holders
-Outer trunk button
-Very quick car cool down for a black/black wagon in Florida summer heat
-Ipod and aux collecters
-Pioneer Radio
-Stereo system
-High quality standard subs
-First Aid kit comes with car
-Overall outer and inner design
-Lots of space
-Drives smoothly; good mileage
-Very strong exterior... I was already rear-ended at a stop sign by a woman whose "foot slipped off the breaks, oops".. But when the car was looked over, not a scratch of paint or a dent.. Excellent!
In conclusion, my complaints are pretty minor except for the window vibration... I love the car and greatly enjoy it though. I wouldn't trade it for anything else on the market. I'm going to enjoy customizing it as well. Car gets a 9/10 for the window problem, but everything else makes up for that.
kelmack Posts: 1I purchased the 2009 Stingray Metallic XB. I was coming from a Suburban which I have driven since 2001. I had planned to drive it till it died, since it was paid off. I totalled the vehicle a few weeks ago, therefore I had to find a car quick. I did lots of research on the XB and it is a winner! I love this car. I have very long legs and it has tons of leg room, lay those seats down, and I have hauling capacity. Great gas mileage!! coming from about 15mpg with the suburban. I added the spoiler, and leather and I am very please. I agree about not having a passenger arm rest. That is kind of a weird thing to leave off? But other than that, I love this car and plan to drive it for a long time.
I was looking at the rear wiper on my wife's new xB the other day and notice it's not possible to pull it back enough to take the blade off. I did some cursory search on Google and on one of the Scion bulletin boards someone mentioning that this is a dealer job. Are you kidding me? There's nothing in the owner's manual about replacement of the wiper blades. The windshield blades look different than what I'm used to, but it looks like it can be done. Anyone have any experience replacing both the front and rear blades?