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June 2014 Immigration Update
1. OCAHO Launches E-Filing Pilot, Rules That E-Verify Participation Does Not Provide Blanket Protection – OCAHO has launched a voluntary pilot program to test an electronic filing system in certain cases. Also, an employer argued that participation in E-Verify entitled it to a presumption that it had not violated the law, but OCAHO ruled that E-Verify provides no such blanket protection.
2. USCIS Limits Validity Period for Report of Medical Examination/Vaccination Record – As of June 1, 2014, USCIS is now limiting the validity period for Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, to one year from the date of submission to USCIS.
3. USCIS Extends TPS Re-Registration Period for Haitians – DHS has extended the re-registration deadline to July 22, 2014, for Haitian nationals who have already been granted temporary protected status and seek to maintain that status for an additional 18 months. USCIS strongly encourages Haitian TPS beneficiaries to apply as soon as possible.
4. Corporate Immigration Policies: A Survey – The Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers surveyed its members on the topic of Corporate Immigration Policies, such as: (1) how long a FN employee would have to work for the company before sponsorship would be started; (2) whether that timing has changed since the height of the financial crisis; and (3) whether there are contingencies on initiating/continuing the green card sponsorship process.
5. DHS Proposes Rule To Extend Work Authorization To Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses of H-1B Nonimmigrants – DHS has proposed extending the availability of employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants. The extension would be limited to H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking lawful permanent resident status through employment.
6. DHS Proposes Rule To Enhance Opportunities for H-1B1, CW-1, and E-3 Nonimmigrants and EB-1 Immigrants – DHS has proposed various changes to its regulations as part of the Obama administration's effort to attract highly skilled workers to the United States.
7. China EB-3 Visa Numbers Retrogress Six Years Unexpectedly; State Dept. Warns That EB-5 Category May Retrogress – In June, the China E-3 cutoff date is retrogressing by six years, to October 1, 2006.
8. USCIS Accepting Only Current Naturalization Applications – USCIS is now only accepting current versions of the Form N-400, dated 9/13/2013. USCIS will reject and return all naturalization applications using previous versions.
9. Dept. of State Releases DV-2015 Results – Applicants registered for the DV-2015 program have been selected at random, and notified, from among 9,388,986 qualified entries received during the 30-day application period that ran in late 2013.
10. CBP Provides Webpage Access to Arrival/Departure Date Records – A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol webpage now provides access to arrival/departure date records for nonimmigrants.
11. Pro Bono Success Story: Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm – Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm recently obtained special immigrant juvenile status for an Afghan child with a life-threatening medical disorder.
12. ABIL Global: Germany – Germany has become the world's top migration spot after the United States.
13. Firm In The News
1. OCAHO Launches E-Filing Pilot, Rules That E-Verify Participation Does Not Provide Blanket Protection
E-filing pilot. The Department of Justice's Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer (OCAHO) has launched a voluntary pilot program to test an electronic filing system in certain cases filed with OCAHO under 8 U.S.C. ¤ 1324a and b.
The pilot program began on May 30, 2014, and will run until November 26, 2014. Under the pilot, filing with OCAHO and service on other parties can be accomplished by email in eligible cases. OCAHO said it is undertaking this temporary testing initiative in an effort to make submission of case documents more convenient and to reduce the time and expense incurred in paper filings.
The Federal Register notice describes the procedures for applying for and participating in the pilot program. It is available at http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-05-30/pdf/2014-12183.pdf.
Ruling: E-Verify participation does not provide blanket protection. In a recent case, an employer argued that participation in E-Verify entitled it to a presumption that it had not violated the law, but OCAHO ruled that E-Verify provides no such blanket protection.
OCAHO noted that the employer, Golf International d/b/a Desert Canyon Golf, had failed to ensure that various employees properly completed I-9 employment authorization verification forms. Golf contended that the violations were technical, but OCAHO found them to be substantive. Among other things, section 2 was blank for 93 employees, and signatures were missing in section 2 for 14. Several employees checked a box indicating permanent resident status but failed to provide their A numbers.
OCAHO noted that "[a]n employer's first responsibility in [the E-Verify] program is, in fact, to properly complete an I-9 form for each new employee. As [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] points out, the E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding that must be signed by a participating employer provides that 'The Employer understands that participation in E-Verify does not exempt the Employer from the responsibility to complete, retain, and make available for inspection Forms I-9 that relate to its employees.' "
The decision is available at http://www.justice.gov/eoir/OcahoMain/publisheddecisions/Looseleaf/Volume10/1214.pdf.
2. USCIS Limits Validity Period for Report of Medical Examination/Vaccination Record
As of June 1, 2014, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is now limiting the validity period for Form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record, to one year from the date of submission to USCIS. Applicants must also submit the I-693 to USCIS within one year of the immigration medical examination. USCIS said it will provide additional ways to submit an I-693. This updated policy applies to any I-693 supporting a benefit application that USCIS adjudicates.
USCIS permits filing of a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, without the medical report. USCIS will issue a request for evidence for the report, which will be valid for submission within one year of the civil surgeon's signature and valid for one year from submission. Although the medical examination report is generally valid for adjudicatory purposes up to one year after filing, the officer may order an additional immigration medical examination at any time if he or she has concerns about an applicant's inadmissibility on health-related grounds. The medical examination report may be submitted to USCIS concurrently with the immigration benefit application, or at any time after filing the application but before adjudication. If not filed concurrently with the application, USCIS "encourages applicants to wait until USCIS requests the medical examination report before submitting it." This includes a request to bring the medical examination report to the interview.
USCIS will hold an engagement on Thursday, June 12, 2014, to address questions about the new policy and provide guidance on filing Form I-693.
The agency also has updated the I-693 webpage.
The announcement is at http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/Updates/20140530-I-693Validity.pdf and http://go.usa.gov/8y9d. See also http://www.uscis.gov/policymanual/HTML/PolicyManual-Volume8-PartB-Chapter4.html#S-C-4. The updated I-693 webpage is at http://www.uscis.gov/i-693.
3. USCIS Extends TPS Re-Registration Period for Haitians
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the re-registration deadline to July 22, 2014, for Haitian nationals who have already been granted temporary protected status (TPS) and seek to maintain that status for an additional 18 months. USCIS strongly encourages Haitian TPS beneficiaries to apply as soon as possible.
DHS began accepting re-registration applications on March 3, 2014, from TPS Haiti beneficiaries when DHS announced an 18-month extension of the TPS designation for Haiti from July 23, 2014, through January 22, 2016.
Approximately 51,000 TPS Haiti beneficiaries are expected to file for re-registration. TPS is not available to Haitian nationals who have not continuously resided in the United States since January 12, 2011.
DHS also automatically extended by six months, through January 22, 2015, the validity of employment authorization documents (EADs) for eligible Haitian TPS beneficiaries. USCIS said this would allow sufficient time for eligible TPS beneficiaries who re-register on time to receive an EAD without any lapse in employment authorization.
To re-register, TPS beneficiaries must submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, and Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. Individuals seeking to re-register do not need to pay the I-821 application fee. However, all re-registrants 14 years of age and older must pay a biometric services fee or submit a fee waiver request. All re-registrants seeking employment authorization through January 22, 2016, must also submit the I-765 fee (or a fee-waiver request). Re-registrants who do not want employment authorization must still submit a completed I-765 but do not need to submit the I-765 fee.
The revised I-821 is available at http://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/files/form/i-821.pdf.
The announcement, with additional related links, is available at http://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/temporary-protected-status-re-registration-period-extended-haitian-nationals.
4. Corporate Immigration Policies: A Survey
Many companies hire Foreign National (FN) employees, especially in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Many of these FNs have been sponsored by their employers to work pursuant to nonimmigrant (temporary) work visas. Such visas often limit the amount of time the FN may remain in the United States and impose other restrictions on them (i.e., limits on the ability to change jobs and /or change employers, and prohibiting spouses on dependent visas from securing work authorization). Although the American Competitiveness in the 21st Century Act (AC21) has mitigated some of these hardships for FNs sponsored under the H-1B category, significant challenges remain.
FN employees on nonimmigrant work visas are therefore often anxious to start the employment-based green card process. Their options to obtain green cards through other avenues are limited under current immigration laws. The timing for initiating the green card process is also vital, as it would enable extensions of the H-1B work visa beyond the maximum six-year limit under AC21. Given that the usually required PERM labor certification process can take two years to complete if an audit is required, waiting significantly more than a year can lead to serious complications in completing the green card process.
Earlier this year, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers surveyed its members on the topic of Corporate Immigration Policies. The survey requested information from ABIL member firms regarding their corporate clients' policies on such topics as: (1) how long a FN employee would have to work for the company before sponsorship would be started; (2) whether that timing has changed since the height of the financial crisis; and (3) whether there are contingencies on initiating/continuing the green card sponsorship process.
ABIL members concluded that the survey results would interest companies that hire FN employees, including those who have a policy in place as well as those that do not. Below are highlights of the key findings of the survey:
- The majority of ABIL members who responded to the survey (66%) reported that their client companies wait one year before starting the green card process. The next highest percentage responded that their clients wait more than one year; the third highest reported a wait of six months.
- When asked whether this time frame changed since the height of the financial crisis, an equal percentage of respondents reported that the wait time had shortened as those responding that there was no change to the wait time.
- When asked about contingencies on starting (or continuing) the process, over 80% of respondents stated that the employee's manager must "sign off" to have the process initiated. One-half of respondents stated that an employee on a performance plan or under some other disciplinary action would cause the process to be delayed or stopped.
One member reported that some client companies have "nomination periods" when managers can nominate certain employees for green card sponsorship.
- When asked about the payment of green card sponsorship, most members (over 80%) reported that the employer pays all fees and expenses in connection with sponsorship. The next highest percentage reported that the employer pays all fees for the employee but requires the FN employee to pay costs related to family members. The smallest percentage reported that the employer pays up to a certain amount toward the process and the employee covers the balance.
- When asked about the source of immigration-related costs, the largest percentage (over 90%) reported that the business unit hiring the employee pays for the process. A few respondents reported situations where the legal or human resources department pay.
- Responses varied with respect to reimbursement policy. An equal number of ABIL members reported that their corporate clients had no reimbursement policy as those who reported that their clients had such a policy (where the employee agrees to repay a portion of the costs of sponsorship if the employee leaves the company within a certain time frame after receiving the green card).
Under federal regulations, the employer is responsible for all fees and costs associated with the PERM labor certification processСthe first step in the majority of employment-based green card casesСand such fees may not be reimbursed by the employee.
More and more companies are finding that a corporate immigration policy is a useful tool, and that having no policy or a restrictive policy can lead to inconsistencies that can present significant challenges. From the threat of key employees resigning to take up employment with more "FN-friendly" employers to the risk of litigation, prudent employers should consider reviewing their existing policy or adopting a new one.
For companies that determine a corporate immigration policy is beneficial, the results of the ABIL survey will shed light on how many employers approach the topic.
5. DHS Proposes Rule To Extend Work Authorization To Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses of H-1B Nonimmigrants
As part of the Obama administration's efforts to attract highly skilled workers, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed extending the availability of employment authorization to certain H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants. The extension would be limited to H-4 dependent spouses of principal H-1B nonimmigrants who are seeking lawful permanent resident status through employment.
The proposed rule includes such spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants who are either the beneficiaries of an approved Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (Form I-140) or who have been granted an extension of their authorized period of admission in the United States under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act of 2000 (AC21), as amended by the 21st Century Department of Justice Appropriations Authorization Act.
DHS said this regulatory change is intended to lessen any potential economic burden on the H-1B principal and H-4 dependent spouse during the transition from nonimmigrant to lawful permanent resident status, furthering the U.S. goals of attracting and retaining highly skilled foreign workers. The lack of employment authorization for H-4 dependent spouses often gives rise to personal and economic hardship for the families of H-1B nonimmigrants the longer they remain in the United States, DHS noted. In many cases, for those H-1B nonimmigrants and their families who wish to remain permanently in the United States, the time frame required for an
H-1B nonimmigrant to acquire lawful permanent residence through his or her employment may be many years. As a result, DHS pointed out, retention of highly educated and highly skilled nonimmigrant workers in the United States can become problematic for employers. "Retaining highly skilled persons who intend to acquire lawful permanent residence is important to the United States given the contributions of these individuals to the U.S. economy, including advances in entrepreneurial and research and development endeavors, which correlate highly with overall economic growth and job creation," the agency said.
DHS believes that this proposal would further encourage H-1B skilled workers to remain in the United States, continue contributing to the U.S. economy, and not abandon their efforts to become lawful permanent residents (to the detriment of their U.S. employers) because their H-4 nonimmigrant spouses are unable to obtain work authorization. DHS said this proposal also would remove the disincentive for many H-1B families to start the immigrant process due to the lengthy waiting periods associated with acquiring lawful permanent resident status.
DHS seeks public comments on the proposed rule. The agency noted that the most useful comments will reference a specific portion of the proposed rule, explain the reason for any recommended change, and include data, information, or authority that support the change.
The proposed rule is available at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/05/12/2014-10734/employment-authorization-for-certain-h-4-dependent-spouses.
- DHS Proposes Rule To Enhance Opportunities for H-1B1, CW-1, and E-3 Nonimmigrants and EB-1 Immigrants
In another Obama administration effort to attract highly skilled workers, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has proposed updating its regulations to include nonimmigrant high-skilled specialty occupation professionals from Chile and Singapore (H-1B1) and from Australia (E-3) in the list of classes of those authorized for employment incident to status with a specific employer, to clarify that H-1B1 and principal E-3 nonimmigrants can work in the United States without having to apply separately to DHS for employment authorization.
DHS also is proposing to provide authorization for continued employment with the same employer if the employer has timely filed for an extension of a nonimmigrant's stay. DHS proposes this same continued work authorization for Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)-Only Transitional Worker (CW-1) nonimmigrants if a Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker, Form I-129CW, is timely filed to apply for an extension of stay.
In addition, DHS is proposing to update the regulations describing the filing procedures for extensions of stay and change of status requests to include the principal E-3 and H-1B1 nonimmigrant classifications. These changes would harmonize the regulations for E-3, H-1B1, and CW-1 nonimmigrant classifications with the existing regulations for other similarly situated nonimmigrant classifications.
Finally, DHS is proposing to expand the current list of evidentiary criteria for employment-based first preference (EB-1) outstanding professors and researchers to allow the submission of evidence comparable to the other forms of evidence already listed in the regulations. This proposal would harmonize the regulations for EB-1 outstanding professors and researchers with other employment-based immigrant categories that already allow for submission of comparable evidence.
DHS said it is proposing these changes to the regulations to benefit these highly skilled workers and CW-1 transitional workers by removing unnecessary hurdles that place such workers at a disadvantage when compared to similarly situated workers in other visa classifications.
The proposed rule is available at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2014/05/12/2014-10733/enhancing-opportunities-for-h-1b1-cw-1-and-e-3-nonimmigrants-and-eb-1-immigrants.
- China EB-3 Visa Numbers Retrogress Six Years Unexpectedly; State Dept. Warns That EB-5 Category May Retrogress
Retrogressions are looming for several employment-based categories:
EB-3. Due to an "unexpected and dramatic increase" in demand, the Department of State announced in the Visa Bulletin for June 2014 that visa number use in the employment third category has neared the annual limit. As a result, the E-3 cutoff dates will retrogress in June for the China, Worldwide, and Mexico categories. The China E-3 cutoff date is retrogressing by six years, to October 1, 2006.
EB-5. A Department official speaking at an immigration law conference in Washington, DC, on April 11, 2014, warned that higher-than-anticipated visa number usage in the EB-5 immigrant investor category may require the agency to impose a cut-off date this summer. If so, this would be the first time the EB-5 category would have a backlog in its 24-year history.
Every employment-based immigrant visa category has an annual limit. For EB-5, it is approximately 10,000 visas per year. That number includes principal EB-5 investors, their spouses, and their children under 21. For EB-5 cases, a person's priority date is the date the USCIS receives their I-526 petition.
Investors from mainland China constitute about 80% of all EB-5 petitions. The Department would create a waiting list for Chinese investors first to make certain that some EB-5 green cards remain available for investors from other countries. Investors should file their I-526 petitions as soon as possible so that their EB-5 priority dates will be as early as possible. This will help them when EB-5 retrogression occurs. It is unclear when that will happen, possibly in late summer or early fall 2014.
Contact your Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers attorney for assistance with specific cases.
The June 2014 Visa Bulletin, which includes charts showing the employment-based and family-based priority dates, is available at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/law-and-policy/bulletin/2014/visa-bulletin-for-june-2014.html.
- USCIS Accepting Only Current Naturalization Applications
As of May 5, 2014, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is now only accepting current versions of the Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, dated 9/13/2013. USCIS will reject and return all naturalization applications using previous versions.
Among other things, the revised form has a barcode, which USCIS said will result in fewer rejected forms. USCIS said that it also clarified the instructions and made the form more "user-friendly."
USCIS issued the revised version of the N-400 on February 4, 2014. The agency allowed applicants to continue using previous versions of the N-400 for a 90-day transition period, which has expired.
The announcement is available at http://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-will-accept-only-current-version-form-n-400-beginning-may-5. The revised form is available electronically at http://www.uscis.gov/n-400, but it can also be printed and completed by hand in black ink. The form must be signed and sent with the filing fee. A USCIS video about the changes to the form is available on USCIS's YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU21WSc01Do.
- Dept. of State Releases DV-2015 Results
The Department of State's Kentucky Consular Center has registered and notified those selected in the DV-2015 diversity visa lottery. Approximately 125,514 applicants have been registered and notified, and may now apply for an immigrant visa. The Department said it is likely that not all of those registered will pursue their cases to visa issuance. Therefore, this larger figure should ensure that all DV-2015 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2015 (October 1, 2014, to September 30, 2015).
Applicants registered for the DV-2015 program were selected at random from 9,388,986 qualified entries (14,397,781 with derivatives) received during the 30-day application period that ran in late 2013. The visas have been apportioned among six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country. Cameroon received the most selections, at 5,000; followed by Ethiopia and Egypt, tied at 4,988; and Iran, at 4992.
During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly, the Department said.
Registrants living legally in the United States who wish to apply for adjustment of status must contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for information on the requirements and procedures. Once the total 50,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2015 will end. Selected applicants who do not receive visas by September 30, 2015, will derive no further benefit from their DV-2015 registrations. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2015 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative diversity visa status until September 30, 2015.
Dates for the DV-2016 program registration period will be widely publicized in the coming months, the Department said.
The Department noted that the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulated that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas be made available for use under the NACARA program. The reduction of the limit of available visas to 50,000 began with DV-2000.
The DV-2015 results, including a country-by-country chart, are available in the Visa Bulletin for June 2014 at http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/law-and-policy/bulletin/2014/visa-bulletin-for-june-2014.html.
- CBP Provides Webpage Access to Arrival/Departure Date Records
A U.S. Customs and Border Patrol webpage now provides access to arrival/departure date records for nonimmigrants without necessitating a Freedom of Information Act request. The user can input the person's first and last name, date of birth, passport number and country of issuance, and is supposed to receive information about the person's recent I-94 arrival/departure record or a full travel history dating back several years.
Reportedly, the system records the date of departure when the person books a departing flight, not the actual departure. Users have tried the system to obtain records for lawful permanent residents but have reported that the travel dates listed are sometimes incomplete.
It is available to individuals and their legal representatives at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/request.html.
- Pro Bono Success Story: Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm
Garfinkel Immigration Law Firm recently obtained special immigrant juvenile status for an Afghan child with a life-threatening medical disorder, permitting him to remain in the United States with his adoptive family and to receive medical treatment not available in Afghanistan.
- ABIL Global: Germany
Germany has become the world's top migration spot after the United States.
According to recently published OECD statistics from 2012, Germany has seen significant growth in migration and has skyrocketed to second place on the list of the world's top migration spots after the United States:
Germany became the second-largest immigration country, after the United States, in the OECD in 2012, receiving more than 10% of all permanent immigration to the OECD area. In 2009, it was only the eighth largest. This spectacular increase has been fueled mainly by inflows from central and eastern European countries and, to a lesser degree, southern Europe.
Based on official statistics published by Germany's Federal Statistic Office for 2013, an additional 146,000 foreigners (a surplus of 13% in comparison to 2012) have migrated to Germany. The total number of foreign migrants for 2013 was 1,108,000. Since during the same period 649,000 foreigners have left the country, there is a significant migration surplus of 459,000 foreigners (387,000 in 2012). That is the highest growth to report since 1993.
The spike in migration to Germany is partly a result of the economies of southern European countries not doing well (e.g., Greece, Italy, Portugal, and to a lesser extent Spain), and others are also struggling to a certain extent (e.g., France, Netherlands). By contrast, Germany has a very strong economy despite the global economic crisis. The fact that Germany is attracting more foreigners is, however, mainly due to the stable political situation and the reliable legal system that together create an environment that seems friendly to investors and new arrivals. With regard to the latter, securing a "residence title for the purpose of gainful employment" (the official name of the work permit) is still highly regulated and complex. The conditions for establishing a business in Germany, for entering into business relationships by way of contracts with business partners and customers, and also for litigation, if needed, are generally seen as advantageous.
The mix of all these aspects makes migration to Germany attractive. There is nevertheless still room for improvement of the regulations that currently apply. For example, the fact that for many visa categories a local employment contract is a must poses as many problems as the requirement to have health insurance at least equivalent to German standards (which is difficult to prove when there is no local coverage). Moreover, processing times are still slow, and lack of communication by some authorities remains an issue. Finally, some commentators argue in favor of access to a fast-track procedure and to special authorities or competence centers for corporate immigration.
It will be interesting to see if in 2014 Germany can keep up this pace and continue or even increase migration to the country. Stay tuned.
- Firm In The News
Cyrus D. Mehta was a panelist at the 11th Annual Federal Bar Association, Immigration Law Seminar, Memphis, TN, May 16-17, 2014 where he spoke on "CSPA & Child Citizenship Act of 2000" and "Competency Issues: PTSD, Memory Loss, Mental Disability."
Mr. Mehta was also a panelist at an AILA Web Seminar on May 6, 2014 entitled "Is 'In Lieu' Dead or Alive? Appropriate Usages of the B-1", AILA Web Seminar, May 6, 2014.
Chambers USA 2014 has again ranked the firm under Band 2, http://www.chambersandpartners.com/12806/31/Editorial/5/1. Chambers includes the following quotes from clients in its commentary on the firm:
"The firm is very thorough in its work. They do not go around handing out false hopes and promises."
"They are very professional and always available; they provide prompt and comprehensive responses to questions, both by e-mail and phone, and they are available in emergencies and provide consultations for inspections and interviews."
Mr. Mehta was also ranked individually as a Star Individual, while David Isaacson and Cora-Ann Pestaina have been ranked under "Associates to Watch." The following extract on the firm's lawyers by Chambers USA, which it describes as notable practitioners, is worth noting:
Cyrus Mehta continues to be held in the highest esteem by sources, who hail him as a thought leader and as someone who "dreams, lives and sleeps immigration law. He is very bright and a very committed individual." Clients seek him out for tricky and unusual cases, which in some instances have been rejected by other practitioners.
The "incredible" David Isaacson is a gifted associate with an impressive immigration practice. Clients say he "has regulations and statutes at his fingertips," and is "a very compassionate and great person."
Clients note that associate Cora-Ann Pestaina stands out from the crowd. She deals with a wide variety of corporate immigration matters.


