text:
AND THEN THE END WILL COME by Brandon Andress
Heartfelt thanks to both Brandon Andress and GoodReads for my FREE COPY of the book AND THEN THE END WILL COME. I was the lucky winner in the GoodReads Giveaway and appreciate the opportunity to read and review this enlightening and hilarious novel very much.
I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this little ditty to Christians, Non-Believers, End Times Enthusiasts, Cynics, Over Zealous Sleuth Sayers, Preppers, Anti-Christ Seekers, Talk Show Hosts, Cult Leaders, Preachers, Priests, Future Leaders of the World, and Everyone Else to whom the afore mentioned does not apply! Anyone who reads it will enjoy the light hearted humor, the informative (but not preach-y!) text, and simple to follow writing style. I think everyone could find something to get out of this book, from; Alex Jones, to Glenn Beck, to Jon Stewart, to President Obama, to Benjamin Netanyahu, to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad… whew! I could go on forever! Hey, maybe we should send them all a copy?
I don't want to give away any of the book's secrets, but I will say that no matter what you think you are getting with this book, you're not. I love surprises! This was a definite one!
"We seek after those who seem to have an insider's take on what to expect, how to prepare, and what to buy.
We are especially drawn to those who seem to have special insight into deciphering the symbols and language of esoteric and ancient texts."
When I won the book I immediately wrote to Brandon Andress and emphatically thanked him. I was so ecstatic! Of course, I thought I was getting a big checklist of what every religious text on earth said about the last days. A virtual, "What Jesus Had to Say about the End Times for Dummies", of sorts. Instead I received a roller-coaster ride inside the mind of a Real Christian, a True Believer.
Being someone who abhors the concept of organized religion as a whole, but not the concept of a deity (or deities) respectively, warming up this much to a biblical text for me was almost enough of a miracle for me to dig up a number for the Vatican and nominate Brandon Andress for Sainthood. I just can't drive home the point of how immense this event really truly is, the man deserves at least a medal!
Think about how many groups, and individuals, in the past have declared the End Times were upon us and they indeed had, or in some cases "have", all the answers you seek. Brandon Andress isn't trying to be anyone's savior. He is trying to keep things in perspective and look and things in, what some may consider, a new light.
Forget the over-the-top predictions you've heard before, such as; Harold Camping, The Mayan Calendar, The Seekers, William Miller and the Millerites, Heaven's Gate, Shoko Asahara, Y2K, and more. That is nowhere near the message Brandon Andress is trying to convey. If it were the brand of crazy he was selling, I wouldn't be buying!
A well-educated man, MBA from Indiana Wesleyan University and BA in Psychology from Hanover College, Brandon Andress' work has been featured by Relevant Magazine, Faith Village, and Blessed Earth among others. I don't know him, and he didn't tell me that, I just snooped on the web to get some background on the guy. He has also served as an elder and teaching pastor at The Living Room Church in Columbus, Indiana. If you want to you can keep up to date with what Brandon Andress is working on by following his Blog.
Brandon Andress is also the author of UNEARTHED: How Discovering the Kingdom of God Will Transform the Church and Change the World. I have not read it yet, but intend too if it is anywhere as good as this book is.
"It's like telling my kids a story about how important it is to be loving and kind and pure from the inside toward others… and then ending it by saying, 'Treating other this way is as sweet as ice cream.'
You know that they are going to focus on that sweet, creamy addition at the end!"
The only thing that frustrated me about the book is that because of its lack of subtlety, I think many people will miss the message. Much like the kids and the ice cream, they will read about java toward the end of the story and become sidetracked. Unintentional delete. By-the-way, I like my coffee black, but when I go to Starbucks I can't resist their Macchiato. Then again, I see the inside of a Starbucks maybe twice a year!
"Here we are… living and breathing… smack dab in the middle of our own story, and all of a sudden we become more preoccupied with trying to figure out how it ends than how we are going to live presently."
"We neglect the 150 pages in the middle."
Busted! When I first received my copy of AND THEN THE END WILL COME in the mail I poured myself a drink, turned off the television, shut the door to my room, and cozied up for a read very different to what I got. When I was only a page or two in I was so upset that the book was not what I had built it up to be in my mind that I skipped to the back and started reading the chapter labeled "conclusion". After reading the final 30 or 40 pages of the book I settled down enough to give it a chance and started from the beginning. I almost lost it when just a few pages in the author called me on my sh*t! I had definitely neglected the 150 pages in the middle! Sorry about that.
"I haven't heard one person talk about the importance of being people who are not worried and who are not alarmed, frightened, or troubled, not just presently, but when it gets really crazy and chaotic."
Not everyone out there is looking to be Chicken Little. I am not a Christian, but I watch them on TV! I personally think Jack Van Impe does a pretty good job of spreading the "just chill" and "don't worry, be happy" vibe in all states of calm and chaos. That is, In-between peddling the latest New World Order conspiracy DVD anyway. If you don't know, Jack Leo Van Impe is a televangelist who is known for his half-hour weekly television series Jack Van Impe Presents, an eschatological commentary on the news of the week through his interpretation of the Bible.
I hate to say it, but Brandon Andress will not be successful in changing many people's "God-in-a-box" mentality with this book, but if it reaches even one person, and it has, it's done its job.
Please Buy a Copy of AND THEN THE END WILL COME by Brandon Andress on Amazon Now!


