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Best bar for craft cocktails
1. Cure (4905 Freret St., 504-302-2357; www.curenola.com)
2. Bar Tonique (820 N. Rampart St., 504-324-6045; www.bartonique.com)
3. Barrel Proof (1201 Magazine St., 504-299-1888; www.barrelproofnola.com)
Best beer selection
1. The Bulldog (3236 Magazine St., 504-891-1516; 5135 Canal Blvd., 504-488-4191; www.bulldog.draftfreak.com)
2. The Avenue Pub (1732 St. Charles Ave., 504-586-9243; www.theavenuepub.com)
3. Cooter Brown's Tavern & Oyster Bar (509 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-866-9104; www.cooterbrowns.com)
Best casino
1. Harrah's New Orleans (228 Poydras St., 800-427-7247; www.caesars.com/harrahs-new-orleans)
2. Boomtown New Orleans (4132 Peters Road, Harvey, 504-366-7711; www.boomtown- neworleans.com)
3. Treasure Chest Casino (5050 Williams Blvd., Kenner, 504-443-8000; www.treasurechest.com)
Best dance club
1. Cafe Negril (606 Frenchmen St.; www.cafenegrilonfrenchmen.com)
2. Gold Mine Saloon (701 Dauphine St., 504-586-0745)
3. Oz (800 Bourbon St., 504-593-9491; www.ozneworleans.com)
Best DJ
1. DJ Soul Sister (www.djsoulsister.com)
The queen of rare groove and funk and the city's quintessential Saturday night DJ, Soul Sister rules the airwaves on her unmissable Saturday night WWOZ set before sidling up to her turntables at Hi-Ho Lounge for her weekly, decade-running Hustle! dance party. Does your favorite DJ have their own Dirty Coast T-shirt? Offer their personal picks at your local record store in a specially marked bin? Make you get off your ass and jam or tear the roof off the motha sucka? If they do, thank DJ Soul Sister.
2. Quickie Mart (www.djquickiemart.com)
3. DJ Jubilee (www.facebook.com/DJJubilee)
Best gentlemen's/ strip club
1. Rick's Cabaret (315 Bourbon St., 504-524-4222; www.rickscabaretnola.com)
2. The Penthouse Club (727 Iberville St., 504-524-4354; www.penthouseclubneworleans.com)
TIE: 3. Visions Men's Club (4000 Downman Road, 504-240-0069; www.visionsmensclub.com)
TIE: 3. Larry Flynt's Hustler Club (225 Bourbon St., 504-524-0010; www.neworleanshustlerclub.com)
Best hotel bar
1. The Carousel Bar & Lounge (Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal St., 504-523-3341; www.hotelmonteleone.com/entertainment/carousel-bar)
2. The Sazerac Bar (The Roosevelt New Orleans, 130 Roosevelt Way, 504-648-1200; www.therooseveltneworleans.com/dining/the-sazerac-bar.html )
3. Lobby Bar (Ace Hotel, 600 Carondelet St., 504-900-1180; www.acehotel.com/neworleans)
Best dive bar
1. Snake & Jake's Christmas Club Lounge (7612 Oak St., 504-861-2802; www.snakeandjakes.com)
There are dives and then there's Snake & Jake's, which doesn't even open until 7 p.m. (when happy hour begins) and closes at oh-God-o'clock the next day. On a residential block of Oak Street, S&J's is a welcome eyesore, a tumbledown shack with a "Regal on Tap" sign out front and a vibe that lets you know what happens at Snake's stays at Snake's.
Smoking is now a no-no, of course, but the rest of the bar's charm remains, from the lurid red Christmas lights to the cans of Schlitz (enjoy yours with a shot of Jagermeister). It's all pretty sedate until 10 or 11 p.m., when the bar begins to fill up, and by 2 a.m. all bets are off as to who (or what) you'll see. There always seem to be dogs running around, and for some reason the tiny exterior doesn't seem to match how big the place is inside — just one of the unexplained wonders of Snake & Jake's.
2. The John (2040 Burgundy St., 504-942-7159; www.facebook.com/thejohnbar)
3. The Club Ms. Mae's (4336 Magazine St., 504-218-8035)
Best gay bar
1. Oz (800 Bourbon St., 504-593-9491; www.ozneworleans.com)
2. Bourbon Pub and Parade (801 Bourbon St., 504-529-2107; www.bourbonpub.com)
3. Good Friends Bar (740 Dauphine St., 504-566-7191; www.goodfriendsbar.com)
Best live music venue
1. Tipitina's (501 Napoleon Ave., 504-895-8477; www.tipitinas.com)
2. House of Blues New Orleans (225 Decatur St., 504-310-4999; www.houseofblues.com/neworleans)
3. Cafe Negril on Frenchmen (606 Frenchmen St.; www.cafenegrilonfrenchmen.com)
Best live theater venue
1. Saenger Theatre (1111 Canal St., 504-525-1052; www.saengernola.com)
2. Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre (616 St. Peter St., 504-522-2081; www.lepetittheatre.com)
3. Jefferson Performing Arts Center (6400 Airline Drive, Metairie, 504-731-7400; www.jeffersonpac.com)
Best local brewery
1. NOLA Brewing Co. (3001 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-896-9996; www.nolabrewing.com)
2. Abita Brewing Company (166 Barbee Road, Covington, 985-893-3143; www.abita.com)
3. Second Line Brewing (433 N. Bernadotte St., 504-248-8979; www.facebook.com/secondlinebrewing)
Best local comedian
1. James Cusimano (www.facebook.com/james.cusimano.3)
2. Chris Trew (www.christrew.com)
3. Mutzie (www.mutzie.com)
Best local music artist
1. Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue (www.tromboneshorty.com)
Troy Andrews — following the genre-spanning jazz, funk and rock of his recent breakthroughs For True and Say That To Say This — reigns as the city's musical ambassador on stages throughout the U.S. and beyond, a former musical wunderkind with an impressive family legacy blown up into an international headliner.
2. Robin Barnes (www.robinbarnesmusic.com)
TIE: 3. Sweet Crude (www.facebook.com/sweetcrudeband)
TIE: 3. Kermit Ruffins (www.facebook.com/kermitruffinsnola)
Best local theater company
1. The NOLA Project (www.nolaproject.com)
2. Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre (616 St. Peter St., 504-522-2081; www.lepetittheatre.com)
3. Southern Rep Theatre (www.southernrep.com)
Best movie theater
1. The Theatres at Canal Place (The Shops at Canal Place, 333 Canal St., third level, 504-493-6535; www.thetheatres.com)
2. Prytania Theatre (5339 Prytania St., 504-891-2787; www.prytaniatheatreneworleans.com)
3. The Broad Theater (636 N. Broad St., 504-218-1008; www.thebroadtheater.com)
Best neighborhood bar
1. Pal's Lounge (949 Rendon St., 504-488-7257)
2. Finn McCool's Irish Pub (3701 Banks St., 504-486-9080; www.finnmccools.com)
3. The Barley Oak (2101 Lakeshore Drive, Mandeville, 985-727-7420; www.thebarleyoak.com)
Best place to get a daiquiri
1. New Orleans Original Daiquiris (Citywide; www.fattuesday.com)
2. Daiquiris & Creams (Citywide; www.daiquirisandcreams.com)
3. Bourree (1510 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-510-4040; www.bourreenola.com)
Best place to get a bloody mary
1. Atchafalaya (901 Louisiana Ave., 504-891-9626; www.atchafalayarestaurant.com)
2. Superdome (1500 Sugar Bowl Drive; www.mbsuperdome.com)
3. The Ruby Slipper Cafe (139 S. Cortez St., 504-525-9355; 200 Magazine St., 504-525-9355; 1005 Canal St., 504-525-9355; 2001 Burgundy St., 504-525-9355; www.therubyslipper.net)
Best place to get a margarita
1. El Gato Negro (81 French Market Place, 504-525-9752; 300 Harrison Ave., 504-488-0107; 800 S. Peters St., 504-309-8864; www.elgatonegronola.com)
You can add premium tequila to your margarita at El Gato Negro, but in many ways that is beside the point. The real attraction lies in the fresh ingredients in combinations that capture the essence of what a margarita is supposed to be: a careful balance of ripe, citrusy sweetness and tongue-puckering sourness. For the house margarita, bright orange juice tempers the acidity of fresh-squeezed limes; the Blood of the Devil cranberry margarita is like a Cosmopolitan with a rock-and-roll makeover. Purists will relish the gold standard traditional lime margarita, rimmed with frosty salt crystals.
There are other reasons to visit El Gato Negro, including an outstanding guacamole that's hand-mashed tableside, but the French Quarter location in particular excels as downtown's unrivaled margarita purveyor. Pull up at an outdoor table to while away the afternoon with cocktails and people-watching, or grab a drink as an accessory for a riverfront stroll. Seasonal flavor variations on the beverage menu, as well as bolder combinations like the pineapple-cilantro margarita, will keep you coming back ... or from leaving in the first place.
2. Superior Grill (3636 St. Charles Ave., 504-899-4200; http://neworleans.superiorgrill.com)
3. Juan's Flying Burrito (515 Baronne St., 504-529-5825; 2018 Magazine St., 504-569-0000; 4724 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-486-9950; www.juansflyingburrito.com)
Best place to get a martini
1. N'tini's Steak & Martinis (2891 Highway 190, Suite D, Mandeville, 985-626-5566; www.ntinis.com)
2. Commander's Palace (1403 Washington Ave., 504-899-8221; www.commanderspalace.com)
3. The Bombay Club (830 Conti St., 504-577-2237; www.bombayclubneworleans.com)
Best place to get wine by the glass
1. The Delachaise (3442 St. Charles Ave., 504-895-0858; www.thedelachaise.com)
2. Bayou Wine Garden (315 N. Rendon St., 504-826-2925; www.bayouwinegarden.com)
3. Wine Institute of New Orleans (W.I.N.O.) (610 Tchoupitoulas St., 504-324-8000; www.winoschool.com)
Best place to see comedy
1. The New Movement (2706 St. Claude Ave., 504-302-8264; www.newmovementtheater.com)
2. NOLA Comedy Theater (Previously La Nuit Comedy Theater) (5039 Freret St., 504-304-4616; www.nolacomedy.com)
3. The Hi-Ho Lounge (2239 St. Claude Ave.; www.hiholounge.net)
Best sports bar
1. Walk-on's Bistreaux & Bar (1009 Poydras St., 504-309-6430; www.walk-ons.com)
2. Cooter Brown's Tavern & Oyster Bar (509 S. Carrollton Ave., 504-866-9104; www.cooterbrowns.com)
3. Manning's Eat-Drink-Cheer (519 Fulton St., 504-593-8118; www.caesars.com/harrahs-new-orleans/restaurants/mannings-eat-drink-cheer)
• Best of New Orleans 2016: Food
• Best of New Orleans 2016: Bars & Entertainment
• Best of New Orleans 2016: Politics
• Best of New Orleans 2016: Local Life
• Best of New Orleans 2016: Media
• Best of New Orleans 2016: Goods & Services