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It is interesting but way of the cross in hermitage of St. John's is situated in the middle of wood. It looks fantastic..
I like travelling, family history and reading books. I am ESL teacher in High Junior school and at University.
Thursday, 18 August 2016
The way of cross in the forest
It is interesting but way of the cross in hermitage of St. John's is situated in the middle of wood. It looks fantastic..
20 comments:
What a wonderful find in the middle of the forest...ReplyDeleteReplies
yes you are rightDelete
Yes it looks a nice way through the forest.ReplyDeleteReplies
it is a nice way but long oneDelete
Look like a very good place to restReplyDeleteReplies
it is typical hermitageDelete
Yes, I agree. That is where I a looking for. I love that.ReplyDeleteReplies
so come to my placeDelete
The road to Republic of Slovakia has beautiful views.ReplyDeleteReplies
yes they are hills covered with forestsDelete
Beautiful and peaceful place.ReplyDeleteReplies
great place for the weekendDelete
Thanks for your nice comments on my blog. I added a link to yours so I can keep up with your postings, too. Bratislava was one of the stops on the river cruise we went on. Lovely country.ReplyDeleteReplies
Yes I know you were in SlovakiaDelete
Yes, it's a pretty and peaceful spot in the woods for meditation or prayer.ReplyDeleteReplies
Cynthia I think meditation is really important from timre to timeDelete
To spend time enjoying the serenity of the forest is a blessing indeed!ReplyDelete
Such an interesting place for stations of the cross!ReplyDelete
The great outdoors - it always give me a sense of peace.ReplyDelete
yes, i agree. a spot of meditation or prayer.ReplyDelete