text:
Find the perfect hotel in Mt. Bethel using our hotel guide provided below. Search for cheap and discounted hotel and motel rates in or near Mt. Bethel, PA for your business or personal leisure travel. Discover the most popular Mt. Bethel, Pennsylvania motel and hotel rooms. Browse the Mt. Bethel area hotels to find the perfect lodging! Please use the provided map of the Mt. Bethel hotels. Coordinating a group? Get Mt. Bethel Group Hotel Rates
The Mt. Bethel center is about 7 miles southeast of Pocono Mountains Vacation Bureau and 7 miles southeast of Phillips Sculpture.
How should we direct your call?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The deal, which is an all-cash transaction, has been unanimously approved by both companies' boards. It will be followed by the launch of a tender offer for all outstanding shares in Kaydon for $35.50 on 16 September.
Kaydon's three core business areas are friction control products such as bearings, velocity control products and specialty products, including environmental services.
SKF chief executive Tom Johnstone said: "The complementary nature of their products and technologies, their geographical and customer presence and their manufacturing footprint will enable us to even better serve our customers and distributors in the industrial market worldwide... [and] shows our strong commitment to the North American market."
Kaydon's sales are focused on North America, where 62% of its revenues are generated. Europe accounts for 24% of sales, while 12% come from Asia Pacific and 2% in the rest of the world.
In 2012, the company had a turnover of $475 million and has more than 2,100 employees.
The transaction, which represents a 22% premium to Kaydon's closing price on 4 September, is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2013.


text:
|Avalon Home
4000bce - 399
400 - 1399
|15th Century
1400 - 1499
|16th Century
1500 - 1599
|17th Century
1600 - 1699
|18th Century
1700 - 1799
|19th Century
1800 - 1899
|20th Century
1900 - 1999
|21st Century
2000 -
Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I am Dr. Kathryn Zoon, Director, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA or Agency). I appreciate this opportunity to discuss with you vaccine licensing generally, and specifically, the safety and efficacy of the anthrax vaccine, currently manufactured by BioPort Corporation (the predecessor manufacturer was known as Michigan Biologics Product Institute (MBPI) and prior to that, Michigan Department of Public Health (MDPH)). Let me begin with a brief overview of the process for a vaccine to be licensed.
CBER is responsible for evaluating the safety, purity, efficacy and potency of the products we regulate. These products include biological products such as vaccines, products derived from human blood, and many products produced by recent advances in biotechnology. The scope of regulatory responsibility extends to both licensed or approved products and unlicensed products under investigation. From a regulatory perspective, there are four stages in vaccine development:
the pre-Investigational New Drug (IND) stage (before the product is used in people);
the IND stage (where human use occurs under limited study conditions);
the license application stage for vaccines (where FDA reviews the results of the clinical studies and the manufacturing process); and,
the post-licensure stage (following approval of the product for marketing).
Before a new vaccine can be studied in people, a sponsor must submit an IND application to FDA. In the application, the sponsor:
describes the composition, source, and method of manufacture of the product and the methods used in testing its safety, purity, and potency;
provides a summary of all laboratory and pre-clinical animal testing performed; and,
provides a description of the proposed clinical study and the names and qualifications of each clinical investigator.
Once the sponsor submits the IND, FDA has 30 days to review the application to determine whether or not the study may proceed. FDA may prohibit a sponsor from conducting a study for a number of reasons, including when the study volunteers will be exposed to unwarranted risks, by putting the IND on "clinical hold".
The IND process generally is described as having three phases prior to product approval; however, the distinctions between these phases are not absolute. Phase 1 trials are focused on basic safety and, for vaccines, Phase 1 trials also usually evaluate the immune response elicited by the vaccine. These trials are usually small generally between 20 and 100 subjects and they frequently are done in healthy "normal volunteers" and may last just several months. Phase 2 trials often include several hundred subjects, are often randomized, and last anywhere from several months to several years. These trials usually include individuals who are at high risk for the infectious disease of interest. Unless severe reactions or a lack of effectiveness surface during the first two phases, the sponsor may decide to perform one or more Phase 3 studies that can include up to several thousands of people. These Phase 3 trials are intended to provide the definitive measure of effectiveness, as well as continue the evaluation of the products safety. The size of the efficacy trial will be affected by the expected incidence of disease that the vaccine is intended to prevent. If at the end of Phase 3 trials the manufacturer believes there are adequate data to show the vaccine is safe and effective for its intended use, the manufacturer submits a license application to the Agency.
Licensing a new vaccine is only one stage of FDAs oversight of vaccine safety. Following issuance of the license, there is continued post-marketing surveillance of the product by monitoring adverse events, e.g., the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS), and of the manufacturers production activities, including compliance with good manufacturing practices.
Manufacturers generally submit samples of each licensed vaccine lot and the results If their own tests for potency, safety, and sterility to the Agency before release of each lot of the licensed product, because of the complex manufacturing processes for most biological products. In addition, licensed establishments are inspected regularly by FDA. Let me now turn to anthrax.