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World Irish dancing competitors swap their pumps for their wellies in support of the RNLI
16/04/2017 - 12:11:04Back to Heathrow Ireland Home
The 2017 World Irish Dancing Championships come to a close in Dublin today but not before a group of the budding dance stars swapped their pumps and hard shoes for the RNLI's yellow wellies.
The troupe of Irish dancers who were competing in the 47th World Irish Dancing Championships organised by An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, showed off their signature moves in bright yellow wellies in Dublin's city centre to encourage the public to support Mayday.
Worn by generations of crews to grip the deck in slippery conditions, the iconic yellow wellies keep crew members safe and steady on stormy seas.
Just like Irish dancing shoes, RNLI-issue sea boots have reinforced toecaps to protect the crews' feet.
Doireann Ní Ryan from the Ryan School of Irish Dancing in Tipperary said: "Swapping my Irish dancing shoes for yellow wellies has been a humbling experience. I couldn't dance without my pumps or hard shoes and the RNLI's volunteers couldn't save lives at sea without their yellow wellies and the rest of their lifesaving kit. So, I'd encourage everyone to visit RNLI.org/Mayday to see how they can support the RNLI's Mayday campaign."
Mayday distress calls can come in any time, day or night, 365 days a year, with volunteer crew members from 46 lifeboat stations in Ireland on standby to drop everything in an instant to save lives at sea.
Pauline McGann, RNLI Community Fundraising Manager said: "Our crews rely on lifesaving kit, like their yellow wellies, lifejackets and helmets, when they go out in all weathers to save lives at sea. From sponsored bike rides and welly walks, to running a bake sale, there are all sorts of ways to raise money for the RNLI this Mayday. Visit RNLI.org/Mayday to download a fundraising pack and see how you can do your bit to fund our kit."
Money raised through Mayday fundraising events will help kit out RNLI lifeboat crews so they're ready to face the harshest conditions at sea, with it costing €2,168 to provide an all-weather lifeboat crew member with all of the vital kit they need during a rescue.
Mayday fundraising events are taking place right across Ireland, many with a yellow welly theme.
In Dublin, a D class lifeboat will be on display in Grand Canal Square as yellow welly pin badges will be sold on Thursday and Friday 27 and 28 April from 10am to 4pm. An Atlantic 85 class lifeboat will be on display on Patrick Street in Cork city where badges will be on sale on the 28 and 29 April.
Meanwhile, across the west of Ireland, badges will be on sale at various shopping centres and supermarkets over two weekends from the 29-30 April and 5-6 May. Mayday badges will also be on sale in Aldi stores on Mayday, Monday 1 May.
The RNLI will also have a stand in the Eikon Exhibition Centre at the Balmoral Show from the 10-13 May running from 9.30am to 6pm each day.
To find a Mayday event near you, or to download a fundraising pack, visit RNLI.org/Mayday.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Newbie here. I have 2 desktop pcs and a pc laptop. I also have a Ipod I think it's a 16g. Can I receive wireless signals on the new Ipad 2 and access the internet for business while out of the office (like camping?) Also what size Ipad 2 should I buy? I have an android HTC so I dont think I will need the 3G Ipad. Plan to buy this week, are there any good discount Ipad sites or deals out there? Thanks in advance! afzimm


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Join me for a conversation with the legendary music writer, Jim Walsh this Friday, 2/12 in DIY360. If you are an aspiring music critic, publicist, booking agent, manager, or rock-and-roll fan you definitely won't wanna miss this! Robinson Hall, 11:30—bring your lunch!
Jim Walsh is a writer and songwriter from Minneapolis. Formerly an editor and columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press and City Pages, he now writes a weekly column for the Southwest Journal, and contributes regularly to MinnPost, Minnesota Law & Politics, and the Star Tribune. He is the author of The Replacements: All Over But The Shouting: An Oral History (Voyageur), and has been published in several magazines and newspapers, including Rolling Stone, SPIN, the Village Voice, the L.A. Weekly, and the Utne Reader, and the books Kill Your Idols: A New Generation Of Rock Writers Reconsider The Classics (Barricade, 2005) and Da Capo Best Music Writing 2000 (Da Capo, 2001). Walsh has won several journalism awards, and in 2003 was the recipient of the John S. Knight Professional Journalism Fellowship from Stanford University. His musical alter-ego The Mad Ripple released its debut CD Sink and/or Swim (Eclectone) in 2006 and the follow-up Her Tattoos Could Sail Ships in 2010. He performs semi-regularly in clubs and coffee shops with his band or at The Mad Ripple Hootenanny, a rotating collection of songwriters that launched in 2007.


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Blue Essence Cocktail
- Prep: 5 min
- Cook Time: –
- Total: 5 min
- Serving: 1 Serving
Blueberry and jalapeno infused tequila adds a sweet yet intense burst of flavor in this refreshing cocktail.
- 2 ounces Blueberry/Jalapeno infused Partida Blanco Tequila
- 3/4 ounce Creme de Mure
- 1 ounce Fresh Lime Juice
- 1/2 ounce Tequila Partida 100% Organic Agave Nectar
- Sprig of mint to garnish
- salt
- Place all of the ingredients, except for the garnish, into a cocktail shaker and then fill with ice.
- Shake the mixture for 35 seconds and then strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with salt.
- Garnish the cocktail with the mint sprig and serve immediately.
Filed Under:


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Return to the Magic
Welcome to Return to the Magic!
Going to try and little of the Fate system, using The Dresden Files RPG as a base.
Welcome to a modern day suburban city, but strange things are beginning to stir. The magic has started to flow again, and ancient ether has began to move. Powers and beasts of great mythological days are starting to return. Your powers have come to you in and dream and now you must help protect the still ignorant masses from the returning things that go bump in the night.
After that, take a look at your wiki. There is some more helpful info there.


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Search Results:
Enter your search terms below. You can choose to filter your results by section by choosing from the drop-down menu below. Also, in some sections you can choose to filter by system as well!
Example: To search for Pac-Man in MAME ROMs type in "pac-man", choose "ROMs/ISOs/Games" as your Section and "M.A.M.E." as your system. It's just that simple!
You searched for "sylvan" in ROMs/ISOs/Games:
2 Results FoundSwitch between ROMs, Emulators, Music, Scans, etc. by selecting the category tabs below!Save time. Add Emuparadise search to your browser search bar!
Sylvan Tale (Japan) [En by Aeon Genesis v1.01] ROM
System: Sega Game Gear Size: 320K
System: Sega Game Gear Size: 320K
Sylvan Tale (Japan) ROM


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LOS ANGELES — From laughingstock to lift off.
George Springer and the Houston Astros rocketed to the top of the baseball galaxy Wednesday night, winning the first World Series championship in franchise history by romping past the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7.
Playing for a city still recovering from Hurricane Harvey, and wearing an "H Strong" logo on their jerseys, the Astros brought home the prize that had eluded them since they started out in 1962 as the Colt .45s.
"I always believed that we could make it," All-Star slugger Jose Altuve said. "We did this for them."
For a Series that was shaping up as an October classic, Game 7 quickly became a November clunker as Houston scored five runs in the first two innings off Yu Darvish. Hardly the excitement fans felt during the Cubs' 10-inning thriller in Cleveland last fall.
Well, except for everyone wearing bright orange. Back in Houston, a huge crowd filled Minute Maid Park to cheer as fans watched on the big video board, and the train whistle wailed when it was over.
"We're coming home a champion, Houston," Springer said after accepting the World Series MVP trophy named this year for Willie Mays.
Star shortstop Carlos Correa turned the party into a proposal. After doing a TV interview, he got down on one knee and asked girlfriend Daniella Rodriguez, a former Miss Texas USA, to marry him.
"Yes?" he said, putting a ring on her finger as she cried.
Altuve, one of four carry-overs from a club that lost an embarrassing 111 times in 2013 after switching from the NL to the AL, and this collection of young stars silenced Dodger Stadium from the get-go, taking a 5-0 lead in the second inning.
Altuve was in perfect position for the final out, a grounder by Corey Seager to the 5-foot-6 second baseman.
"I caught the last out for the Houston Astros to become a world champion. It was a groundball to me, I threw to first, and I think it was the happiest moment of my life in baseball," Altuve said.
The Astros streamed from the dugout and bullpen to go wild, tossing their gloves in the air. A thousand or so fans crowded behind the first base dugout, chanting "Hou-ston! Hou-ston!"
On the other side, ace Clayton Kershaw and several Dodgers leaned against the railing in the dugout, watching the Astros celebrate. Los Angeles led the majors with 104 wins and a $240 million payroll, and rallied to win Game 6, yet it didn't pay off for part-owner Magic Johnson and his team.
"Obviously, this one hurts," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "And like I told the guys, when you put everything, every ounce of your being into something and you come up short, it hurts. And it's supposed to hurt."
Normally a starter, Charlie Morton finished up with four stellar innings of relief for the win.
"We held down a really tough lineup," Morton said. "For my teammates, for the city of Houston, it's just unbelievable."
Springer led off the evening with a double against Darvish, and soon it was 2-0.
Springer hit his fifth homer — tying the Series mark set by Reggie Jackson and matched by Chase Utley — when he connected for a record fourth game in a row, making it a five-run lead.