subset: commoncrawl


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Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor APK
Downloads: 50 Updated: February 15, 2017
Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor Description
Here we provide Boy or Girl – Gender Predictor V 1.5 for Android 4.0+ Am I Having a Baby Boy or a Baby Girl?
This is the most common question that pregnant mothers used to ask before the big reveal (ultrasound). But, waiting for the results of the ultrasound, seems like an eternity.
Using our baby gender predictor app "Boy or Girl – Pregnancy Test" can predict your unborn baby's sex. Our App is based on multiple methods that include the "Chinese Gender Chart", "Blood Renewal", "Parents' Blood -Type Method", "Maya* Gender Predictor Chart", and "The Japanese Birth Chart". We will be adding more, as we find them out.
What Methods Do These Applications Offer?
Chinese Gender Chart:
The Chinese Gender Calendar was supposedly discovered by a Chinese Scientist who drew this chart, and it was buried in a Royal tomb about 700 years ago. To find the gender prediction, this method uses the mother's lunar age at conception and the month in which conception occurred.
Blood Renewal:
Baby's gender prediction using the method of blood renewal, considers taking into account the parents' age at the time of conception. Human's blood is being renewed all life long, however, in men it happens every 4 years, and women's blood is renewed a bit faster — every 3 years. The gender of a future baby is usually determined by the calculations of the youngest blood at the time of conception.
Parents' Blood Type Method:
This method combines the mother and father's blood groups & Rh factor. For example, according to this method a couple with A or B blood group is likely to have a girl; however, spouses with AB or O types will conceive a boy.
Rh factor plays a very important role in the whole process. If it is negative or positive in both parents, it means you will probably give birth to a girl. When parents have different Rh factors, it means you will probably give birth to a boy.
Maya Gender Predictor Chart:
In ancient times, the Maya used math to calculate various activities in their daily lives from the eclipse of the moon to calendar calculations. The Mayas determined the sex of the baby by taking the mother's age at conception and the year of conception. If both are even or both are odd…it's a girl. If one is even and one odd it's a boy.
Japanese Birth Chart:
The Japanese birth chart is a method of gender prediction based on the correlation of the mother and father's months of birth with the month of conception.
You can at any time:
– Predict the gender of your unborn baby using multiple methods.
– Contact Us : If you encounter any problem or if you have any suggestions/opinions to make our app better. Please feel free to contact us.
– Share Our App.
– Rete Our App : If you like our app please take a moment to rate it.
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Editors Notes:
This is a good game but not too addictive, well worth trying.
Download Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor APK File
- Price: Free
- Downloads: 50
- Requires: Android 4.0 and up
- File Name: Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor.apk
- Updated: February 15, 2017
- Click Download Pages
- File Size: 6.8 MB
DISCLAIMER: Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor is the property and trademark from , all rights reserved by Click on the above link to proceed to the apk file download page or app buy page.
What's New in Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor
- bug fixes
History Versions Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor
- Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor 1.9 Apk File [Free] Date: 2017-04-09
- Boy or Girl - Gender Predictor 1.5 Apk File [Free] Date: 2016-11-26