Anthrax is a highly infectious disease caused by spores of a bacterium known as Bacillus anthracis. These spores resist destruction and may be present in the soil for decades, occasionally infecting grazing animals that ingest the spores. Goats, sheep and cattle are examples of animals that may become infected. Human infection may occur by three routes of exposure to anthrax spores: cutaneous, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary (inhalation). Skin contact with live infected animals, or with the hide, hair or bones of an infected animal may lead to infection of a persons skin, known as cutaneous anthrax infection. This is the most common manifestation of anthrax in humans, accounting for more than 95 percent of cases. Untreated cutaneous anthrax infection is associated with a death rate estimated to be approximately 20 percent. Eating undercooked or raw, infected meat can cause gastrointestinal anthrax infection. Breathing in airborne spores may lead to inhalation anthrax. Experience has shown that inhalation anthrax has a very high mortality rate, with estimates ranging from 80 percent to 90 percent or higher.
Inhalation anthrax infection has two phases. During the first phase, which occurs within one to five days after inhalation of the spores, the patient has influenza-like symptoms, such as a cough, malaise, fatigue and mild fever. Several days later these symptoms may subside, but are rapidly followed by the second, more severe stage of disease. During the second phase, the patient experiences sudden onset of severe respiratory distress, and sometimes chest pain accompanied by fever. Chest x-rays may show fluid in the lung. Within a day, septic shock and death will likely occur.
Treatment of cutaneous anthrax infection involves administration of antibiotics. In the case of pulmonary anthrax infection, therapy has been of limited benefit, except when given immediately after exposure. Prior to use of the anthrax vaccine, cases of human anthrax infection in the United States were much more prevalent. The only known effective prevention against anthrax is the anthrax vaccine. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were approximately 130 reported cases of anthrax infection per year at the start of this century. In the past decade, there have been no confirmed reports of human anthrax in the United States. It is difficult to assess exactly how much of this dramatic reduction is due to the vaccine, but immunization with the anthrax vaccine of people at risk, along with vaccination of animals against anthrax, have likely contributed to this favorable decline. Elsewhere in the world, human anthrax cases continue to be reported, especially in countries with predominately agricultural economies.
Philip S. Brachman et al. conducted clinical trials on the anthrax vaccine during the 1950s . This controlled field study involved workers in four mills in the Northeastern United States that processed imported animal hides. This selected population was at risk because the mill workers routinely handled anthrax-infected animal materials. Prior to vaccination, the yearly average number of human anthrax infection was 1.2 cases per 100 employees in these mills.
For this trial, employees who had not previously contracted anthrax were selected and divided into two groups. The groups were balanced with regard to their age, length of employment, department at the mill, and the particular job they performed. The trial was a single-blinded study, in which the participants were not told whether they received the vaccine or placebo. Individuals who did not participate in the controlled study [because they were ineligible (i.e., had a history of prior anthrax) or chose not to receive the injections] were also monitored for anthrax. These individuals who did not receive vaccine or placebo were referred to as the observational group.
During the trial, 26 cases of anthrax infection were reported at the mills - five inhalation and 21 cutaneous. Of the five inhalation cases, two individuals had received the placebo, while three individuals were in the observational group. Four of the five people who developed inhalation anthrax died. No cases of inhalation anthrax occurred in anthrax vaccine recipients. Of the 21 cutaneous cases, 15 individuals had received the placebo, three individuals were in the observational group, two individuals were partially immunized and one individual was fully immunized. Based upon a comparison between the populations completely vaccinated versus the populations receiving placebo, the authors calculated a vaccine efficacy level of 92.5 percent.
On April 14, 1966, CDC submitted an IND for the anthrax vaccine to the Division of Biologics Standards, which was then part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), later transferred to FDA. The method of preparing this vaccine was similar, but not identical, to the vaccine used in the Brachman et al. study. The vaccines in both studies were based on the immunity induced by the protective antigen (PA). Persons receiving the vaccine made by the two different methods demonstrated similar peak immune responses (antibody concentration) following the initial three doses. Textile employees and laboratory workers were immunized under this IND. A number of lots of investigational vaccine used by CDC under this IND were manufactured by the MDPH.
The data submitted to the Division of Biologic Standards described CDCs experience with approximately 16,000 doses of anthrax. This vaccine was administered to approximately 7,000 study participants. Reported local reactions at the immunization site ranged between 3 percent to 36 percent of the initial series of doses, and 3 percent to 33 percent of the booster doses, depending on the lot. Reported mild reactions were 3 percent to 20 percent of all doses. Reported moderate local reactions were 1 percent to 3 percent of doses. Severe reactions were reported for less than 1 percent of doses. Systemic reactions were reported in four cases during the five-year reporting period. These reactions included fever, chills, nausea and general body aches, and were reported to have been transient.
The Division of Biologics Standards determined that the data submitted by CDC supported licensure of the vaccine. On November 10, 1970, the Division of Biologics Standards issued a product license to MDPH to manufacture anthrax vaccine.
Approved labeling for the anthrax vaccine states that immunization with this product is recommended for individuals who may come in contact with animal products that may be contaminated with Bacillus anthracis spores, and for individuals engaged in diagnostic or investigational activities which may bring them in contact with Bacillus anthracis spores. It is also recommended for persons at high risk, such as veterinarians and others handling potentially infected animals.
The approved labeling also states that anthrax vaccine is to be administered subcutaneously (injected under the skin). After the initial dose of 0.5ml, further doses of 0.5ml are administered at two weeks, four weeks, six months, 12 month and 18 months, thereafter, with yearly boosters.
The Public Health Service Act, under which biologics such as vaccines were licensed, required evidence of safety, purity and potency. After the Division of Biologic Standards was transferred from NIH to FDA, expert panels were assigned to review information on biological products, including vaccines that had been on the market prior to the transfer. The review was initiated in order to verify whether existing data supported the safety and efficacy of marketed biological products.