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Aly Raisman Says She'll Go on a Date With Raiders Tight End Colton Underwood!
Aly Raisman has said yes to going on a date with Oakland Raiders tight end Colton Underwood!
The 24-year-old NFL player asked the 22-year-old U.S. Olympic gymnast if she would like to double date with him and his teammate Andrew East, who married retired U.S. Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson back in April.
Colton's proposal came in form of a video (via Yahoo Sports) telling Aly that if she is "ever in San Jose and want to go on a double date with me and Andrew and Shawn, let me know."
Aly then remarked, "They've actually told me about him before � he's very cute. Yeah, I would go on a date with him."
Following Colton's proposal, Aly took to Twitter to reach out to Colton personally, writing, "@Colt3FIVE thanks for the sweet video�. Looking forward to meeting you :)."
Colton then responded by tweeting back, ""Anytime! Looking forward to meeting you too. Safe travels back, see you soon!"
Aly added (in the video), "I've never done a long-distance relationship before, so I can't really say, but obviously it's more convenient if they're closer to you."
DO YOU THINK Aly and Colton would make a cute couple?
@Colt3FIVE thanks for the sweet video…. looking forward to meeting you :)
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) August 21, 2016
Anytime! Looking forward to meeting you too. Safe travels back, see you soon! https://t.co/vWRhhqR5up
— Colton Underwood (@Colt3FIVE) August 21, 2016
Posted to: aly raisman


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The program will cover the knowledge standard attorneys must satisfy when communicating with the courts duties to disclose adverse facts and law including unpublished case law the duty not to misstate material facts ex-parte communications and judicial disqualification.
AUDIO MP3 Files: Special Pricing for Multi-Packs!
Every time you order three or six programs you get a special discount.


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Denim: BB16T15
$ 75.00
The Savanna is a boho-chic update to our lace-up Byrdie Top. This bandeau-style top features a colorful Bohemian-inspired crochet trim detail that runs down the center front. Lays clean across the chest with no frills or straps, but offers a multitude of crisscross lace-up straps across the back for just the right fit.
L*Space by Monica Wise – Swim – Savanna Byrdie Top
- Bandeau-style top with straight banded front
- Multi-color crochet trim detail at center bust
- Adjustable lace-up and tie back
- Self-lined
- Seamless construction
- Size XS-L
- 80% nylon, 20% spandex
- Made in the USA
- Like all delicates, shape, color and fit are best preserved if hand washed in cold water. Lay flat to dry.


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Enter Our Photo Contest »
It's time to show off your garden filled with American Meadows products!
Show meShowing plants & seeds that grow in my area:
One cooking expert says, "All great cooking requires is a keen sense of spice." And of course, herbs from your own garden give you ten times the taste you get from the dried ones in little jars at the supermarket. Best of all, herbs and spices are simple to grow. You simply sprout the seeds, and then harvest leaves and sprigs all summer long.
Starting at $8.95
Per 5 Seed Bombs
The following items are either out of season or we've sold out of our inventory. Please feel free to browse our selection and sign up for our newsletter to be notified when these products are available for next season! We often have similar items available, so please utilize our search or filters (on the left) to explore other options. Or, call us at (877) 309-7333 for help.
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Introducing the Tiger Tones. A four piece from CHCH which are following tracks laid by label mates Shocking Pinks even now defunct Auckland group Xanadu.
This album, their self titled debut is a testament that the attitude of a recording is the real essence. It starts off with such command and purpose it's hard not to believe in them straight away.
So I dug deeper, listened on and the whole thing just opened up. It's a fucken great album. Big thick bass lines, guitar that is finally interesting to listen to, chanty buried vocals and drums that know their place.
Someone once described them to me as a band making live dance music but without the corruption of knowing the dance music of old. Very fitting.
For fans of DFA, NZ Indie dance and good new music


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Download Evercoss A66S Firmware – Android Stock ROM Android Original Flash File. You Need to Follow Complete Guide How to Install This Firmware And Below is The Link to Download File From MediaFire Host Link.
Download Evercoss A66S Firmware Flash File – Stock Rom
If You Are looking for the stock ROM firmware, you are on the right page. We have managed to share the direct link to download Evercoss A66S firmware.
Download and flash Evercoss A66S it in your device and enjoy the native Android experience again. The download file contains the flash tool, USB driver, and the scatter file.
Download Evercoss A66S Firmware
Stock ROM File Name: Evercoss_A66S_K3388_C004_MT6582.zip
Stock ROM File Size: 427 MB
Android OS Version: 5.1
How To Flash Stock ROM Firmware In Evercoss A66S
- Download the firmware file from the link given above. Once done, extract the zip file to get the SPD Upgrade Tool, IMEI tool and the firmware file.
- Download & install Evercoss A66S USB driver on your computer. Once done, launch the SPD Upgrade Tool by click on the "ResearchDownload.exe" file.
- After SpreadTrum upgrade tool is launched, click on "Load Pocket" as shown in the screenshot below.
- Choose the firmware file and click on "Open" as shown below.
- After the firmware file is loaded into the tool, connect your Android device to the computer using the original USB data cable. Next, click on the "Start Downloading" button to begin the flashing process.
- During the flashing process, your device will reboot for several times. So don't panic.
- After the flashing process is finished, you will see the "Previous Passed" message in green color as shown in the screenshot below.
That's it. You have successfully flashed stock ROM firmware on your Evercoss A66S Android device


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Cream of Carrot Soup with Dill Yogurt
1 onion, diced
1 pound carrots, diced
Chicken broth to almost cover
White pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
dash nutmeg
1 TBL butter
chopped chives for garnish
Simmer first 5 ingredients until very tender.
Puree until smooth.
Prepare Dill Yogurt (below) and set aside.
Stop here until ready to serve.
Add heavy cream, chicken broth and nutmeg. Warm but DO NOT BOIL.
Whisk in butter and ladel in to serving bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of Dill Yogurt and sprinkle with chives.
Dill Yogurt
16 oz plain yogurt
2 TBL chopped fresh dill
2 tsp sherry wine vinegar
white pepper
Combine the Dill Yogurt ingredients to mix.


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Co-op games are few and far between on the Google Play store, but Magicka is a superb example of how addictive they can be. Get together some mates and blast your way through this wizards and monster based adventure.
After a lengthy beta trial, Swype has finally made its long awaited debut on Android. The keyboard lets you seamlessly glide each letter instead of manually typing. It's definitely up there with the likes of Swiftkey.
Stick Cricket Premier League
Everyone's favourite cricket series is back and is still as addictive as ever. This time around you need to build your own team of players and face off against some of the best teams from around the world.
The OrSaveIt app looks to help you adjust your spending behaviour and save up for something you really want. Through the app you can add different saving goals and get regular updates on how much you've saved recently.
If you're a massive fan of the Holo theme, then you'll definitely want to check out this brilliant Twitter client. As well as offering full access to your Twitter account, you can also sync it with TweetMarker.


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GOLDEN LADMedium: Comic Books
Published by: Spark Publications
First Appeared: 1945
Creator: Mort Meskin
Please contribute to its necessary financial support.
Amazon.com or PayPal
The major superheroes of the 1940s, like Captain Marvel and Wonder Woman, were all in place by the middle of the decade. Some, such as Starman and The Black Hood, had already come and gone. But there were still small fry, some from very small publishers, yet to be seen. Spark Publications (Atoman) had only one superhero at first, The Green Lama, and he was
licensed from outside comics. Other than that, the closest they had was Lt. Hercules, a mere parody of the genre, when they launched their second title, which introduced a sure-fire superhero. Golden Lad #1 was dated July, 1945,
Golden Lad was created by Mort Meskin, whose earlier work includes Fiction House's Sheena, Queen of the Jungle and DC's Vigilante. It isn't known for sure, but Meskin may have written the script as well as drawn the story. Other series introduced in that comic include Swiftarrow (a crossbow-wielding urban adventurer), Air Rover (a Blackhawk type) and Sandusky & the Senator (comedy).
Golden Lad himself was Tommy Preston, a grade-school kid who lived with his grandfather. Grandpa Preston owned an antique store located in the building's street level, and Tommy often helped him out. One day, he ran across an old Aztec artifact a golden sacrificial totem in the shape of a heart. Its legend was that it held the strength of a thousand martyred warriors (the Aztecs, as we know, were into human sacrifice). When Tommy said the phrase "Heart of Gold" (no relation), he was instantly transformed into Golden Lad, who had the usual super powers of strength, invulnerability and the ability to fly, and even dressed like a superhero.
How thoughtful of the ancient Aztecs, to key the release of their magic to a phrase in modern English!
Naturally, Golden Lad used his super powers in the cause of righteousness. They all do. The crimes he battled tended to be those that affected him personally, neighborhood affairs rather than world-impacting evil. The war was just running down at the time, so most Americans were directing their attention homeward.
The 5th issue of Golden Lad's comic, dated June, 1946, ran counter to prevailing trends in comics. Most of them got smaller as paper prices rose and they held the line price-wise, so it was common for comics to go from 52 to 36 pages. But this one went the other way. The first through fourth issues were 36 pages each, but #5 was 52. A new superhero series, about a couple of no-accounts named Shaman and The Flame, was introduced. Also added was Golden Girl, a spin-off of the comic's star.
Golden Girl was Peggy Shane, one of Tommy's classmates, who was in his neighborhood when she saw him drop his familiar "Heart of Gold" talisman on the sidewalk. A moment later, she spotted and picked up a fragment of it, and identified it aloud, using the phrase "Heart of Gold". She suddenly became Golden Girl, who righted a wrong before changing back. The closest the male hero ever came to even knowing about her existence was to wonder idly who'd righted that wrong while he wasn't watching. A blurb at the end of the story told readers to look for a new Golden Girl story in the next issue, but if they did, they were bound to be disappointed, because that was the last one.
In fact, it was the last comic Spark Publications ever made. Its Green Lama title had bit the dust a few months earlier, as did Atoman, Spark's third and last title. Aside from the fact that somebody who looked like him once turned up in a Thunderbunny story, neither Golden Lad nor Golden Girl was ever seen again.
BACK to Don Markstein's Toonopedia Home Page


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This week´s Tuesday Playlist is our number 13. Lucky 13! We chose 15 songs related to luck, superstition and the mystical number. Among them, are artists like Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, James Blake, Madonna and Stevie Wonder.
There are some people who consider No. 13 to be an unlucky number. Some think it is unlucky because there were 13 dinner guests at the last supper, in Norse mythology there are 12 Gods sitting having supper when an uninvited god shows up (Loki), the murder of the knights of the Templar took place on that date, and there are many reasons why the number 13 is considered unlucky. There is even a phobia with an unpronounceable name: Triskaidekaphobia (tris meaning "3", kai meaning "and", deka meaning "10" and phobos meaning "fear" or "morbid fear)…is there a phobia for having to say the phobia of number 13 out loud?
Although we have included some not so lucky songs on the playlist, for most of our song choices we have decided to focus on lucky 13, and the positive connotation of the number. In Italy the number is a good omen. The Aztecs considered thirteen to be a very sacred number. It represented time and completion, closure. An Aztec week lasted for thirteen days. The 13th Runic letter is associated with the tree of Life. We hope you enjoy our 15 song collection.