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Amos was a not a prophet (holy man). Amos looked after sheep. But God sent Amos with a message to his nation (Amos 7:14-15).
Amos knew that many nations were evil. Because of these evil deeds, God would punish the nations (Amos chapters 1-2).
But Amos's own nation, Israel, was also evil. They were cruel to poor people. The judges were not fair in court. And they served evil gods. Amos warned his people that they must confess their evil deeds to God. And they must learn to do the right things (Amos 5). Otherwise, God would allow Israel's enemies to attack (Amos chapters 6-9). And these enemies would destroy the nation.
But God would not always punish the people from Israel. After these terrible punishments, God would allow some of the people to return to their own land (Amos 9:11-15).
The Book of Amos is in the Bible (Old Testament).
| Book of Amos | Bible Commentaries |Bible Book Summaries | EasyEnglish Home Page |


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By Rev. Mark Buetow
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
Have you ever witnessed someone's behavior and just wanted to tell them, especially if they are a Christian, "Stop it! Stop doing that! Do the right thing! Do the Christian thing! Act like a Christian! Behave!" All of us have particular sins which we like to judge in others. All of us have particular sins others enjoy judging in us. But aren't we saved? Aren't we supposed to be holy? Are we sanctified? Where is our sanctification?
"Sanctification" is one of those big words we hear in the Bible and in the church. It literally means "holy-fication." It comes from the Latin word "sanctus" which means "holy." Sanctification is being holy. Acting holy. Living holy. But what is holy? For most people who misunderstand sanctification, holy means a certain type of behavior that is Christian as opposed to pagan. People assume that we are sanctified and lead holy lives simply by being told what is wrong and being told to avoid it and do the right thing. What's more, many preachers, even some Lutheran ones, assume that if they just tell people God's Word of Law, it will enable a Christian to do what it says.
"Sanctification" is one of those things we'll get completely wrong if we think it's about us and not about Jesus. In fact, in the words above, St. Paul says that Jesus IS our sanctification. Whatever our sanctification is, it's Jesus. So let's clear up some of the myths and false ideas about what it means to be a Christian and be holy, that is, sanctified.
False Statement #1 "Jesus saving us is our justification. Our living for Jesus is our sanctification." It's like Jesus saves us but then it's on us to live the right way. But St. Paul declares, " I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). Jesus doesn't save you and then leave it up to you to "stay saved" by living a good life. Rather, it is Jesus who lives in you. When you sin and break the commandments, forgiveness means God doesn't count that against you. It's covered up by Jesus. When you do good for another person, that's Christ living in you, loving others through you. Sure, it's your hands and mouth and mind and body. But Christ living in you means you are the instrument through which Christ loves and serves others. This rescues us from despair that we haven't "done enough" because it is Christ's to live and to do in us.
False Statement #2: "If you are a sincere and mature Christian, you will sin less and less as you grow." Here's Paul again: "For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin. (Romans 7:18-19,24-25) Does that sound like a man who is improving or getting better? Paul recognized that the more "mature" he got, the longer he lived, the more he sinned and the more he struggled against God's will and Word. But he also knew his deliverance and peace were found in Jesus. Jesus' forgiveness wipes out Paul's sin, while at the same time working through Paul to make him a better person for his neighbor. You might say that the longer you are a Christian, the more sin you'll see in yourself. And the bigger a Savior Jesus is!
False Statement #3: "God wouldn't have given the Commandments if we couldn't keep them." Oh yes He would! He did! Why on earth would God tell us to do and not do what we can't do and not do? To show us our sin. To teach us that we can't make ourselves holy. Jesus said, "I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20). These words tell us that we are not going to inherit the kingdom of God by our works because we can't be that righteous. But Jesus is that righteous and therefore because He lives in you, His righteousness, His standing, is yours.
The obvious argument to anything we're saying here is this old saw: "Well, if it's just Jesus living in you and you're forgiven, you can live however you want!" And that's exactly right. But how do you want to live? Here we are reminded of the saying, "simul iustus et peccator" (at the same time sinner and saint). The Small Catechism nails it: What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever (Baptism, Fourth Part).
So what does it all look like, this sanctification stuff? It looks like Jesus living in you. How does that happen? By Holy Baptism, Absolution, the preaching of the Holy Gospel, and the Holy Supper of Jesus' body and blood. Which means the Christian life looks like this: You get up and go out into the world with all sorts of good works to do based on whatever your vocation and calling are. And when you mess those up, you live in the grace and forgiveness of Christ which is yours in His church, which He gives in His gifts of water, Word, and Supper. And so it goes back and forth. Round and round. Day in and day out. Christ lives in you to the world through your good works to your neighbor. He dwells in you by forgiveness and faith to cover your sins. Over and over, every day, Jesus lives in you until the day He raises you from the dead. That's what it means to be holy. That's what sanctification is: Jesus living in you; His Spirit working in you; Jesus being Jesus, and you along for the ride.
Rev. Mark Buetow is pastor of Bethel Lutheran Church in DuQuoin, Illinois and serves as the deputy and media services executive for Higher Things. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.com.