Biological products were divided into one of six categories. FDA assigned responsibility for initial review and recommendation for all products in these six categories to separate independent advisory panels of outside scientific experts, collectively known as the Advisory Review Panel. The Advisory Review Panel also was charged with advising FDA, in the form of a report, on classification of these products into one of the following categories: Category I - safe, effective and not misbranded; Category II - unsafe, ineffective or misbranded; Category III - insufficient information, further testing required. Based upon their review of available data, the Advisory Review Panel recommended that the anthrax vaccine manufactured by MDPH be classified as a Category I product and that appropriate licenses be continued based upon substantial evidence of safety and effectiveness of this product. The safety data from the CDC trials and the efficacy data from the Brachman et al. trials were the basis for these findings. These findings were published in the Federal Register on December 13, 1985.
Today, it would be difficult to repeat the efficacy studies. This is because there are no evident populations in the United States where prophylactic vaccine protection against natural exposure to anthrax could be evaluated in a clinical field trial, such as was done in the Brachman et al. study. Specifically, the incidence of naturally occurring anthrax in humans is low and sporadic in occurrence, making identification of a trial target population difficult. Likewise, it would be unethical to perform challenge/protection studies in humans. In addition, human immunogenicity and safety data would be required. The safety database obtained by CDC under the IND would be considered a reasonable pre-licensure database for evaluating a safety study today.
Since licensure in November 1970, livestock workers, veterinarians, lab workers and researchers who are at risk for infection have used the anthrax vaccine. The manufacturer provided FDA the following information regarding distribution. From 1974 to 1989, approximately 68,000 doses were distributed. In 1990, approximately 268,000 doses were distributed. Between 1991 and April 1999, we understand that approximately 1,200,000 doses were distributed. We understand additional doses have been distributed since then, however, we do not have final numbers.
It is not possible to give a precise number of persons who received the vaccine prior to use in Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. We estimate that approximately 7,000 subjects received approximately 16,000 doses of the vaccine during clinical trials conducted by the CDC. In addition, between 1974 and 1989, our files show approximately 68,000 doses were distributed. This is sufficient to vaccinate about 11,000 people with the full six-dose regimen of the currently approved anthrax vaccine. It is possible that some doses distributed were not used, or that some individuals did not receive the full course of the vaccine or that some doses were used for annual boosters. Thus, it is not possible to accurately report the precise number of people vaccinated between 1974 and 1989.
According to the CDC, from 1962 to 1974, 27 cases of anthrax occurred in the "at-risk" populations in the
United States. Of those, 24 cases occurred in unvaccinated individuals, one case after the person had been partially immunized with one dose of the vaccine and two cases after individuals had been partially immunized with two doses of the vaccine. No documented cases of anthrax were reported for individuals who had received the recommended six doses of the vaccine.
With regard to safety data, FDA and CDC jointly operate VAERS. FDA uses this system to track adverse events possibly associated with licensed vaccines. Reporting of adverse events associated with the use of anthrax vaccine is voluntary for individual healthcare providers. The vaccine manufacturer, however, must report to FDA all reports of adverse events of which they are aware.
The report of an adverse event to VAERS is not documentation that a vaccine caused the event, only that the event occurred soon after the vaccine was administered. Doctors and other healthcare providers are encouraged to report serious or unexpected adverse events following vaccination, whether or not they believe that the vaccination was the cause of the adverse event. Since it is difficult to distinguish a coincidental event from one truly caused by a vaccine, the VAERS database contains events of both types.
It should be emphasized that adverse event reports can be made by a health care professional, a patient or anybody else. If a patients physician does not file a VAERS report, the patient can do so. FDA encourages individuals to report to VAERS any clinically significant adverse event occurring after the administration of any vaccine licensed in the United States. Reports to VAERS may be made in writing or by calling a toll-free number, 1-800-822-7967. Reporting instructions are available on the Internet at www.fda.gov/cber/vaers.aspl. Since the beginning of VAERS operations in 1990, through October 1, 1999, 425 reports of adverse events associated with use of the anthrax vaccine have been reported to VAERS. Of those, FDA considers 29 serious events. These reports are for diverse conditions, with no clear patterns emerging at this time. Some of these events are described below. The remaining 396 reports describe a variety of symptoms and conditions, including injection site edema (swelling with fluid in tissue), injection site hypersensitivity, rash, headache and fever.
The 29 serious events were reported to have occurred or been diagnosed at times ranging from 45 minutes to four and one half months after vaccination. Some individuals experienced adverse events following the first dose; others received up to 5 doses before event onset. Most of these individuals reporting adverse events during the current anthrax vaccination program have recovered. Seven patients were hospitalized for severe injection site reactions. One individual experienced a more widespread allergic reaction. One individual was hospitalized with a confirmed case of aseptic meningitis nine days after vaccination. Two individuals experienced Guillain-Barré syndrome. Three weeks after receiving the vaccine, another individual was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and, at last follow-up, has not recovered. One individual experienced signs and symptoms of transverse myelitis. One individual experienced onset of multi-focal inflammatory demyelinating disease and has since clinically recovered. Another individual experienced onset of lupus and, at last follow-up, has not recovered.