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WESTPORT, Conn. — Everyone loves a good fireworks display, but the traffic snarls that come with them? Not so much.
Westport police are asking the public to stay patient and safe getting to and leaving the annual PAL fireworks at Compo Beach on Monday.
The event will mean heavy car and pedestrian traffic on all roads south of Greens Farms Road between South Compo and Hillspoint roads.
Police ask spectators tp arrive early. The beach will likely be open to ticket holders by 5 p.m.
Pedestrians are asked to walk on sidewalks, not in the roadway going to and from the beach. Police advise pedestrians to wear bright clothing and keep a close eye on children.
Ticket holders may access the beach through South Compo Road only. Hillspoint Road south of Greens Farms Road will be open to residents with homes south of that intersection.
Firework attendees should display their tickets prominently on the dashboard.
Don't have a ticket?
Vehicles without tickets will not be able to go farther than the Minuteman statue. Shuttle buses will run from Longshore Park by the marina to Compo Beach.
Just prior to the end of the fireworks display two-way traffic will be suspended on Compo Beach Road and South Compo Road to the intersection of Greens Farms Road. There will be two lanes of northbound traffic on these streets until the beach is cleared.
Expect delays at that time.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice's free daily emails and news alerts.


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Mayer Hawthorne's debut album, produced and recorded by Mayer Hawthorne. Stones Throw has had its share of hits over the years, and measuring that success in the underground and abroad may not always balance out, but they just might have a real crossover on their hands with Mayer Hawthorne.
Track Listing:


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Rally for Water & Wildlife with Oregon Wild!
On Wednesday, April 19th, Oregonians from across the state will arrive at the Capitol to tell their legislators to take a stand for Oregon's water & wildlife. The rally will feature speeches from Representatives David Gomberg and Pam Marsh, as well as forest, water, and wildlife advocates and conservation groups from around the state!
This rally, co-organized by Oregon Wild and 17 partner community and conservation groups, brings Oregonians from all over the state to tell their elected officials in Salem they want strong environmental leadership. Oregonians are insisting we need strong state laws to protect our forests and streams, save our native pollinators, and recover the other wildlife like salmon and wolves that make Oregon great.
We are so excited about the enormous coalition of Oregonians that has come together to host the Rally for Water & Wildlife.
For example, the Rockaway Beach Citizens for Watershed Protection are rallying their supporters to protect streams for fish and drinking water! Oregon's weak logging laws have lead to nearly 90% of their watershed being clearcut & aerial sprayed in the last 15 years, and Oregon Wild joins them in calls to reform the Oregon Forest Practices Act! From almost the other end of Oregon's coast, co-hosts Coast Range Forest Watch are calling for a protected and public Elliott State Forest, streams originating from this forest provide drinking water to local communities, and over 20% of Oregon's annual Coho Salmon, while providing important recreation and hunting opportunities for the local population of Coos and Douglas Counties.
At the Rally, we're hearing from concerned Oregonians like Kate Taylor, who owns a fishing guide business in Tillamook County. Kate is concerned about the health of our streams and salmon. Also speaking: Douglas County forest and water advocate Francis Eatherington! Then we will hear what's going on statewide with Wildlife protections from Defenders of Wildlife's Quinn Read, and finally, we will hear from Lisa Arkin of Beyond Toxics about why they're championing a bill in the legislature to save Native Pollinators from dangerous neonicotinoid pesticides, and bills to help Oregonians protect themselves from herbicides the logging industry sprays out of helicopters!
Can't make it to the Rally for Water & Wildlife? Rally with us online!
Below, you will find ways that you can support the rally from your computer or cell phone. Send an email, make a phone call, retweet or share a post, there are many ways you can pitch in!
Sign up for our Backyard Forests Action Group and get a reminder email to join us online Wednesday morning!
Click here to send a letter to your elected representatives in Salem! Remember, it's always good to personalize the subject and opening lines of these emails!
Call Governor Kate Brown at 503-378-4582 and tell her: "We need stronger logging laws to protect drinking water and wildlife, strong toxics laws that protect our native pollinators and fish, and wildlife agencies that know there is more to enjoying wildlife than hunting!"
Connect with Oregon Wild on Facebook and spread the word. We will be sharing pictures, videos and other shareable content, when you share our posts, your friends learn about the issue, and get to learn more about Oregon Wild!
Connect with us on Twitter, so you can retweet our rally updates! #ORWaterandWildlife
Other Co-hosts will have information to share, and deserve your support, find them here:
Forest Web of Cottage Grove, Citizens of Rockaway Beach for Watershed Protection, Defenders of Wildlife , Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, Pacific Rivers, Cascadia Wildlands, Oregon League of Conservation Voters, Coast Range Forest Watch, Rogue Riverkeeper, KS Wild (Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center), Willamette Valley Broadband, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, 350 EUG, Audubon Society of Portland, Oregon Chapter, Sierra Club


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ML's Moriarty named to 2013 All-American Livestock Judging Team
LOUISVILLE – Medical Lake High School graduate Brett Moriarty has been named to the 2013 All-American Livestock Judging Team and was a part of the Texas A&M University Livestock Judging Team which claimed the 2013 national championship at the National Collegiate Livestock Judging Contest Nov. 18, marking its 12th national livestock judging title.
The contest took place at the North American International Livestock Exposition in Louisville. It is the oldest and most prestigious livestock-judging contest in the nation, according to event organizers.
The All-American team recognizes the top...
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Friend's Email:
Subject: I have found a DVD that I think you would enjoy
|Drop Zone/Hard Rain
Actors: Wesley Snipes, Christian Slater, Morgan Freeman, Gary Busey, Randy Quaid
Genres: Action & Adventure, Drama
UR 2008 3hr 19min
Studio: Lions Gate Home Ent. Release Date: 04/08/2008
Larger Image
Movie Details
Similar Movies
Similarly Requested DVDs
Movie Reviews
HARD rain drop zone
Joseph Filipowicz | new jersey | 07/18/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"the both movies are action packed. hard rain has the better story line, Wesley SNIPES IS GOOD IN DROP ZONE I WISH THERE WERE MORE ACTION DOUBLE PACKSLIKE THIS ONE."
Good movies/ bad aspect ratio
Christopher Beck | 06/09/2009
(3 out of 5 stars)
"both movies are great, only draw back is that one movie is 2.35 aspect ratio and the second is 1.85 aspect ratio and its not labled as such."


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|Asyst Garuda Indonesia / garuda-indonesia.com
PT Aero Systems Indonesia - Asyst is a reputable company in Indonesia, running business as information technology (ICT) services provider. Asyst concentrates its business activities in the field of engineering and consulting services of IT systems and maintenance services for airline companies, and other industries (travel). Based in Jakarta, PT Aero Systems Indonesia is a directly-owned subsidiary company of PT Garuda Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Garuda Group), the national flag carrier of Indonesia. Incorporated in 2005, Asyst initially registered as PT Lufthansa Systems Indonesia, a joint venture company between Garuda Group and Lufthansa System AG (LSY), respectively 51% and 49%. In 2009, LSY transferred its 49% shares in Asyst to PT Aero Wisata. At present, 51% of Asyst's shares are held by Garuda Group, and 49% remaining shares by PT Aero Wisata. According to Garuda Group Annual Report 2014 as quoted by JobsCDC.com, Asyst's total revenue reported 18.7% down, from USD 22,078.8 thousand in 2013 to USD 17,949.6 thousand in 2014.
In line with its continued expansion program, PT Aero Systems Indonesia invites qualified candidates to seize theese career opportunities
IT Support
IT Support
- Background in Diploma degree (D3) in Computer Engineering, Information System or Computer Science.
- Language Proficiency in English; fluent in speaking and writing.
- Have a good knowledge of Windows, Linux/UNIX knowledge are preferred.
- In depth knowledge of various Operating Systems and Desktop Management services.
- In depth knowledge of various desktop management concept and desktop life cycle.
- Excellent written and presentation skills, evident customer service bias, strong attention to detail and work well with other team members while in a fast-paced environment.
- Willing to work in shift working schedule (24-hours/ 7 days).
- Willing to be stationed at Soekarno Hatta International airport area (Cengkareng).
For further information, please refer official source from CDC Telkom University on following link below. If you are interested and competent in accordance with the requirements, please apply in confidence by filling online application form at https://goo.gl/RqTgve. Your application will be kept as strictly confidential. Only short-listed candidates will be invited for selection and interview. (JobsCDC.com / Source)