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Eisenberg, N. and Fabes, R. A. (1994).Emotion, regulation and the development of social competenceIn:Clark, M. ed. . Newbury Park, CA: Sage, pp. 119–150.Eisenberg, N. Fabes, R. A.
Fabes, R. A.
Eisenberg, N.
(1992).Young children's emotional arousal and anger/aggressive behaviorsIn:Fraczek, A. and Zumkley, H. eds. . New York: Springer-Verlag, pp. 85–101, DOI:
ENVAL SOFT Womens sneakers with wedge 79571/00 PLATINUM Platinum Fuw5N09
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(1994).Understanding the association between marital conflict and child adjustment: Overview. 8(2): 123–127, DOI:
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Lazarus, R. S.
(1980).An analysis of coping in a middle-aged community sample. 21(3): 219–239, DOI:
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Goeke-Morey, M. C. (1999).. Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation).
Goeke-Morey, M. C.
Cummings, E. M.
Harold, G. T.
Shelton, K. H.
(2003).Categories and continua of destructive and constructive marital conflict tactics from the perspective of U.S. and Welsh children. 17(3): 327–338, DOI:
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Goeke-Morey, M. C. , Cummings, E. M. and Papp, L. M. (2007).Children and marital conflict resolution: Implications for emotional security and adjustment. 21(4): 744–753, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0893-3126.96.36.1994
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(1999).Dimensions of marital conflict and children's problem-solving skills. 13(1): 33–45, DOI:
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(1990).Marital conflict and children's adjustment: A cognitive-contextual framework. 108(2): 267–290, DOI:
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(1997).Age and gender differences in adolescents' reactions to conflict situations: aggression, prosociality, and withdrawal. 26(3): 339–351, DOI:
adidas Originals Men's G48278 LowTop Sneakers Braun Oak/Ltwine/S gWHFoclu
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Interview data from both schools were transcribed and then coded using the coding categories displayed in Appendix B . After reading all transcripts and seeing that some new themes were needed to represent what these children said, the researchers added the items marked with asterisks as thematic categories. Each question's response was coded separately. If a child's response addressed a general coding category more than once within a question (e.g., answering the question, "What do you learn at school?" with "I learn math, reading, writing, and about math"), it was counted only once in that category. However, if the child gave specific information about what was learned (e.g., "I learn how to count, how to add numbers, and how to subtract"), each response was counted (i.e., "3" for the math category).
Two independent coders reviewed children's interviews or autophotography choices. They reached 92% agreement when coding the "A" school interviews and 91% agreement when coding the "A" school photographs. Two different independent coders reached 97% agreement when coding the "F" school interviews and 98% agreement when coding the "F" school photographs. A third independent coder coded those interviews or photographs on which the coders had disagreed. New rules were generated from the first two coders' discussions following their comparisons. In
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, if only a bolded theme is shown, that bolded theme also was used as a coding category. If a bolded theme also encompassed unbolded categories, the unbolded categories were also used for coding, with totals for the unbolded coding categories added together to obtain a total for the bolded theme. For example, the bolded theme "Behavior Management" was used as both a coding category and as a theme, but the theme "Food" was not. Because the unbolded coding categories of Breakfast, Lunch, and Snack were under the bolded theme "Food," for example, the totals for those three unbolded categories were added together to obtain a total for the theme of "Food." These theme totals were used for the data analyses.
Four thematic categories were used for the children's autophotography—Teachers, Friends, Places, or Things. In cases where two were named (e.g., Teachers and Friends), the total percentage was divided between those two theme categories.
Our first research question was "Does the prevalence of themes represented in interviews with children differ by the child's age or by the school's "grade" (i.e., an "A" school or an "F" school)?" Analyses of Variance (ANOVAs) were computed on the percentage of each theme that was represented in children's interviews with school ("A" versus "F") and grade group (younger or older grade group) as between-subject factors. Table 1 shows percentage of talk by theme for each grade group and each school. In the column with results of statistical analyses, "GG" signifies a significant main effect of grade group, "S" signifies a significant main effect of school, and "GG x S" signifies a significant interaction between grade group and school. As Table 1 shows, a significant interaction was found between grade group and school for the percentage of talk about core academics, F (1, 137) = 21.78, p < .001, and the percentage of talk about teachers, F (1, 137) = 10.29, p = .002. Both ANOVAs also revealed significant main effects of grade group and school (all p s < .01).
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UCLA Women's Soccer Hosts Texas A&M in Friday Exhibition
Parking is available for $12 at Lot 8, off Westwood Blvd. Parking lots 4 and 7 are closed. Click here for information on on-campus parking.
Fans unable to attend Friday's game can listen live online at uclabruins.com. John Ramey returns for his fifth season on the mic. Live updates will be provided on the UCLA Women's Soccer Twitter - @uclawsoccer - and live stats will be at uclabruins.com.
The exhibition contest will have a different format, as the teams will play three 30-minute periods.
The Bruins return 10 starters from their national championship team, including four players who have been named to the MAC Hermann Watch List – 2013 finalist Abby Dahlkemper, U.S. Women's National Team member Sarah Killion, U.S. Under-20 Women's National Team starting goalkeeper Katelyn Rowland, and 2013 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Darian Jenkins. Also returning are U.S. Women's National Team member Sam Mewis, U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team members Caprice Dydasco and Taylor Smith, College Cup Defensive MVP Ally Courtnall, and the two players who teamed up for the championship-winning goal – Megan Oyster and Kodi Lavrusky.
Head coach Amanda Cromwell, the 2013 Soccer America Coach of the Year, brings in the nation's No. 4 recruiting class, led by U.S. Under-18 Women's National Team captain Gabrielle Matulich. Goalkeepers Siri Ervik and Arielle Schechtman will battle returner Cassie Sternbach for playing time while Rowland is in Canada for the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup. Rowland and the U.S. team play Canada in the quarterfinals on Aug. 16.
Texas A&M also returns 10 starters from their 2013 squad, including All-Americans Meghan Streight and Shea Groom. The Aggies have seven players on their roster from Southern California.
UCLA's season opener is Friday, Aug. 22 vs. Maryland at 7 pm in a match that will be televised live on Pac-12 Networks.
No. 4 UCLA Hosts No. 5 Texas A&MMar 19 '17
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The first thing we do in a trip is to check out local sources of information. That's where you can often find something you never thought of, or get a better price. Time share condos almost always have someone who does a presentation, and we went. Usually we don't because this is where they try to persuade you to buy into more time shares. In Orlando we did, because they gave us $150 which we happily used on the kids for goodies. Here, we learned about the Van trip to Hana, and we knew that was a much better deal than driving ourselves, because that's one windey-ass road. And after I'm home I'll give you a more detailed account of that trip, which was truly wonderful. I'm still mad about that battery on my brand new camera, because that trip should have been photographed the entire distance.
There's also insider information. The presenter told us all beaches on Maui close one our after sunset because
"The Big Boys come in at night". A shiver went up my spine. I knew instantly what she meant, and if you don't, just imagine what swims in the ocean and has a fin that sticks up out of the water. Most of the sharks in Hawaii are harmless to man, and I could easily see that at the aquarium tanks where small sharks swam through all the other fish and even a diver who was working in the pool. But there are also the Tiger Sharks, in particular. I don't think even the professional divers go into the ocean at night.
I also was thinking of the other kind of "Big Boys", the sharks of the human kind. We're pretty good at avoiding them, but more and more, they are finding new ways to fleece tourists even in low traffic areas. We're learning we can enjoy those high traffic areas and just walk away from the sharks. Maybe I'll blog later on that subject, but not now.
Yesterday was perhaps one of our most favorite days. We just dinked around. A drive down to South Maui is short, intriguing. That's where the really rich Maui property owners live, and where some fantastic up-scale condo rentals are. I can see why. It's away from the really heavy tourist areas, and an excellent place to make a secluded retreat.
The beaches were not heavily populated because the surf was pretty high, and winds very gusty- about 20-30 miles per hour. Sand really stings when it hits your face at that speed. Wherever you are on the Islands, if there's a wind it's very nice. Because it's been mostly from the south, it's brought the vog (volcanic gases) up from the Big Island's volcano, Kilauea, over a hundred miles away. That worried me since I have lung problems, but I seem to have done all right. Staying in an air-conditioned car is good in that case. But it's really not bad, not even enough to catch an odor in the air.
The aquarium is definitely worth a trip. Sure it's expensive, but really quite reasonable considering costs of maintaining the facility. Cheaper than Sea World, but then they don't have jumping dolphins or Orcas or any kind of show.
And the beach? Well maybe today. We haven't even planned anything yet. Maybe if I wrap a pareo around my body, no one will notice how odd my swin suit is...
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
We've actually been here several days. By the time I get in, my back aches like fire and my ankles have swelled like logs. And here we are, constantly meeting Young Things who would have put my hiking abilities to shame back when I was their current age.
Yesterday in our drive to the top of Haleakala- up the steepest highway in the world, we came up to a hiker pick-up area, and there stood a young couple not looking too hopeful. We never pick up hitch-hikers. We did anyway. What a joy they were! Manchesterians transplanted to California, eagerly hiking the very trail I had dreamed of doing fifteen years ago. We took them up to the trailhead just short of the crest, and they began their trek across the crater.
Funny thing how I've always thought of Maui as a place where only the young people came. I don't know why- perhaps I'd heard descriptions from other people who love the Valley Isle. From those impressions I have always pictured it as the Party Isle. We've been to all the other major islands, though, so Maui had things that were on our Bucket List. Well, no, you know me, I'm not one to let a little age difference intimidate me. Just makes me wish I could still do some of those things I used to do. So we went to Maui.
Imagine my surprise then, when I saw more people with wrinkles and bags than taut physiques. More gray hair than blonde, and any woman who wanted to, wearing a Maui sundress.
|sunset over the harbor from the condo
Second impression: those aren't just the tourists. Maui-ites have no intention of hiding from the sun once they're over the hill. They're in paradise, and age has nothing to do with it.
|clouds at 8,000 ft
|tiny flowers at 9,000 ft on Haleakala
Today we took a helicopter over the crater and down on the rainy side, two other couples, both young, one from California, one from France. We all had a wonderful, exciting adventure. I've never done a helicopter ride before but even I knew the supposed scary sudden altitude drops were actually pretty wimpy. Don't care. It was thrilling.
I'm getting brave in this Wild Over-the-Hill world called Maui. Still haven't stuck a toe in the water yet, though. Still wondering what I'm going to do with the other boob. And I finally got the pictures posted! Some of them anyway!
|one of hundreds of waterfalls in windward side
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Baxter and the Alpha1 Center Test 100,000th Patient for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD)
Since 2004, Baxter Healthcare Corporation and the Alpha1 Center, a medical diagnostic laboratory in Salt Lake City specializing in the detection of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), have coordinated a nationwide effort to help physicians rule out the genetic disorder. In August 2011, this program reached an unmatched milestone by testing its 100,000th patient for AATD.
People with AATD have reduced levels of a naturally occurring blood protein that protects the lungs. If untreated, AATD can result in early onset emphysema, liver damage and premature death.1 It is one of the most common potentially lethal hereditary disorders.2 The American Lung Association estimates the prevalence of AATD in the U.S. at about 100,0003, three times greater than cystic fibrosis4 or Huntington's disease,5 and about 50 percent higher than sickle cell anemia.6
A recent estimate based on screening studies in the general population suggested that only 10% of people who have AATD are diagnosed.7 Baxter and the Alpha1 Center's AlphaTest® kit program helps encourage screening for this hereditary disease.
Wayne Vicknair has a special appreciation for the value of AATD screening. While vacationing in Aruba in 2008, Wayne suddenly couldn't breathe. At the time he was 49 years old and had become accustomed to shortness of breath. Several years earlier he had been diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma, which he tried to manage with a variety of drugs.
Upon returning to his New Orleans home, Wayne was referred to a pulmonologist. When heavy doses of medication failed to improve his condition, the doctor recommended that Wayne be screened for AATD.
"The doctor said he didn't know what was wrong with me," Wayne remembered. "Earlier that day he had discussed AATD screening with a Baxter representative, which led to my doctor deciding to test me. He didn't think I had the deficiency, but I'm very glad he ordered the test.
"Once I was diagnosed with AATD and emphysema, it was a relief. You know what's causing your problems and you can start treating it. I've been using AAT augmentation and I've returned to exercise walking and snorkeling, all because of a simple finger prick to draw the blood for the test."
Testing 100,000 People is Significant
"This is an important milestone and I'm grateful for the test kits. It puts testing into the hands of the physician's office," said F. Franck Rahaghi, MD, MHS, medical director, Pulmonary Education and Rehabilitation Department, Cleveland Clinic Florida. "Today we know that AATD is not a rare disease, and that detecting deficient patients merely requires a simple blood test, typically offered at no charge to COPD patients. We also know that affected individuals can benefit from effective treatments, and their families deserve to know their status, as well."
"Our mission is to identify patients who would benefit from lifestyle changes based on a correct diagnosis and their physicians' recommendations," explained Melody Campbell, technical supervisor of the Alpha1 Center. "The earlier we detect these patients, the sooner they'll know what adjustments might help maintain or improve their health."
The American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) has issued guidance that every Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patient should be tested for AATD at least once.8 The number of healthcare professionals who follow this guideline is growing, thanks in part to Baxter's partnership with the Alpha1 Center and to other patient-focused organizations, such as the Alpha-1 Foundation and Alpha-1 Association.
"Physicians should screen every COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis and dyspnea of unknown etiology patients for AAT deficiency. This would put physicians on firm ground and comply with guidelines established by ATS/ERS criteria for diagnosing AAT deficiency and managing COPD patients," said Satyasagar Morisetty, B.Sc. MD, FCCP. Dr. Morisetty called the AlphaTest® kit "an easy screening test and very appropriate for use in a physician's office."
"You haven't given your all to your COPD patients unless you screen them for AATD," added Dr. Rahaghi. "What if they do have it?"
A Life-Altering Blood Test
That What if? mindset changed Wayne Vicknair's life forever. Wayne is glad that his pulmonologist saw it the same way, and he hopes other undiagnosed patients are one day as fortunate as him.
"I hope more doctors do AATD screening if only to rule it out," Wayne said. "My doctor said he didn't think I had AATD and most of the alpha-1 patients I've talked with said their doctors were also skeptical. And some doctors say they don't want to test patients who they feel wouldn't be appropriate to treat if they did have it. But if there's a genetic component to a patient's disease, wouldn't you want to enable their relatives to know if they have AATD or if they are carriers of the genetic disorder?"
"Screening is critical for patients and their family members," Dr. Rahaghi said. "If it weren't for the healthcare professionals who appreciate that every COPD patient should know his or her AAT status, we would be years away from reaching this important milestone of 100,000 people tested."
According to Edward J. Campbell, MD, laboratory director of the Alpha1 Center and developer of the AlphaTest® kit, "It's only a matter of time before AATD testing becomes as routine as testing for other disabling diseases. It takes a while before testing for an under-recognized disorder becomes ingrained in the practice of medicine, but the time is coming for AATD. It's inevitable."
Baxter is a registered trademark of Baxter International Inc. All other products or trademarks appearing herein are the properties of their respective owners.
1. Alpha-1 Foundation. http://www.alpha-1foundation.org/news/advocates-in-chicago-raising-awareness-for-alpha-1-testing. Accessed August 15, 2011.
2. de Serres FJ, Blanco I, Fernandez-Bustillo E. Genetic epidemiology of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency in North America and Australia/New Zealand: Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States of America. Clin Genet. 2003;64(5):382-397.
3. American Lung Association. Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency Emphysema. Available at http://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ninet/content3.aspx?c=hklYLdMSJtE&b=2604517&ct=3004003¬oc=1. Accessed November 16, 2010.
4. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. About cystic fibrosis. Available at: http://www.cff.org/AboutCF/. Accessed June 1, 2011.
5. Huntington's Disease Society of America. Genetic testing for Huntington's Disease: its relevance and implications; 2001. Available at: http://www.hdsa.org/images/content/1/1/11884.pdf. Accessed June 4, 2011.
6. American Sickle Cell Association. How common is sickle cell anemia? Available at: http://www.ascaa.org/How_Common_Is_Sickle_Cell_Anemia.asp. Accessed June 1, 2011.
7. Silverman EK, Sandhaus RA. Clinical practice. Alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2009;360(26):2749-2757.
8. American Thoracic Society, European Respiratory Society Task Force. American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society statement: standards for the diagnosis and management of individuals with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2003;168(7):818-900.