None of these events, except for the injection site reactions, can be attributed to the vaccine with a high level of confidence, nor can contribution of the vaccine to the event reported be entirely ruled out. It should be emphasized once again that it is not always possible to attribute a cause and effect relationship between a reported event and a vaccination. With the exception of injection site reactions, all of the adverse events noted above do occur in the absence of immunization.
While the data gathered from the VAERS system can serve as a useful tool in identifying potential problems, the reports on anthrax vaccine received thus far do not raise any specific concerns about the safety of the vaccine. As more people receive the vaccine, the numbers of adverse events reported will increase. FDA continues to view the anthrax vaccine as safe and effective for individuals at risk of exposure to anthrax.
As mentioned above, because of the complex manufacturing processes for most biological products, each product lot undergoes thorough testing for purity, potency, identity, and sterility. The anthrax vaccine is subject to lot release. FDA reviews the lot release protocols showing results of applicable tests and lot samples are submitted for possible testing by FDA.
The manufacturer may not distribute a lot of the product until FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research releases it. The lot release program is part of our multi-part strategy that helps assure product safety by providing a quality control check on product specifications.
On May 21, 1987, FDA entered into the current MOU with DoD. This replaced the previous MOU signed in 1974. The 1987 agreement established procedures to be followed by DoD and FDA regarding the investigational use of drugs, biologics and medical devices. The MOU affirms that clinical testing of new drugs will be done in accordance with application regulations concerning INDs and IRBs. The MOU addressed the possibility of a need for expedited review of an IND by FDA to meet DoD requirements concerning National defense considerations. Under the MOU, DoD is responsible for classifying medical research and development as it relates to information that may be made public under Freedom of Information Act regulations. It should be stressed that this agreement, however, does not allow DoD to perform research on humans without submitting an IND and it requires DoD to comply with all FDA regulations.
FDA has not had an official role in the development or operation of the Department of Defenses Anthrax Vaccine Immunization Program, including the AVIP tracking system or the program's adverse event reporting system. In March 1997, DoD briefed FDA about their draft plan for the possible use of the anthrax vaccine to inoculate U.S. military personnel according to the FDA approved labeling for six doses administered on a specified schedule over eighteen months. Subsequently, FDA learned that the DoD plan had been adopted.
In July 1998, DOD requested that CDC, in conjunction with the Health Resources and Services Administration, National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP), organize and coordinate a program to evaluate VAERS reports for the anthrax vaccine. In response to the request by DoD, a group of non-government medical experts was convened by the VICP in the fall of 1998 as the Anthrax Vaccine Expert Committee (AVEC). AVEC, coordinated by VICP, has met eight times since 1998. These experts have been reviewing all VAERS reports for the anthrax vaccine. Representatives of VICP, FDA, CDC and DoD have attended meetings, and FDA has provided information to assist the committee in its deliberations. AVEC is unique in that it provides an independent civilian expert assessment of adverse events reported for the anthrax vaccine.
Upon learning that some DoD personnel may be receiving their anthrax vaccine doses significantly later than the FDA approved schedule, both Dr. Jane E. Henney, Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and I, recently sent letters to DoD. In the letters we asked DoD to expeditiously investigate this matter as we are unaware of any data demonstrating that any deviation from the approved intervals of doses found in the approved labeling will provide protection from anthrax infection. We will continue to monitor this issue.
Mr. Chairman, we believe the anthrax vaccine is a safe and effective vaccine for the prevention of anthrax disease an often-fatal disease when used according to the FDA approved label. Our confidence in this vaccine, like all vaccines, is based upon four components: first - the review of manufacturing and clinical trials and subsequent clinical laboratory experience with the vaccine; second ongoing inspections of the manufacturing facility; third our lot release requirements; and fourth our ongoing collection and analysis of adverse event reports. So far, the data gathered from VAERS reports on anthrax vaccine do not signal concerns about the safety of the vaccine. The Agency will continue to closely monitor and investigate reports of serious adverse events received on all vaccines, including anthrax, to assure that only safe products are on the market.
I appreciate the Committees interest in this very important topic and would be happy to answer any questions.
U.S. Government Website


text:
Predators outlast Red WingsNHL.com @NHLdotcom
Mike Fisher and Colin Wilson helped make sure Jimmy Howard's return from a knee injury didn't go as well as he and the Detroit Red Wings had hoped.
Fisher had a Gordie Howe hat trick -- a first-period assist, a second-period fight and a goal and an assist in the third period -- and Wilson scored twice to lead the Nashville Predators past the Red Wings 6-4 at Bridgestone Arena in Detroit's final game before the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic.
Rookie Marek Mazanec made 21 saves for the Predators (18-18-4), who came into the game next-to-last in the NHL in scoring with 89 goals.
"It's not very often we score six goals, so it was pretty fun to be a part of it," Wilson said. "I think we were just trying to get pucks on the net from everywhere, and that's how pucks start going in."
Howard, who hadn't played for nearly three weeks after being injured Dec. 10, was beaten by two of the first five shots he faced. Wilson and Craig Smith scored before the game was 10 minutes old, Nick Spaling added a goal early in the second period, and Fisher, Wilson and Roman Josi scored in the third to help the Predators end 2013 with back-to-back victories at home.
"We've got to start winning some games, getting some points," Smith said. "We've got to start climbing back. This was a good team to do it against. We've just got to keep it going and keep moving in the right direction."
Justin Abdelkader, Pavel Datsyuk, Drew Miller and Patrick Eaves scored for Detroit (18-14-9). Howard stopped 23 shots but blamed himself for the loss.