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In my last post I explained how to set up a Node.js project "the right way." After some trial and error, I'd like to recommend a small improvement. The "hjs" template rendering engine leaves a little bit to be desired, so now I use hogan-middelware instead. It requires a few changes to your project, which I'll explain briefly below.
The biggest improvement is that it supports a greater set of features from the Hogan.js mustache template engine, including much easier configuration of partial-templates. Once your site grows beyond a few pages, this is a critical feature. Also, based on my reading of the code, when Hogan.js launches version 3.0 shortly it will be easy to upgrade this module with support for template inheritance.
Go ahead and start your project as described in the previous article, but before you run
npm install, let's make a couple minor changes. Open
package.json and delete this line:
"hjs": "*",
Instead, replace it with this line:
"hogan-middleware": "*",
Now you can use npm install.
We still need to update your app.js file, so open it with your favorite editor and find this line:
app.set('view engine', 'hjs');
And change it to have these two lines:
app.set('view engine', 'mustache'); app.engine('mustache', require('hogan-middleware').__express);
Save and exit. If you use
npm start and try to visit the webpage, you'll see an error, failed to lookup view "index". This is because express happily created
index.hjs for us. That made sense because we told it we wanted to use *.hjs templates. Well, now we're going to use
*.mustache templates, so expand the views folder and rename
index.hjs to
index.mustache. Now your demo site should work just fine.
So what do you gain with this handy, dandy new module? Partial templates! I tend to call these sub-templates, but I'll try to be consistent as I write this (anything goes if you ask me about it in person though).
In your views folder create a file called header.mustache and a file called footer.mustache. Open index.mustache and remove all of the code before the
 tag and put it into
header.mustache, then all of the code after the
 tag and put it into footer.mustache.
At the top of index.mustache use this code:
And at the end add
So the end result should be:
{{>header}}
{{ title }}

Welcome to {{ title }}
 {{>footer}}
Now refresh the page and you should magically see nothing change! The benefit comes, obviously, when you have more sophisticated templates. You can have common sections of code that define the look of your page that are reusable throughout your site.
I hope soon to be able to write about hogan.js 3.0 support, which includes template inheritance, similar to what you may find with Django templates, but I am very happy with what this provides us for now.
Hopefully this will help you, I'd love to hear your comments!


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- Kayla0416
- 4 years ago
- Wedding: September 2012
I am on my first month TTC and I just came off of birth control so I knew my cycle was gong to be a little screwed up. I've been testing with the cheapo OPK strips since CD 8 (maybe a little early, but I was excited!) to try to figure out when I'm ovulating. I've gotten a few that are really close to positive but I wasn't sure. I finally just got my first unmistakable positive on CD24. And of course, it happened while my husband is away for work! We DTD on Sunday night (3 days ago), but he won't be back for about 2 days. I will definitely jump his bones right when he gets home 🙂 but I'm not sure if that will be in time. Do you guys think I have any chance of it happening this month?


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KUWAIT: A teenager was arrested on Thursday, one day after he stole an ambulance outside the Farwaniya Hospital. Investigations revealed that he took a habit of stealing vehicles after seeing the Grand Theft Auto video game series. The first lead found during investigations was a damaged car parked at the hospital's parking lot, and they discovered after investigation that the vehicle is reported stolen. After checking CCTV tapes and patients' records, the detectives identified a 16-year-old boy who received treatment on the same day the ambulance was stolen, and he lives in Ardiya where the ambulance was later found.
Police contacted the teenager's father who confirmed that his son was injured, and agreed to bring him to the police station for questioning. Investigations revealed that the Kuwaiti youngster has a past record of car thefts and that he mostly used the stolen vehicles for reckless driving. The teenager admitted that he drove the damaged vehicle to the Farwaniya hospital after he suffered an injury during an accident he encountered while driving the car after stealing it. After being discharged from the hospital, the teenager spotted the ambulance that was left with the engine running. Instead of taking the car he stole earlier back home, the youngster jumped into the ambulance and drove to Ardiya where he parked it at a place not far from his house and walked home.
Moreover, the teenager admitted that he stole another car later that day to get to his friends, and on his way back he forced a taxi driver out of a cab and stole it too. Police found a number of counterfeit car keys with the teenager; who admitted of using them in stealing cars. Further investigations revealed that the youth was previously arrested on car theft charges, but he was released on a bail in every incident. He was referred to the proper authorities this time to face 13 counts of automobile theft.


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Sunday, September 30, 2012
Sunday Ramblings…
That's my excuse for being sooooo late with this post today!
Since I'm late I'm going to just get right to the wrap-up!
~ Impeccable Petunia & singed illustration by Katie Christine Giveaway winner: bn100~ Vessel by Sarah Beth Durst giveaway winner: Xie T
Posts this week:
~ Interview with Vessel author Sarah Beth Durst
~ Tune in Tuesday: Green Day, The Lumineers, Alex Clare, Ellie Goulding
~ Review: Skinny by Donna Cooner
Bloggers! Tomorrow is Book Blogger Confessions. The topic is blogger envy. Join in the discussion!
Dead of Night by Jonathan Maberry
The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle
Craving (Curio #3) by Cara McKenna
Lover Reborn (BDB #10) by J.R. Ward
Black Heart (Curse Workers #3) by Holly Black – from Amy of Fictish Delish…thank youuuu!
For review:
How to Rock Break-Ups and Make-Ups (Kacey Simon #2) by Meg Haston
All the Broken Pieces by Condi MadsenSugar Rush by Rachel Astor
I haven't bought any books for awhile now so I splurged a little but I've been doing great with my reading lately. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it continues.
Have a great Sunday! (What's left of it anyway lol)
11 comments:
BDB #10? For reals, you're gonna read it? Tell me how many brand names she drops in this one!ReplyDelete
The Hallowed Ones looks intersting. :-)Replies
I haven't read the last few but I will be sure to keep you apprised of any new slang....verily....my female of worth.Delete
Splurging is always nice ;)ReplyDelete
oh the hallowed ones. That one sounds good. I have yet to read that BDB book.ReplyDelete
I've heard great things about the Hallowed Ones. I'm gonna have to check it out.ReplyDeleteReplies
I've also heard All the Broken Pieces is good hehe but yeah - I'm really looking forward to the Hallowed Ones. It looks so creepy.Delete
Hmmmmmmmm I wonder if I can use that reason for work tomorrow....ReplyDelete
I LOVED Dead of Night - Jonathan Maberry is one of my favourite zombie authors, and this one has the added bonus of a flawed female heroine - pretty unusual in the genre, and very well done in this book. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did :-DReplies
My husband is a huge zombie fan and Mayberry is one of his favorite authors. This one looked good to both of us so we'll take turns reading :-)Delete
I'm really excited about All the Broken Pieces. And I just got Sugar Rush, too. It sounds like such a fun story. Hope you have a great week!ReplyDelete
I love staying up late and reading. I think I need that saying on a t-shirt. Oooh another JM book. *goes to look it up*ReplyDelete
After reading Maberry's book I realized I need to read more of his writing. The fact that it's about zombies didn't hurt either!ReplyDelete
- Jessica @ Book Sake


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Desperate Housewife actress Nicollette Sheridan grew up in England where she attended a school of the arts. It is an experience that she treasures and she wishes more children could express themselves through music and theater.
Now, she is lending her name to VH1's Save the Music Foundation and is promoting an online auction sponsored by Crest White Strips in which 100 percent of the proceeds will go towards instruments and music classes in America's schools.
The VH1 Save the Music Foundation was created in 1997 and since then, nearly $30 million worth of new musical instruments have been donated to 1,200 public schools in 80 cities. An estimated 700,000 children have benefited from the program.
There are more than 30 items up for the white-themed auction, including a white guitar signed by James Blunt, a white Prada handbag, and Sheridan's own summer survivor kit, comprised of a white Louis Vuitton tote, Eugenia Kim hat, Mark Jacobs sunglasses and a Kate Spade iPod case.
Even Sheridan, who is engaged to singer Michael Bolton, recently made a foray into the music industry when she recorded the song "The Second Time Around" with Bolton. The song is symbolic of the couple getting back together after dating more than 14 years ago.
To learn how you can bid on some of the items, visit vh1auctions.com.


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Free Giveaway – 3 Free Pixelkit Membership Accounts
If you've been waiting for the perfect UI kit for your needs, check out PixelKit. It's a UI library that is loaded up with amazing UI kits and other web design resources to help you finish your toughest projects.
Enter to win today, and you won't be disappointed. The 3 winners will get a one-year membership account from PixelKit. This awesome account gives you access to all kinds of great products and deals, like:
- Brand new graphics once a month.
-Thousands of products to choose from in each and every kit.
- Elements that will blow your mind with their versatility and adaptability.
- Scalable graphics for anything and everything you might need to accomplish.
- Elements that can be used on a mobile device or on a home computer, as well as ones that will fit to over 900 different grids.
With PixelKit, you will find that work is so much more enjoyable and way easier than ever before. These kits allow you to get you projects done without worrying about anything anymore. They are fast, easy, and professional. Take a gander for yourself and see what we mean. We're sure you'll find something you love.
Here's how to win:
1. Tell us how you would use the kit graphics by leaving a comment on this post.
2. Then, tweet this message to all your followers: Win a free PixelKit membership account from @UICloud (RT to Enter).
3. Last but not least, follow us (@uicloud) on Twitter or go onto Facebook and give us a like, at: UICloud Facebook page
If you win, here are a few of the kits you might want to look at:
Metro Vibes – Metro UI Kit
This metro and modern kit is great for that classic feel and for anyone advertising in today's hip and trendy culture.
5 O'clock Shades – App Icons
This icon set is a combination of the modern flat style with a more detailed approach, giving the icons a cool and modern vibe.
Tasty Bites – Food Icon Set
YUM! This UI kit provides the best of the best graphics for food or drink connoisseurs.
Sweet Candy – Colorful UI Kit
For those who need their candy fix, try this kit out and see how you like it. It's the perfect fit for those working with sweet treats or even little kids.
File Manager – Mobile App UI Kit
Minimalist? This is the kit for you. It is ready to go and works great with the iPhone, making work so much faster and simpler.
City Break – Hotel UI Kit
A hotel UI kit that will help you create cool designs and web layouts aimed at hotels, B&B's, vacation websites and other similar ventures. The modern look and the wide variety of elements specifically designed for this hotel niche will get you everything you need at the length of a simple click.
Gentle Edges – Minimalist Icon Set
With over 1000 vectored icons in more than 40 different categories, this UI kit is ideal for just about anything you could dream up.
Many will play, but only 3 will win, so enter while you still have the chance!
End of the Contest
The contest will end at 17th of November, 2013. We will announce the winners at the end of the contest.
The winners are Prashant Kumar, Joel Emberson and Shrinivas. Congratulations!
7 Comments to "Free Giveaway – 3 Free Pixelkit Membership Accounts"
Shrinivas says:
Hi, just checked the pixelkit giveaway in Facebook and also got to know about pixelkit, they really have a bunch of cool designs which makes my web development job easy. Hope to get my subscription.VA:F [1.9.22_1171]October 14th, 2013 at 3:57 pm ·
Prashant Kumar says:
I would to use it to develop wordpress theme.VA:F [1.9.22_1171]October 16th, 2013 at 3:02 pm ·
Shivansh says:
As a web dev and web designer, I could use them for customer side interface for my business, and emulate elements of it for my clients as well. As I'm looking into HTML 5 Apps that run cross platform, this could immensely help me build rich and engaging user menus. Thanks for hosting the contest, my best regards to everyone participating and involved. Cheers!VA:F [1.9.22_1171]October 16th, 2013 at 3:36 pm ·
Post a comment
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Jamie Goldstein began her practice in Chicago, Illinois in 2005. She relocated to California and joined Arias Wang Sanguinetti & Torrijos, where she continues to focus her practice in the areas of personal injury, medical malpractice, product liability, and mass torts. Throughout her career Ms. Goldstein has numerous complex litigation matters and has tried cases resulting in multi-million dollar verdicts. Ms. Goldstein has been named a Super Lawyer Rising Star every year from 2011 through the present.
Ms. Goldstein received her undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois and her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from Chicago Kent College of Law. She was admitted to the Illinois State bar in 2005 and the California bar in 2015. Ms. Goldstein is a member of the American Association of Justice, Consumer Attorneys of California and San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association.
Jamie has not written anything here yet
© 2018 Claris Marketing All Rights Reserved
Firms looking to grow their practices through word-of-mouth marketing may wish to consider applying for Injury Board Membership.