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Meet Our Team!
Romi, Menegoni, Dental Hygienist
Romi is a very friendly, outgoing individual who enjoys putting a smile on people's faces. She was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and moved to America as a child, so she speaks German, Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian, and English (as well as some Spanish). Romi is very family oriented and enjoys spending her free time hiking and painting. She is dedicated to making our patients comfortable by including them in their treatment and educating them with compassion.
Melissa Fejarang, RDA
Melissa loves the dental field and is in college to become a Dental Hygienist! She is the oldest of 4 children and enjoys cooking family recipes such as Pesolé & Enchiladas from Mexico and Chicken Keliguen from Guam.
Melissa has been a competitive gymnast since she was 8 years old, is a San Francisco 49er fan. Her passions are helping people, dancing, swimming, animals, painting, camping, trying new foods, exploring and spending time with her family.
Jacque Guzman, DA
Jacque Guzman studied Dental Assisting at Blake Austin College in Vacaville, California. She graduated in 2014 with honors and received the Leadership Example Award of her class.
Jacque is an avid learner and enjoys going to the latest education courses with Dr. Siu. Jacque's favorite work here in our office is time spent with new patients at their initial visit.
Jacque is really into music and LOVES comedy shows. She lives in Vacaville with her 2 year old son, Ezekiel.
Jennifer Okano, Office Manager
Jennifer Okano is our hip office manager. Jennifer is well experienced in her field and has been building patient relationships for a whopping 13 years. She grew up in the bay area and is a proud mother of two little sweethearts. She is our go to girl when it comes to insurances and treatment planning. Jennifer is an avid thrift-er and strongly dislikes dairy products.
Contact Jennifer at firstname.lastname@example.com


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About us
When it comes to being in-tune and in-touch with the spirit of adventure that is prevalent in the Costa del Sol.
Here are some of our sponsors who are in the team check it out and become a sponsor
Contact us
Feel free to contact us for event planinng, dj bookings or advertising you name it !
Events & News
Keep Updated with our News & Events Weekly !
We are glad to announce that #trancepower Maarten de Jong joins the BeachTrance roster
We are glad to announce that #trancepower Maarten de Jong joins the BeachTrance roster every Sunday from midnight till 2Am. Maarten de Jong is the multi talented DJ/Producer from Eindhoven/Holland, main artist on Paul van Dyk's Vandit Records and being recognised as...read more
Woody Van Eyden Joins our Family with his HeavensGate
Saturday evening on @beachtranceradio will be amazing as no one less than Woody van Eyden joins our family with his HeavensGate! There's no way to miss dutch-born Woody van Eyden if you are dealing with electronic dance music. Since many decades he fascinates the fans...read more
One of the worlds leading Trance dj's Mr Alex M.O.R.P.H.
One of the worlds leading Trance dj's already confirmed his weekly involvement with BeachTranceRadio, Mr Alex M.O.R.P.H. Friday's at 8Pm !!! It takes a strong heart and inventive mind to live on the very top of the electronic dance scene – especially if your career...read more
A State of Trance @ Tomorrowland
BeachTrance Residents
Here are all of our Dj Residents !
Here are some of our Sponsors Come and join the Team we will reach your target audience.
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Feel free to message us dont hesitate to ask us anything.


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There have been plans for at least the past year (possibly more) to put in a freshandeasy grocery store on the now empty lot at Crenshaw and 50th. For so long this space was an empty. It was an empty storefront, then it was torn down and sat as an empty lot for over a year. I am so sick of the empty empty empty space here. Finally! It's getting filled and it's by something this community needs and wants. A grocery store with quality and organic produce. The neighborhood has long been asking for a Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, or something similar.
I actually worked on the entire fresh&easy branding and packaging before they opened a couple years ago and can tell you, this grocery store is AWESOME. Whole Foods quality at Walmart prices. Tons of organic options. I love their ready meals and the piece of mind I have buying the freshandeasy brand. No preservatives or added junk. And the employees get health care and sick days. So all around, great product and they treat their employees well.
And as an added inside scoop. At a meeting I was in about a year or two ago, we went to present some new designs to the Chief Marketing Officer Simon Uwins. He was pressed for time and was eating his lunch. Guess what it was? Freshandeasy food. One of their salads and the sushi. So even the heads of the company shop there. They not only stand behind their product, they love it. And I respect that.
There was some debate about the store, not about freshandeasy coming in, most everyone's on board for that, but about the parking lot. The "Crenshaw Specific Plan" mandates that parking need to be in the back of developments or on top to keep/make the Crenshaw area pedestrian friendly. The current plans have the parking lot in front.
I shop at the one they opened over on Adams, and am extremely excited to have one even closer to home.
More Info:
Check out this video by Leimert Park Beat : Here
La StreetsBlog : Here


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This piece was another assignment from my CGMA digital painting class. The goal for this week was to make a creature design and have some fun playing with found textures. Seeing as doomsday is fast approaching, I thought it might be fun to try something a little Mayan.
The first thing to get straight is that the Maya actually called their feathered serpent deity Kukulkan (for the Yucatec Maya), and Q'uq'umatz and Tohil (for the K'iche' Maya). Quetzalcoatl was the Aztec deity, but it's also the name that's the most fun to say.
First here's my sketch:
And the final painting:
I started out trying to use cut-up photos for the plants but the lighting and textures of the different photos wasn't blending well, and I'm sure you can imagine how much of a nightmare it is trying to cut leafy things out of their background. Eventually I came across the idea of blowing out the contrast on a few good plant images and then turning them into brushes. That worked really well.
The feathers and scales on the snake are all "based" on photos, but there was quite a bit of painting on top of them to blend things together.


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We're here to help you make the most of your future.
We can help you develop a forward thinking financial strategy that starts today. AB&T Wealth Management, located at American Bank & Trust, contracts with LPL Financial to bring you a diverse selection of wealth management, securities, and investment options.
Enjoy experienced assistance in addition to access to a full portfolio of services. To learn more, contact our in-house Wealth Management specialist, Clayton Voegele!
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Call us at 605-352-9122 to arrange a time for Clayton to meet you at the nearest branch and answer any questions you may have!