"It wasn't pretty. I felt like I was behind the play all night. I really didn't get comfortable in there," he said. "Whenever you score four goals, you should win. The guys deserved better; they really battled hard. I didn't do my job.
"It was the first time in three weeks that I was out there, but the guys deserve better. They deserve saves."
The Predators knew Howard was coming off a lengthy layoff.
"We just tried to get pucks to the net from everywhere, and pucks started going in," Wilson said.
The Red Wings face the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Winter Classic on New Year's Day (1 p.m. ET, NBC, CBC, RDS). They are scheduled to practice on the outdoor rink at Michigan Stadium on Tuesday.
"Obviously, we'd like to go in on a positive note," Detroit coach Mike Babcock said. "We gave up too many [goals], but we'll go home, get some rest and enjoy practice [Tuesday]."
Wilson gave the Predators the early lead by scoring on Nashville's first shot against Howard. He raced down the middle into the Detroit zone, was given room to shoot and let go a wrist shot that appeared to hit a defenseman's stick before sailing past Howard for his sixth goal of the season. Fisher got the second assist.
The lead lasted all of 66 seconds. Abdelkader bulled his way out of the left corner with the puck and lifted a short backhander that beat Mazanec at 3:00 of the first. Abdelkader's fourth of the season came on Detroit's second shot.
Nashville iced the puck as the first period neared the halfway mark, and Detroit coach Mike Babcock loaded up his forward line by putting Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg together. Nashville's Paul Gaustad won the draw in his own zone and got the puck to Smith, who went coast-to-coast before beating Howard from the left circle for his team-high 11th of the season at 9:50.
Spaling gave the Predators a two-goal lead 4:24 into the second period when he called his own number on a 2-on-1 break and beat Howard from the right circle for his seventh of the season.
The Red Wings stepped up their game at the start of the third period and made it a one-goal game 35 seconds after the opening faceoff. Nashville captain Shea Weber made a bad clearing attempt that was picked off by Niklas Kronwall at the left point. The defenseman's diagonal pass found Datsyuk near the right faceoff dot for a one-timer past Mazanec. It was Datsyuk's 15th goal of the season and his 799th NHL point.
But Fisher, who fought Abdelkader late in the second period, made it 4-2 at 5:50 when he swept home a feed from Wilson, who had started the play with a takeaway in the Detroit zone. It was Fisher's third goal in two games. He scored twice in the final 3:18 on Saturday to give Nashville a 3-2 win against the Los Angeles Kings.
"It was just a matter of time, especially with the guys I'm playing with," Fisher said of his offensive surge.
Miller shoved home a loose puck at 11:30 to cut the margin to 4-3, but Wilson restored Nashville's two-goal lead 37 seconds later when he took a pass from Seth Jones, cut around the defense and found himself alone in front before lifting a backhander over Howard. Fisher, who started the play, earned his second assist of the night.
That turned out to be the winner when Eaves scored his first of the season on a power-play one-timer with 5:08 remaining to make it 5-4. Josi hit the empty net with 18.6 seconds remaining.
It was the Red Wings' only trip to Nashville this season. The teams had played at least four times in every season since the Predators entered the NHL 15 years ago, but with the Red Wings now in the Eastern Conference, they face each other only twice. Nashville won both games; this one drew an above-capacity crowd of 17,212.
"It's always fun," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said of playing the Red Wings. "There are a lot of Detroit transplants. We've played them a zillion times in the past number of years, and it's good to see a lot of old faces."
Material from team media was used in this report.


text:
Any sport is ultimately all about the numbers, right? Here's Jeff Gordon -- four-time winner of what's now called the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, three-time Daytona 500 winner, first driver to reach $100 million in series winnings -- and all I really want to say to him is, "Wow! 190 miles an hour! Wow!"
The California-born Gordon is one of the second-generation stars of NASCAR, and on Sunday, he brings his No. 24 car to Fontana's Auto Club Speedway, where he's won before, to try to shake out a little more gold from the Golden State. He's fresh off a big win in Phoenix and a little chat with Jay Leno, and he doesn't just spin his wheels when it comes to contemplating his sport and his place in it.
You win the Phoenix Cup after a 66-race winless streak, and that same night you're at the Vanity Fair Oscar party!
It doesn't get much better than that. It was like one of those fairytale 24 hours. The way our day went at the racetrack, celebrating a victory that's been a while, and then a good friend of mine, John Lasseter at Pixar [Oscar winner for "Toy Story 3"], [invited] us to a couple of parties. We were on the red carpet and people were asking about "Toy Story," and he said, "No, wait a minute -- Jeff won the race!"
I've seen that Phoenix trophy; no way could you take it to the party.
That's what I was bummed about. I've seen people carrying the Oscars around, and I wanted to carry my trophy and I thought, "OK, that's not gonna pass -- a big cactus."
You'll be doing a role in "Cars 2"?
It's a small role, but I'm really excited about it. John is a big NASCAR fan, and I didn't get an opportunity to be in the first "Cars" movie.
I think of NASCAR and your own story, a young guy out of Vallejo and then Indiana, a racing star, then a slump, then back to victory lane. The story is what people like as much as the sport, isn't it?
Absolutely. When I came in and started doing well, I had a rivalry with Dale Earnhardt Sr. It was my fans against his fans. It created a lot of buzz and the sport was growing and we were racing in new locations; the sport was at such a cool place. Now I've gone through some downs; I think people have maybe seen the real person. You go through a divorce and not win as much -- that's what made [the Phoenix win] so huge.