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Linked by Thom Holwerda on Fri 2nd Oct 2009 22:27 UTC, submitted by twitterfire
We already introduced Dell's new laptop wonder, the Z600, to you earlier this week. What makes this laptop special is that it contains a small ARM motherboard which runs a special version of openSUSE Linux, allowing for instant access to basic functionality like checking email, browsing the web, and playing multimedia files. What's news, at least for OSNews, is that research from Dell has shown that people spent 70% of their time in the Linux environment.
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RE: Suspending is like cheating
by DOSguy on Fri 2nd Oct 2009 22:52 UTC in reply to "Suspending is like cheating"


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October 29, 2013 -
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) today delivered the following remarks on the House floor in support of H.R. 2374, the Retail Investor Protection Act:
Mr. Speaker, at a time that the American people deserve and demand that Democrats and Republicans work together to fix real problems in our nation today, this body has the opportunity to do just that.
Today the House will consider H.R. 2374, the Retail Investor Protection Act. The bill has strong support from both Democrats and Republicans. In fact, it passed the Financial Services Committee earlier this year on a strong bipartisan recorded vote including half of our committee's Democrats.
H.R. 2374 will ensure that hard-working families and individuals throughout our country who are trying to save for their retirements, save for their children's college education, saving for their first home, are not harmed by confusing, costly, regulations coming out of Washington.
Mr. Speaker, all Americans know that a flood of Washington red tape has hurt our economy. That's why tens of millions of our fellow countrymen remain either unemployed or underemployed. Unfortunately, even more regulations are on the way.
Specifically today, Mr. Speaker, we are speaking about the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Labor who are headed toward proposing two massive and inconsistent rulemakings that are going to hurt the ability of retail investors to get financial advice that they need for their portion of the American dream.
Mr. Speaker, retail investors are not big-time professionals on Wall Street. Retail investors had no role in causing the financial crisis and they should not be punished for it, which regrettably this rulemaking could do. Rather, retail investors are ordinary, hard-working citizens from all of our congressional districts who buy and sell securities for themselves, their families and their futures -- not for a company.
And in this struggling economy, the people who need it most, what are the SEC and the Department of Labor planning to do? They're planning to make it harder and more expensive for these Americans to get the financial advice that they both want and need.
Perhaps even more incredibly, the SEC is moving forward with this new regulation even though the agency has failed to provide any evidence that it would better protect investors. So, the SEC is going to apparently "regulate first, ask questions later."
That makes no sense for millions of struggling Americans trying to save for the future.
Mr. Speaker, again, we know millions of middle class families are sitting around their kitchen tables struggling to save and invest in order to make ends meet. Every day, millions of them turn to financial professionals for advice. And yet, here comes from Washington regulations that will make that advice either unavailable or unaffordable -- so fewer Americans will get the advice they need. That's unfair.
Let me provide you with just a couple of examples, Mr. Speaker. Under the current suitability standard, an investor can have an account with a low-cost, online broker with whom he or she can both make trades and get investment advice. Due to technological advances, and the relatively low cost associated with operating an online platform, these brokers can offer trade and investment advice for as little as seven dollars. But should a fiduciary standard be applied to these online brokers, the impact on investors could be one or all of the following: higher fees per trade, higher fees for investment advice, or brokers may simply stop providing this investment advice to less affluent customers altogether. That is not fair.
Take the example of the single mother who supports her mother and wants to save for her daughter's college education. She has finally saved enough money to open up an IRA with $2,000 in savings. But we know that should these rules continue to be promulgated with these new Washington regulations, well, this lady may be told she now needs $25,000 in order to open up the very same account. Again, Mr. Speaker, patently unfair.
How about a middle-age father who works with a financial professional? He wants the professional to get him access to products and ideas instead of managing his investment portfolio for him. He wants to trade individual bonds, but potential regulations might not allow the financial professional to offer him bonds on a principal basis. So, the result? The father gets worse execution prices and ends up paying a whole lot more for his investments.
Fortunately, one of our colleagues has stepped up to the table. The gentlelady from Missouri, Mrs. Wagner, has introduced a common sense bill – the Retail Investor Protection Act. And I and the rest of the committee who has voted for it congratulate her for her great work. This bill would require the SEC to first consider the potential impacts its proposed regulation will have on investors -- especially those with low and moderate incomes -- who would lose access to personalized investment advice that they need.
Second, the bill would require coordination between the SEC and the Department of Labor. These Washington agencies will have to sequence their rulemakings, with the SEC going first, so there will be no inconsistent rules that end up confusing and costing investors. The Retail Investor Protection Act that we're debating today will avoid regulatory conflict between the SEC and the Department of Labor. It is as simple as that.
Mr. Speaker, even the SEC itself acknowledges that the cost of its regulation could "ultimately be passed on to retail investors in the form of higher fees or lost access to services and products." Yet again, unfair.
It's not what Americans need; it's not what they deserve, especially as our economy remains in the throes of the weakest, slowest non-recovery of the last 70 years.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this bipartisan bill – again, a bipartisan bill that passed with half of the Democrats on the Financial Services Committee choosing to support this common-sense legislation. H.R. 2374 will help struggling American families get the financial assistance they want and deserve.
Print version of this document


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What would we do in life without humor?
On that note, he probably won't be laughing when he sees that I've posted these photos ;)
Love you honey!!!
Want to SPT? Click here.
he looks like hes full of funnies! laughter is great!
I can say I've experienced that humor first hand and lets just say my cheeks hurt from laughing at many games nights.
great pictures!!!!! :)
Those pictures are exactly what I think about when I think of Matthew. You know when he sings silly with his notes all over and loud? Well, I do that and sometimes Aleah does too. Tell him he can be proud that his "humor" is being passed on.(You can assure him that other intellectual thoughts of him enter my mind as well.)
A sense of humor is definitely an attractive quality in a man.
Cute pictures. A good sense of humor is a must!
Well Matt is an atractive man, and those faces just say a million things. By the way I still have the t-rex video of him.... maybe you should.... nah that's way too much funny
you need to take a picture of him laughing when he sees his picture! It's great to have a guy who can laugh!
Mine too! What would life be without a sense of humor. :-)