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Northern Michigan University seeks to draw Indian youth into health careers
- Details
- Category: Political Issues & Native Programs
Marquette, Michigan ( AP) 8-09
Few Native Americans work in health care professions, and Northern Michigan University officials say they hope a program this will entice more Indian youth to consider careers in the field.
The Upper Peninsula is launching The College Prep Medicine Wheel by bringing groups of Native American high school students to the Marquette campus this fall, with each group staying for several days.
While on campus, they will engage in activities that teach about nursing and clinical sciences careers and degree programs, as well as tour Marquette General Hospital, the school said in a news release. The participants will also meet Native American professionals working in the health care fields.
According to the school, Native Americans are severely underrepresented in health care.
As an example, about 13,000 of the 2.7 million licensed registered nurses in the U.S. are Native American, Northern Michigan said.
Dean Paul Lang said the program has the potential to significantly impact the perceptions, realities and understandings that Native American high school students have regarding health care in the United States.
University spokeswoman Cindy Paavola said the school is aiming for about 40 participants this fall.
Participants will come from the Upper Peninsulas five federally recognized tribes as well as from tribes in the Lower Peninsula, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Northern Michigans Center for Native American Studies works with the Hannahville Indian School to host summer science programs for middle school students.
We lose touch with them after middle school, said center director April Lindala. Its time for us to seek out those students now that they are in high and further promote college life with these types of interactive programs.
We need for these students to know that they have a place in our classrooms and labs.
On the Net: Center for Native American Studies


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Strong Wear Resistant FIFA Standard 60mm Soocer Artificial Grass 12000 Dtex
1. Olive shape, Newest product, best quality,
2. Useful life 5 years, could be used outdoor or indoor
3. Bicolor, looks more like nature grass
4. All weather use. With good water permeability
|Soccer Artificial Grass
|Olive shaped
|Dark Green, Light Green
|Delivery time
|7-15 days
|1,000 ㎡
|Roll width
|2.5m or 4m
|Roll length
|Join tape
|Shock pad
|Free Fiber Height
|Infill machine
|Brush machine
How to install the soccer artificial grass:
1.1. Inspection:
Inspect the foundation to ensure it has a flat and smooth surface and appropriate slopes,making sure the foundation is qualified for installing artificial turf;
1.2. Measuring:
Locate the centers of the ground and the two semicircles, and according to these three centers locate the intersecting point of half-way lines and touchlines, and then determine the positions of functional lines and spot by using Pythagorean proposition;
2. Turf layout:
According to drawing, position the turf rolls on the exact places along the touchline.The turf with white lines should be placed at the half-way lines and base line, and then lay out the rolls in order;
3. Preparing functional line:
Cut white turf piece into strips(width to be as per actual need) for white functional lines(half-way lines, base lines etc.), and put them aside preparing for Green Artificial Grass Carpet installation;
4. Seaming:
The adiacent turf rolls must be join together with 20~30mm excess on both sides, then cut the excess part with a special cutting knife on the joint center and trim the cut to make the turf join perfectly together. After trimming, place the seam tape on the foundation surface and make the joint line of turf right on the middle of the seam tape. And then apply the adhesive to seam tape evenly with a rubber spreader, and press down the turf on both sides of the seam tape firmly;
5.1. Installing functional lines:
Measure and re-position the functional line on the turf that has been all well joined on the ground. Cut the turf out and place the seam tape beneath the cuts, then spread the adhesive on the seam tape and install the well-prepared functional lines, press it firmly to ensure the immobility.
5.2. Trimming:
Inspect the finished lawn, if any uneven found, cut it open, pull it straight and cut the excess away.And rejoin it with adhesive;
6. Infilling sand:
Place the sand piles on the finished lawn on different spots evenly at a distance of 4m from each other,then spread them evenly on the lawn(the quantity if sand depends on the pile height of the turf).
Afterwards, use the combing machine to sweep the sand into the fibers and to comb uo the fibers. Do this process once longitudinally and transversely.
7. Infill rubber granules:
After sand infilling, Place the rubber granules piles on the lawn on different spots evenly at a distance of 4m from each other, then spread them evenly on the lawn(the quantity of sand depends on the pile height of the turf). Afterwards, use the combing machine to sweep the sand into the fibers and to comb up the fibers. Do this process once longitudinally and transversely.
8. Combing:
Once the infilling is finished, comb the turf once more with the combing machie to make the fibers point up to the sky.
Realistic Looking Soccer Artificial Grass Rug Strong Wear Resistant PE Material Images


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The Power of Soup
jadickin on J. Dickinson - Language, Culture and SmakI am home today with a powerful cold and intense laryngitis. My thoughts, quite logically turned to soup and digging through the vegetable drawer and pantry I found I had the ingredients to cook up the perfect […]Posted November 16, 2012.
Just in Time Teaching Techniques
jadickin onWhat is JiTT? Just in Time Teaching, or JiTT, is a model first proposed by Novak, Patterson, Gavrin and Christian (1999) that combines web-based resources that help students prepare outside of class with active […]Posted October 08, 2012.
Vyshnivka Update #2: In the Bottle!
jadickin on J. Dickinson - Language, Culture and SmakAfter several weeks of steeping the cherries in rectified spirits, I drained most of the liquid, some of which I will save and serve as cherry vodka. I left a couple of cups of liquid in the growler with the cherries and sprinkled in about 1/2 cup white sugar, swirling the contents to mix the sugar […]Posted August 28, 2012.
Bean poles and pole beans
jadickin on J. Dickinson - Language, Culture and SmakPole Beans, early summer, Zakarpattia Beans have considerable significance in the cuisine of Zakarpattia. One of my favorite dishes is terta fasol' (mashed beans), made from dried kidney beans boiled and smashed with oil and large amounts of fresh chopped garlic , served as a spread with fresh bread. The dish seems faintly out of place, more […]Posted August 05, 2012.
Tokano z bryndzju
jadickin on J. Dickinson - Language, Culture and SmakCorn harvest, Zakarpattja At a recent family gathering my relatives clamored for a traditional dish made from cornmeal, of which my father is the acknowledged master: fried cornmeal mush. Mush has a long tradition in American regional cooking, as well as in the cuisine of immigrants. While my father's family eats mush in a […]Posted July 18, 2012.
Pepper Vodka recipe in July 8th "Drink" column
jadickin on J. Dickinson - Language, Culture and SmakRed and Green Hot Pepper Vodka Rosie Schapp, the New York Times Magazine "Drink" columnist, is featuring one of my vodka infusion recipes (for hot pepper vodka) in her wonderful July 8th column devoted to drinks of Poland and Ukraine! Here's the link: "Drink: Hurts So Good" The photo at left is the only bottle […]Posted July 06, 2012.
Vyshnivka update
jadickin on J. Dickinson - Language, Culture and SmakGlass of young vishnivka Every year when the dark sweet cherries come in I think about vyshnivka, a delightfully rich, deceptively easy-to-drink flavored vodka made by soaking cherries in strong vodka (usually 140 proof) for a couple of months, after which the alcohol is drained and reserved and sugar is added to the cherries, which sit some […]Posted July 05, 2012.
In praise of sunflower seeds
jadickin on J. Dickinson - Language, Culture and SmakAs we move into summer I have been thinking about sunflower seeds and all the encounters I have had with them in Russia and Ukraine over the years, starting with toasting mounds of seeds in an old skillet suspended over a campfire in Siberia and watching everyone's hands and lips turn black from splitting the […]Posted June 28, 2012.
New York Times article touts most effective study techniques
jadickin onA recent New York Times article on effective study techniques also points the way toward good course design that supports learning and retention of material and concepts. For me, the real "takeaway lesson" of this article was that diversity of stimulus associated with learning is a key element in information retention. How many of us […]Posted September 11, 2010.


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|Telus discusses merger with AT&T
Journal News Services - 3/25/98
Edmonton - Hold the phone -- Canada's telecommunications industry appears headed for a shakeup that could launch "the mother of all price wars."
Edmonton-based Telus confirmed Tuesday it is in discussions with AT&T Canada "that could lead to a possible business combination." Neither Telus nor AT&T would elaborate.
Industry observers expect Telus to make a $1 billion bid for control of AT&T Canada, the Canadian affiliate of U.S. telecommunications giant AT&T. It is two-thirds owned by three Canadian banks after a 1996 bail out.
That would also usher in a new era of telecommunications service for Canadians by opening up competition within the Stentor group of companies, the alliance that provides telecommunications services to the majority of Canadians.
"A deal like this will blow up the whole set of working relationships that have been in place among the Stentor group of companies," said industry analyst Ian Angus.
"But I would say there is a good chance consumers could be in for the mother of all price wars because you can bet the Stentor people aren't going to sit by and let Telus take their business. The first thing they'll do is start selling loss-leader services to customers in Edmonton and Calgary."
Edmonton lawyer Jim Wachowich, who has represented the Alberta division of the Consumers Association of Canada at CRTC hearings, says the group isn't sure how consumers will fare if the deal goes through.
"Is it good or bad? It's hard to say. But if past experience shows anything, it's that corporate mergers are good for shareholders of the companies involved," Wachowich said.
The deal could leave Albertans with fewer choices, Wachowich said.
"For customers in Alberta, this merger could mean problems because the dominant market power in telecommunications is actually swallowing up a competitor."
The Stentor group, of which Telus has been an unhappy member, is made up of Canada's nine largest telephone companies, including Bell Canada.
Angus said the companies have a "gentleman's agreement" to share long distance business and refrain from poaching in each other's territories.
"But if this deal comes to pass, all bets will be off."
- Edmonton Journal