That's what I tell [teammate and five-time champion] Jimmie [Johnson] all the time: People are going to need to see you struggle a little bit, and I know you don't want to do that, but that's what resonates with the fans.
I read that at a banquet in New York, Earnhardt sent you a Champagne glass full of milk and called you wonder boy. Was that personal, or part of the game?
He liked to poke fun at me. I was the kid and he was the older guy who had all the fans, and that really did resonate with the hardcore NASCAR fans. He could make fun of me and get away with it. He made a joke, "I don't know what they're going to do if Jeff Gordon wins the championship -- I don't even think he's old enough to drink, they'll have to serve him milk." So the milk thing was my idea, and I had them bring the milk to me so I could toast him and have some fun with him.
More safety measures were put in place after Earnhardt crashed and died in 2001. What balance between risk and safety works for the sport?
We've taken huge steps since Dale's death, from [head and neck support] devices to safer barriers. I look back at some crashes I had 10, 15 years ago and I feel kind of lucky to have survived some of them. What we do out there, it's dangerous, but focusing on safety -- it's just the smart way of going about it. When you put yourself at risk every single weekend, accidents are going to happen, and I want to know I'm protected.
You're originally from Vallejo. Does California have any hold on you?
Yeah, you don't ever forget where you came from. My career in racing started at a very young age in California. And now I have my own wine produced in Napa Valley. We have a Cabernet, a Pinot, a Chardonnay, and we also do a blend. We've won a bunch of awards this year. I'm very proud of it. As I get older, my appreciation for wine has just increased. I fell in love with wine through my travels, but knowing what the wine country is all about definitely makes it my own.
You have a place in New York City. When people in New York say they can drive, I think it means they can turn right at 5 mph looking for a parking spot.
I disagree! I think driving in New York is a great experience. A lot more racing techniques go into it than anyplace else I've ever driven. There basically are no lanes. You have to be very offensive, meaning that you do your own thing and make your lane changes and turns, and as long as the other people are doing the same thing, there's not a lot of accidents for the close quarters you're in. I love the challenge of getting to that next light. It's sort of like every block is a race. I don't like to get beat in anything!
You told Times sportswriter Shav Glick several years ago, "It's not racing I love, it's winning."
I like the competition and I enjoy what comes with the competition. I think a lot of people think, aaah, you're a race car driver so you're an adrenaline junkie. Some guys might be, but for me, I'm just very competitive and racing was the thing I could be very competitive at.
You hosted "Saturday Night Live" in 2003 -- a big crossover moment.
The funny thing was, I got an invitation and I turned it down. I was like an idiot: "I'm a racecar driver, I can't do Saturday Night Live." A friend of mine from New York, I was telling him the story, and he said, "Are you crazy?" A couple of months later I got another invitation and I did it. I'm so glad; it was one of the most enjoyable experiences, even thought it was nerve-wracking!
There are stereotypes of NASCAR fans just as there are stereotypes of opera fans. How much is true and how much isn't?
Some of it's true. We drive race cars for a living, and NASCAR was born in the South and still its strongest fan base is in the South. But when people come to a race they see the avidness, as well as the mass numbers -- they think of the Super Bowl, but every week it's like the Super Bowl. And they see the higher-end aspect that comes from sponsors, and I think people are pretty amazed. [They] see that this is a major business that we run to provide these race cars, to get these cars to the track every weekend, and the hundreds of people it takes to do it and the millions of dollars that are spent.
And did you see "Talladega Nights"?
Unfortunately, yes. I love Will Ferrell, and we have a sport that's easy to make fun of. I like "Days of Thunder" better, I'll put it that way.
Do you choose your sponsors? Are there some that you'd say, "That's not a good fit for me"?
Let's be honest, in recent years, with the economy, you can't be too picky. I've been very fortunate [that] a company like DuPont took a chance on a young rookie, and they were with us for 18 years. I've been getting razzed a little about the AARP and the AARP foundation [sponsoring his car as part of a "Drive to End Hunger" initiative], but when you see what we're able to do, the sponsorship is very cool.
But you're a long way from retirement.
Driving on a competitive level in the Cup Series is not something I'm planning on doing until I'm 50 or 55, but who knows? If I can stay healthy and competitive, I enjoy it too much to just walk away for no reason.
You've also got your foundation to help sick children.
I've always wanted to help kids, but being a parent, that's taken it to a whole 'nother level. I can't imagine what some of these parents have to go through. We have a children's hospital in North Carolina and over the holidays, I had my daughter [Ella, 3] go with me and hand [gift bags] to children at the hospital. I thought the first thing she'd want to do was open up the bag and look inside, but she didn't; she handed it to them and told them she hoped they'd feel better. That was one of the greatest experiences of my life.
What do you make of the controversy in Congress over the Army spending $7 million to sponsor a NASCAR car?
As somebody who was sponsored by the National Guard for a couple of years, when you see the military presence that comes to the racetrack every weekend and you spend time with the troops, I got to see what goes on behind the scene, when it comes to marketing [and] recruiting. We don't want to have go to war, we don't want to have to send troops out there, but it's been part of our country since its inception. I see [the military] sending kids through school who otherwise might not have gotten their GED or job opportunities. There's risk involved, but I see the other side of it as well. The military, they have marketing budgets just like corporations and that's part of how they do the recruiting and part of how our military works. So when somebody tries to attack it, I feel it's somebody who isn't fully educated on everything that goes on.