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Subjects with Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are at increased risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The mechanism of this enhanced risk is unclear. Circulating vascular progenitor cells (VPC) are immature bone marrow derived cells capable of differentiating into mature endothelial cells. VPC number/function and central arterial stiffness predict cardio-metabolic disease in at-risk populations.
We studied VPC and arterial stiffness measures in non-obese PCOS subjects as compared to age and body mass index (BMI) matched healthy controls in a cross–sectional study.
Fourteen subjects with PCOS and 12 controls of similar age, BMI (all <30 kg/m2) and metabolic profile were studied. VPC number and in vitro function were studied by flow cytometry and tube formation assays respectively. Augmentation index (AIx), a measure of central arterial stiffness, and central (aortic) blood pressures (BP) were measured by applanation tonometry.
Subjects with PCOS had a reduced number, mean±SEM, of circulating CD34+133+ VPCs (317.5±51.0 vs. 558.3±101.2, p = 0.03) and impaired in vitro tube formation (completed tube area 1.0±0.06 vs. 1.2±0.05×106 µm2 p = 0.02). PCOS subjects had significantly higher AIx (18.4±1.9% vs. 4.9±2.0%) and this difference remained significant even after adjustments for age, BMI and smoking (p = 0.003) in multivariate analyses. Central systolic and pulse pressure were higher in PCOS subjects but these differences were not statistically significant after adjustment for age. Brachial systolic and pulse pressures were similar. VPC number/function and arterial stiffness or BP measures were not correlated.
Citation: Dessapt-Baradez C, Reza M, Sivakumar G, Hernandez-Fuentes M, Markakis K, Gnudi L, et al. (2011) Circulating Vascular Progenitor Cells and Central Arterial Stiffness in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. PLoS ONE 6(5): e20317. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0020317
Editor: Pieter H. Reitsma, Leiden University Medical Center, Netherlands
Received: January 21, 2011; Accepted: April 22, 2011; Published: May 31, 2011
Copyright: © 2011 Dessapt-Baradez et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Funding: This study did not receive grant support. However, Maria Hernandez-Fuentes acknowledges financial support from the National Institute for Health and Research, Biomedical Research Centre award to Guy's and St Thomas Foundation Trust in partnership with King's College London and King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Maria Reza was financially supported by a Wellcome Trust biomedical vacation scholarship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
The diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) confers a higher risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and possibly cardiovascular disease (CVD) which often becomes more pronounced as subjects age (1). The pathophysiology of the enhanced cardio-metabolic risk in PCOS is not fully explained by traditional risk factors [1]. CVD and T2DM may share a common pathophysiology as proposed in the 'common soil' hypothesis with data indicating that both are vascular conditions [2]. Circulating vascular progenitor cells (VPC) are a subset of mononuclear cells derived from the bone marrow [3] that retain the ability to proliferate and differentiate into mature endothelial cells which contribute to vessel homeostasis and repair. Of interest progressive deficit in VPC number/function contributes to the development of atherosclerosis and associates with impaired glucose metabolism including T2DM [4]. Central arterial stiffness, a hallmark of vascular ageing, is an independent predictor of CVD and associates with risk of T2DM [5]–[7]. Augmentation index (AIx) is a validated measure of central arterial stiffness and central aortic pressure changes predict adverse CVD outcomes in at risk populations independent of brachial blood pressure [6],[7]. Obesity per se reduces VPC number/function, increases arterial stiffness and enhances risk of CVD and T2DM in PCOS [1],[7]–[9].
Whether there are differences in VPC and central aortic pressures, two emerging vascular bio-markers of cardio-metabolic risk, in non-obese PCOS subjects is unknown.
Fourteen subjects with PCOS and 12 healthy controls were studied. More than 2/3rds of subjects in each group were Caucasian and the number of smokers (n = 2 in PCOS and n = 1 control) was similar. The clinical and biochemical characteristics' of PCOS subjects and healthy controls are shown in Table 1. There was no statistically significant difference between the PCOS vs. control group, in age, weight, BMI and waist circumference (Table 1). All patients had a BMI<30 kg/m2 and were normotensive [brachial systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) <130/90 mmHg respectively]. Total cholesterol, mean±standard error of the mean, (4.6±0.2 vs. 4.0±0.1 mmol/l p = 0.055), plasma triglycerides (1.0±0.1 vs. 0.7±0.1 mmol/l p = 0.055) were higher in the PCOS group. Serum total testosterone was 27% higher in PCOS but this difference did not reach conventional statistical significance (2.6±0.3 vs. 1.9±0.2 p = 0.06). Fasting plasma glucose (4.7±0.1 vs. 4.5±0.1 mmol/l p = 0.2) did not differ between the two groups. Insulin resistance estimated by HOMA was higher (nearly 36%) in the PCOS group (2.5±0.4 vs. control 1.6±0.3) but this difference was not significant (p = 0.2). Of note all subjects had fasting plasma glucose <6.0 mmol/l.
PCOS subjects had an almost a three fold higher AIx. Mean brachial arterial blood pressure (a measure of the passive distension of the arterial wall), brachial SBP and pulse pressures were not elevated and similar in both groups (Table 1).
As age and smoking can affect circulatory parameters, univariate correlations of AIx, central arterial pressures and CD34+CD133+ VPC number with PCOS diagnosis, age and smoking were performed (Table 2). These analyses showed a statistically significant correlation between AIx and PCOS and between AIx and age. There was no significant association between AIx and smoking. Similar results were observed for central aortic SBP and pulse pressure (Table 2). In univariate analyses BMI was not significantly associated with AIx, central aortic blood pressures and VPC number or function.
In a multivariate regression analysis model with AIx as the dependent variable, PCOS emerged as the most important factor followed by age (Table 3). The results of these analyses show that PCOS subjects independent of age, BMI and smoking status have significantly greater central arterial stiffness as determined by AIx. The results of the model suggests that PCOS subjects have nearly 11% greater AIx than controls independent of age which is equivalent to almost 10 years of vascular ageing [10]. The adjusted R2 value from this model suggests that 55% of the variance of AIx is predicted by PCOS and age. In independent samples (unpaired) t-tests analyses, PCOS subjects had higher central aortic systolic blood pressure (103.7±2.4 vs. 94.9±2.2 mmHg p = 0.03), central aortic diastolic blood pressure (75.6±1.8 vs. 69.7±2.4 mmHg p = 0.08), central aortic pulse pressure (28.2±1.0 vs. 25.1±1.1 p = 0.04). However these differences were not statistically significant after adjustment for age. When central aortic SBP was entered as the dependent variable, the multivariate regression model results indicated that PCOS independent of age, BMI and smoking does have some effect albeit not reaching conventional statistical significance (PCOS unstandardized coefficient B 8.23, p value = 0.09. We did not observe a statistically significant effect of PCOS, independent of age, BMI and smoking, on central aortic pulse pressure when the latter was entered as the dependent variable in a multivariate regression model.
Subjects with PCOS had a significantly lower number of circulating CD34+133+ VPC, 317.5±51.0 vs. 558.3±101.2, per 106 lymphomonocyte events p = 0.03 (Figure 1a). PCOS subjects also had lower number CD34+ cells (697.5±114.5 vs. 929.9±149.3p = 0.2). CD34+CD133+KDR+ and CD34+KDR+ cells per 106 lymphomonocyte events were very small in both groups with no statistically significant differences noted between PCOS subjects and healthy controls. Age and smoking status were not significantly associated with CD34+CD133+ VPC number in univariate correlation analyses (Table 2). VPC functional assays were performed in 10 PCOS and 8 control consecutive patients from the population described comparable for all characteristics. The phenotype of VPC cultured for 7 days and 14 days did not differ between the groups however day 14 VPC were characterised by greater expression of endothelial markers such as von Willebrand factor, CD31 and eNOS compared to day 7 VPC which expressed predominantly white cell markers such as CD14 as previously reported [11]. Migration and tube formation assays with VPC cultured for 7 days showed similar results in both groups (data not shown). VPC cultured for 14 days from PCOS subjects had less migration (22,553±589 vs. 25,062±1523) but this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.23). However VPC cultured for 14 days from PCOS subjects showed a significantly reduced completed tube area (1.0±0.06 vs. 1.2±0.05×106 µm2 p = 0.02) with VEGF-A compared to controls (Figure 1b and Figure 2).
Circulating CD34+/CD133+ VPC number is reduced (A) and VPC function impaired (B) in PCOS patients vs. healthy control. (* p = 0.03, ** p = 0.02). Data are presented as mean±SEM. For A, PCOS n = 14 vs. control n = 12, for B PCOS n = 10 vs. control n = 8.
Panels A and B are representative pictures of the tubule network formed by the VPC (white dots) and HUVECs. The white line represents the surface area which was measured i.e. area formed by complete closed tubes.
This is the first study demonstrating a lower circulating number and impaired function of VPC in PCOS. PCOS subjects had significantly lower number of CD34+133+ cells, which are early VPC capable of differentiating into endothelial cells in the setting of vascular inflammation or injury, and are central to repair of damaged endothelia [12],[13]. We also report, after adjustment for age and BMI, significantly greater central arterial stiffness in non-obese PCOS subjects as compared to matched controls despite similar brachial and central blood pressures a finding not previously demonstrated. Our results suggest that PCOS subjects independent of age and smoking status have almost a 10 year increase in vascular ageing [10].
In-vitro measures of VPC function in PCOS have not previously been reported. Tube formation was significantly reduced only in VPC cultured for 14 days from PCOS subjects suggesting impaired vascular repair. The characteristics/phenotype of cells cultured for 7 and 14 days did not differ between PCOS and controls, however VPC cultured for 14 days expressed predominantly endothelial markers and this may explain the VPC function results observed [11].
Our results may explain at least in part the pathophysiological mechanism of endothelial dysfunction in PCOS which is not fully explained by traditional cardio-metabolic risk factors [14]. In contrast to our findings, a recent study demonstrated no difference in CD34+133+ cell number between PCOS and controls. In this study subjects were older, included obese cases and controls and subjects with PCOS were not selected on the basis of menstrual irregularity [15]. In a recent large cross-sectional study of 425 subjects categorised according to carbohydrate metabolism status, a reduction in the number of VPC marked the clinical onset of T2DM, independent of other known risk factors [4]. The authors of this study proposed that defective mobilisation and increased apoptosis of VPC may account for these results [4] although the exact mechanism(s) by which reductions in the number and function of VPC result in an increased risk of T2DM remains unclear. The number of CD34+133+ cells has been found to be reduced in patients with essential hypertension when compared to normotensive individuals [16]. However we did not observe any correlation between brachial and central arterial pressures and VPC numbers or function which suggests that the changes in VPC and arterial stiffness are potentially independently associated with the 'enhanced vascular risk milieu' that characterises PCOS. VPC number has been reported to vary depending on timing of menstrual cycles, but the literature is discordant in that some authors report higher VPC numbers in the follicular phase whilst others report higher numbers in the luteal phase [17],[18]. Moreover Fadini et al did not observe difference between follicular and luteal phases of the cycle but did note an increase in VPC during ovulation [19]. Lemieux et al have also reported a similar pre-ovulatory surge in VPC numbers but no difference in numbers between menstrual and mid luteal phases of the menstrual cycle [20]. Interestingly VPC function does not appear to be affected by the timing/phase of the menstrual cycle [17].