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Central Europe's Special Role in the History of Europe
Date: 21 October 2015
Dr. Marta Fazekas, PhD, History, Andrassy University in Budapest
This region has always played a special role in the history of Europe. From the beginning of the first millennium, when the kings of this region decided to follow Christianity, governed by Rom, they marked the later destiny of their land forever. In the turbulent times of the Middle Ages, during the Enlightenment and Romanticism and later on until the end of the First World War, these people tried to find their balance, living on the borderline between East and West. Accordingly, historical facts and myths of the Central European nations will be covered in the lecture to highlight the dissimilarities and parallels in their story.
Dr. Marta Fazekas was born in Hungary and became a lawyer, a Central - Europe expert, and then she wrote her PhD in History. She has given lectures at several universities in Europe: in Hungary, Austria, Germany, Romania, Slovakia and Serbia. Currently she lives in Moscow and works as a guest lecturer at MGU.
The presentation will be conducted in English.
University of Central Asia, 47A Druzhba Narodov Avenue, Dushanbe, Room 101.
Please RSVP to firstname.lastname@example.com with your name and affiliation.
* The views presented in this lecture are those of the presenter and not necessarily those of the University of Central Asia or any of its staff


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Snowshoe Grind Mountain Run
Race Information
The Snowshoe Grind Mountain Run is a great opportunity for snowshoers of all abilities and fitness levels to get outside and enjoy the trail on top of Grouse Mountain. From the seasoned veteran to the first time snowshoer, all are welcome to participate.
If you're looking to test your skills against other active snowshoers, this is a timed race.
Get Help Training
Looking for some training or general running advice? Get your questions answered by a pro!
Schedule a 1 on 1 video chat with some of North America's top runners to talk about anything that you want!Schedule a Video Chat
Race Reports
Read first hand reports and reviews from runners who have completed this race in the past!
2017 Snowshoe Grind Race Report
"The Grouse Snowshoe Grind is a tough, challenging course...."
Read Report


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Graphics powerhouse Nvidia is entering the portable gaming market with Project Shield, an Android handheld fitted with the company's newly unveiled quad-core Tegra 4 mobile processor. Shield, showcased by Nvidia CEO Jen-Hsun Huang at this year's CES, resembles a PS3 or Xbox 360 twin-stick controller but attached to a flip-top 5-inch 'retinal display' multitouch screen with 1280x720 HD resolution at 294 dpi. The Tegra 4 chip it contains, which Nvidia claims is the world's fastest mobile processor, offers effectively six times greater visual output than its Tegra 3 predecessor, as found in Microsoft Surface tablets. Nvidia tells our friends at Engadget that the device is expected to ship in Q2 of this year. One crucial factor which remains undisclosed is the price.
Shield also has 38 watt hours of batteries, which translates into 5 to 10 hours of gameplay or 24 hours of HD video, and a bass reflex audio system with a greater signal-to-noise ratio than the iPhone 5. In addition to the standard audio jack, Shield has a microSD slot, a micro USB port, and an HDMI port that Huang demonstrated with an LG 4K resolution HDTV. Shield's 'console-grade' analog sticks are joined by a d-pad and a standard quartet of buttons, as well as triggers and bumpers.
Huang also demonstrated a few games from Nvidia's Tegrazone store being played on the device, followed by a brief run of mega-mech battling in Hawken. Next, Huang detailed how Shield can wirelessly stream from a PC across a local network to Shield, using this to play Need for Speed: Most Wanted and Assassin's Creed 3 on the handheld. As Engadget reports, there was perceivably very little lag. The demo also showed Shield accessing Steam on the PC, with Huang underling the ease with which Big Picture Mode can be used via Shield to bring Steam games to HDTVs.
You can watch the full CES demonstration of Project Shield on Nvidia's Twitch.tv page. It's roughly 40 minutes long, and begins at around the 2h02m mark.


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BSNL TTA Result 2016 Last Year Junior Engineer Cut Off Marks Bharat Sanchar
BSNL TTA Result 2016
BSNL TTA Result 2016 Last Year Junior Engineer Cut Off Marks JE Merit List BSNL Telecom Technical Assistant Result 2016 bsnl.co.in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd Score card from All Circle Zones Official website.
BSNL Telecom Assistant Result 2016 Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd BSNL TTA exam Merit list 2016 date is expected in the month of October. BSNL declares exam result on their official website at the www.bsnl.co.in. All Zone UP MP Bihar, Delhi, Bengalore, BSNL Mumbai Telecom Technical Assistant Merit List 2016 soon updated on official website bsnl. Direct Recruitment in the cadre of TTA in BSNL North-East - II Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttarakhand, Chennai Telecom Circle Applications are invited for the following posts of Telecom Technical Assistant (TTAs) in the Pay scale of Rs. 13600 - 25420 in various Secondary Switching Areas (SSAs) in the Jharkhand, Bihar Telecom Circle
Eligibility Criteria for BSNL 2700 Posts TTA JE Result 2016:
Name of the Organization – Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (BSNL) Telecom Technical Assistants (TTA) and JE (Jr. Engineer)
Age Limit: Candidates age must be between 18 to 27 years as on 13-05-2016.
Total Vacancies – 2700 BSNL TA Admit Card: 3rd week of Sep 2016 and Exam Date: 25th September 2016, Exam Result: October
Educational Qualification BSNL Assistant Result 2016: Candidates should have 3 years Engineering Diploma in relevant disciplines or Have M.Sc Degree in Electronics from any recognized University.
Application Fee: Rs 500/- (SC/PH Candidates need not pay any fees.)
How to Apply for BSNL JE Result Date 2016: Eligible applicants are required to download the Application format from the Portal of BSNL, then fill application form and attached all mandatory documents send it to address available in official advertisement which is below.
Last date: To Apply Online was 10th August 2016 Junior Engineer


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I am working on a website to spread positive news and stories in an environment which is otherwise full of negative news – newspapers and news channels are a case in point. I wish to gather real positive news and stories from as many sources as possible through internet. Would be grateful if you could tell me an efficient and effective way of doing so. Thanks.
You could also give Topikality a try if you have specific keywords you are using in your searches
Another similar option would, of course, be google alerts http://www.makeuseof.com/dir/google-alerts/
Excellent site, keep up the good work. I read a lot of forums on a daily basis and for the most part, people lack substance but, I just wanted to make a quick comment to say I'm glad I found your forum. Thanks.
Hi there! I love your idea (hopefully you'll share your link when it's ready!).
I love http://www.gnn.com/ It's actually created by AOL and stands for Good News Now :-)
My first blog, the one you will see linked to my name under MUO authors does the same thing. So Maroor, you do have some competition in this area :)
What I do (or used to do) is watch popular media for positive stories. One site you can always count on is Digg. Another site I use is Reader's Digest. There are certain keywords like 'good news', 'positive news' etc with which you can do a Google search or Twitter search.
Hi Saikat,
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on getting required stuff from www.
I went through some of your blogs and am happy to see that more and more people are working in the positive direction. By the way, I would love to have more of such competition :). I am extremely positive about competition in this space!!!
You can add the RSS feeds in your favorite feed reader (or get updates via email with a service like Blogtrottr.com) of these sites: http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/need-some-good-news-for-a-change-top-5-good-news-web-sites/ and http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-sites-to-get-news-thats-good-for-a-change/. These blogs are updated frequently with positive news from different countries.
I do something similar to what you are doing.
I add all the news feeds that I want into Google Reader. I create tags in google reader and use them as categories. I grab the public RSS feed of the tag, and add that to wp-o-matic wordpress plugin. Then just run the Cron, and every time it automatically adds the article to your blog.
Hello Masroor Lodi
I personally share that motivation, so let me see if I can help. A few ways to do so would be by using a feed aggregator, that could be embedded on your site ( just Google feed aggregators for site). you can then go to a site that normally has good news, and if they have an rss feed, you can add that your aggregator. It's not a very straight forward process, but it works.
Most sites would frown upon you using their news without permission, which could also be a copyright violation, so a feed that links to their site would be the correct way to go about it.
One site I would recommend getting news from
We post a lot of good news :)
Hey Taty,
Thank you for your help. Have gone through the suggested website and have even linked one story to my facebook wall... Will keep on visiting the web for more positive news. BTW I am also utilizing the google reader for connecting with the latest positive news/stories...
My sincere thanks.


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My Father's Paradise
In Ariel Sabar's fascinating reconciliation of past and present, he and his father travel to Iraq, his father's birthplace. In My Father's Paradise, Sabar brings to life the ancient town of Zakho, telling his family's story and discovering their place in the millennia-long saga of Sepharic Jews in Islamic lands.
Sunday, January 25, 2009


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On Friday 10th June we held an afternoon street party to mark the Queen's 90th birthday.
During the morning each class learnt about the Queen and made flags and crowns to wear. They then enjoyed a special lunch cooked by the kitchen staff of 'Fish and Chips' and a decorated cupcake!
In the afternoon parents were invited to join us all for a street party and to sing 'The National Anthem'.