Recent evidence is that central arterial stiffness and blood pressures may be more clinically relevant than peripheral (brachial) pressures for the pathogenesis of CVD and T2DM [6],[7]. Rajendran et al demonstrated a 4 fold higher AIx in obese PCOS subjects compared to controls but no significant difference between lean PCOS (BMI<25 kg/m2) and controls [15]. In our study, waist circumference, a clinically proven measure of central obesity and associated cardiovascular risk, was not significantly different between control and PCOS subjects. This suggests that central obesity is unlikely to be the most important cause of the increased arterial stiffness observed in PCOS. The literature in this area is conflicting with some studies reporting that central obesity, rather than PCOS per se, is associated with increased arterial stiffness and others reporting that obese and non-obese PCOS subjects have greater arterial stiffness compared to matched controls [9],[21],[22]. Soares et al reported increases in arterial stiffness in PCOS in the absence of obesity and hypertension in non-obese PCOS (mean BMI 22.7) subjects as compared to matched healthy controls [21]. In contrast there are reports that non-obese PCOS subjects do not have greater arterial stiffness as compared to matched controls [15],[23]. Kelly et al in their seminal paper in this field reported that obese PCOS subjects (mean BMI 33.2) had greater arterial stiffness that controls with similar BMI and waist hip ratio [22].
Vascular ageing is characterized by the loss of elasticity in the wall of the aorta and as a consequence there is increased central arterial (aortic) stiffness. This results in the faster return of pressure waves from distal sites (resistance vessels) where impedance mismatch occurs, which shifts augmentation of blood pressure from diastole to systole resulting in elevated central SBP and AIx. The value of arterial stiffness as a therapeutic target in PCOS was recently demonstrated by the reduction in AIx, brachial and central blood pressures with metformin [24]. Our study was cross-sectional proof of concept study and therefore larger prospective studies are required to clarify if the differences in arterial stiffness, VPC number and function are a cause or an effect of PCOS and to determine the long term consequences of these changes. In conclusion, we have demonstrated the novel findings of reduced number and function of VPC, raised central aortic blood pressures and arterial stiffness despite similar 'normal' brachial blood pressures in PCOS subjects compared to matched healthy controls. Our results highlight the need for larger confirmatory studies to evaluate if these differences in emerging predictors of cardio-metabolic disease explain, at least in part, the enhanced risk of T2DM and CVD in PCOS.
Materials and Methods
Ethics statement
The study was approved by the research ethics committee of Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospitals and was undertaken in adherence to the Declaration of Helsinki. Written consent was obtained from all patients who participated to this study.
Inclusion/exclusion criteria and subject characteristics: Subjects with a confirmed diagnosis of PCOS by the Rotterdam Criteria [25] who were not on any medication and attending the endocrine clinics at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital London were studied. All PCOS subjects had a history of irregular/infrequent menstrual cycles and polycystic ovaries, as defined by ultrasonography (the presence of 12 or more follicles in each ovary measuring 2 to 9 mm in diameter, and/or ovarian volume >10 mL). Furthermore all PCOS subjects had a clinical history and clinical signs of hyperandrogenaemia (hirsuitism and acne) that fulfilled the Rotterdam diagnostic criteria. The participants of the consensus group the defined the Rotterdam criteria suggest that the primary clinical indicator of androgen excess is the presence of hirsuitism and that the presence of acne is a marker for hyperandrogenism particularly in patients with irregular menses [25]. A limitation of our study was that hirsuitism was not scored by the Ferriman-Gallwey score.
Exclusion criteria included a history of T2DM, other endocrine illnesses (e.g.thyroid disease, adrenal disease, pituitary disease), CVD and hypertension. All controls were healthy with no clinical or biochemical features/characteristics of PCOS and had regular menstrual cycles. Control subjects were not on any medications and had measurements performed in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle.
Central aortic blood pressure and AIx were measured by applanation tonometry (Millar tonometer, Millar Instruments, Houston, TX) using the Sphygmocor system (Atcor, Sydney, Australia) at the radial artery as previously described [26]. AIx is calculated as the ratio of the augmentation pressure (AP) that results in the amplification of peak systolic blood pressure over the pulse pressure (PP) (AIx = AP/PP) and corrected for heart rate of 75 beats per minute [6],[7],[26]. Brachial blood pressure was measured in the dominant arm with the subject seated after a five-minute rest using an automated sphygmomanometer (Dinamap-8100T, GE-Medical, Slough, UK). The mean of three consecutive measurements was used for AIx, brachial and central blood pressure measures. Weight, height and waist circumference were measured using standard methodology as previously described [26]. Total cholesterol, plasma glucose as previously described [26], serum testosterone (competitive electro-chemiluminescent immunoassay, Testosterone II cobasR Roche E170, Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) and insulin (electro-chemiluminescent immunoassay Insulin cobasR Roche Elecsys2010 Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany) were measured after an overnight fast. Insulin resistance was estimated using the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and calculated as fasting insulin x fasting glucose/22.5 [27]. T2DM and impaired fasting glycaemia was excluded by fasting plasma glucose levels <7 mmol/l and <6 mmol/l respectively and no previous history of symptoms of hyperglycemia and or casual plasma glucose ≥11.1 mmol/l [28].
Circulating VPC were isolated and cultured as follows. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) were isolated from 40 ml peripheral blood from healthy or PCOS subjects by density gradient centrifugation with Ficoll Paque PLUS (density 1.077 g/ml; GE Healthcare) according to manufacturer recommendations. MNCs (10×106) were plated in 2 ml endothelial growth medium (EGM-2 MV bulletkit; Lonza), on fibronectin-coated six-well plates at 37°C in a 5% CO2 humidified incubator. Under daily observation, after 4 days of culturing, medium were changed and non-adherent cells removed. Adherent VPC at 7 days of culture appear elongated and spindle shaped. Thereafter, medium were replaced every 3 days, and cell differentiation followed for 14 days in total.
Circulating VPC were characterized and counted by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence as previously described [11]. Briefly, leukocytes were isolated from peripheral blood after red cells lysis with ammonium chloride buffer. Following Fc receptor blocking (FC blocker - Miltenyl Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) cells were labelled with CD133-PE, CD34-FITC (Miltenyl Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany) and VEGFR-APC (R&D System, Abondgon, UK) antibodies on ice in the dark following manufacturer instructions. Cells were fixed using BD lysing solution and acquired using a flow cytometer- the FACS Calibur analyser (FACS Calibur; BD Sciences, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA). At least 500 CD34+133+ events were collected for each subject and typically showed more than 1×106 events in the lymphomonocytes gated area.
Prior to performing functional assays, circulating VPC from healthy and PCOS subjects were characterised by immunofluorescence as previously described [11]. Human umbilical vascular endothelial cells and macrophage line U937 were used as positive control for endothelial and monocytic markers respectively, negative control was included by omitting the first antiserum. Non-specific Fc receptors were blocked using blocking buffer (CAS block, Zymed laboratories-Invitrogen, Paisley, UK). Primary antisera (Santa Cruz Biotechnology, SantaCruz, CA, USA) and secondary AlexaFluor488 or Texas Red antisera were used at 1/50 dilution (ChemMate™ Antibody Diluent, Dako, Ely, UK). Cells were stained in duplicate, and four different fields (∼20–30 cells) were assessed by a blinded investigator. At 7 days culture, cells expressed mainly VEGFR2, eNOS, CD45 and CD14. At 14 days culture, cells expressed more endothelial specific markers (VEGFR2, CD144, Von Willebrand Factor-VWF, CD31, and eNOS) while a reduction in cells positive for CD14 was observed as previously described [11]. Most cells expressed CD45 at 14 days in both groups. Stem cell markers CD34 and CD133 were positive in a small proportion of cells.
Circulating VPC functional assays were performed as previously described in 10 PCOS subject and 8 controls using 7-days and 14-days cultured VPC in the presence and absence of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF)-A [11], [12].
Statistical analyses
All measurements were performed blinded to group allocation. The primary aim/endpoint of the study was to evaluate if there were differences in VPC number between non-obese PCOS subjects and age and BMI matched healthy controls. As this was a proof of concept study no formal power calculation was performed. Shapiro-Wilk test was used to test if the distribution of the variable was normal. HOMA-IR, CD34+ cells, CD34+133+ cell numbers were skewed, and log transformation of data resulted in a normal distribution. Comparisons between PCOS and control group of variables which were normally distributed was made using the unpaired (independent samples) Student's t-test. CD34+CD133+KDR+ and CD34+KDR+ cell counts were not normally distributed and differences between groups were tested by the Kruskall-Wallis test. As age, BMI and smoking may affect circulatory parameters, univariate regression analysis appropriate for the normal (Pearson's correlation) or not normal distribution (Spearman's correlation) of the variable was performed to test for associations of AIx, central arterial pressures and CD34+CD133+ VPC number with smoking, age, BMI and PCOS diagnosis.
Correlations which were significant at less than the 10% level were entered in a multiple regression model with AIx, central aortic systolic blood pressure and central aortic pulse pressure as the dependent variable, to determine which variables independently best predicted circulatory parameters. All analyses were performed with SPPS version 15.0. p<0.05 was taken as indicating statistical significance, and all tests were 2-tailed.
We are grateful to Ms Kay Kuntawala (Guy's and St Thomas Foundation Trust) for her help and all the subjects who participated in this study.
Author Contributions
Conceived and designed the experiments: CD MHF LG JK. Performed the experiments: CD MR GS KM. Analyzed the data: CD MHF JK. Wrote the paper: CD JK.
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Score one for the advocates of motorists' rights. On August 1, 2005, the New Jersey Appellate Division held that in order to stop a motorist for a motor vehicle violation, an officer must have more than a "good faith belief" that the motorist has violated the motor vehicle code; instead, the courts will hold the officer to the higher standard of "objectively reasonable belief."
Each time a police officer takes an action, he must comply with the search and seizure requirements of the New Jersey and U.S. Constitutions. In the case of a motor vehicle stop, the officer must have a reasonable and articulable suspicion that the motorist has violated the law. That standard is something less than is required for a conviction. If a court finds that an arresting officer did not have a reasonable and articulable suspicion for a stop, then it can not consider any evidence that the police obtain as a result of the illegal stop.
In a drunken driving case, that means that the breathalyzer results and any observations of the motorist's performance of psycho-physical testing. In other words, if the stop is unconstitutional, then the motorist wins the case, even if there was enough evidence to prove him guilty.
What does the Puzio case mean? It means that the officer must be correct in his understanding of what the motor vehicle code means. The courts will not uphold a stop if the motor vehicle code says something other than what the officer believed it to say. The officer can not just say, "Oops, I was wrong about the statute, but I really believed that I was in the right." The officer must be right about the law in order to justify the stop to the court.