People think they can write just because they own a computer. Are there people who think they're NASCAR material just because they can drive?
Of course! When I was in high school and I was racing, I had other kids going, "Hey, I could drive that race car. Put me in there and I'll show you," and I'm thinking that until people get in that position, it's hard to tell whether they can do it.
Have you driven an electric car?
I've actually driven the new Volt and have one on order. The only problem is that you don't know if it's running! The technology is incredible, and I'm a big supporter of things that are better for the environment. I'm loving the things going on with biofuels, and we're getting into that in NASCAR.
You pay attention to gas prices?
It makes me feel old when I look at gas prices; I'm like, "Wait a minute -- when I was 16, filling my first car up, it was like a dollar!"
What's the weirdest thing anyone's asked you to autograph?
A prosthetic. The technology has come a long way. They have these "wraps," a picture image wrapped into the prosthetic. I've seen my car, my face, my car number on a prosthetic arm or leg. It's pretty cool!
This interview was edited and excerpted from a longer taped transcript. Interview archive: latimes.com/pattasks.


text:
If anyone has earned the right to be choosy about a new job, it's Dave DeWalt.
Late last year, DeWalt signed on to be CEO of hot security startup FireEye, which just raised $50 million in a deal that valued the company at $1.25 billion.
DeWalt is best known as the former CEO of McAfee, the antivirus software company. He sold it to Intel for $7.8 billion, adding to a string of wins that included leading Documentum through its $1.7 billion acquisition by EMC.
But it was a long, hard road at McAfee, DeWalt told Business Insider.
"You have to remember my McAfee entrance in late 2006-2007, [the company] was under 11-year restatement of its earnings," DeWalt said. "It had some executives that were indicted. We had a couple of large fines from the SEC [and the] Department of Justice. I had a delisting with the NYSE. Microsoft was announcing free antivirus software."
He had to rebuild the company from that. Then he sold it to Intel.
Rumor has it he was a contender to become Intel's next CEO following Paul Otellini's planned retirement in May,
He wouldn't confirm that when we asked, telling us only that he turned down some 40 other CEO jobs before taking the role at FireEye, where he was already serving as chairman of the board.
Turning down the big-company offers was easy, he said. By the time he left Intel in 2011, DeWalt said, he was done with big corporate culture. He says that big corporations don't do R&D, they do what he calls "A&I."
"Instead of doing research and development, we did acquisition and integration," DeWalt explained. "You use your balance sheet to buy the innovation and then you integrate. Whoever was best at acquiring and integrating was the leader as you got bigger and bigger. If you look at the appetites of the Ciscos and Microsofts and SAPs and Oracles, they almost have to buy every quarter to fuel their growth."
With FireEye, he's running a security startup with some bona fide amazing technology for stopping hackers.
That makes him feel like a cop beating the bad guys or a doctor curing illness, he told us.
"I'm personally attached to solving an important world problem, almost akin to solving cancer," DeWalt said.
Don't miss: Big Names Keep Throwing Money At Shape Security, A Stealthy Startup


text:
If you're waiting on the federal government to tell you whether you can make good on multibillion-dollar plans for exporting natural gas, you're out of luck.
Ditto for oil companies eager for information on renewable fuel quotas they will have to meet next year, and engineers hoping to pull up old permit details from government databases.
Under the federal government shutdown that began Tuesday, all of these activities are at least temporarily suspended.
Although some energy-related government work will go on, many functions are indefinitely postponed. Among the casualties:
- Regulatory activities at the Environmental Protection Agency, including the EPA's work on new sulfur emissions limits for gasoline and a forthcoming draft of 2014 renewable fuel targets. Continued development of greenhouse gas emissions rules for power plants also is halted.
- New submissions and filings to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which reviews energy infrastructure and has a critical role vetting proposed natural gas export facilities. The five commissioners and a skeleton crew of essential personnel will stay on to tackle work involving the protection of life and property.
- Testing of oil spill response equipment at a government facility in New Jersey.
- Processing high bids for offshore oil and gas drilling rights sold during the western Gulf lease sale in August. According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, "this will likely delay both the issuance of leases and the associated payments to the Department of Treasury that occur upon execution of the lease."
- Evaluation of new oil and gas exploration, production and development plans offshore.
The Bureau of Land Management also will stop issuing oil and gas permits for wells on public land during the government shutdown. But offshore, it's a different story, as the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement will keep reviewing drilling applications and issuing permits for new and modified wells.
Interior Department officials said the different approach was directly tied to the two agency's funding streams. While the Bureau of Land Management that deals with onshore wells mostly relies on money appropriated by Congress, most of the funding for Interior's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement is tied to revenue from industry fees and rental payments.
But in all cases, oil and gas companies better keep sending out their checks to the government. Royalties from energy production on federal lands and waters are still due as usual.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has halted most of the environmental work it does in connection with offshore energy development, such as statutorily required reviews of oil and gas lease sales. If a shutdown were to stretch on for months, that could jeopardize new oil and gas drilling proposals before the safety bureau.
Bowing out: Obama nominee withdraws name amid Republican opposition
But in the meantime, said Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Tommy Beaudreau, there probably won't be major effects on offshore oil and gas development.
"All of (the safety bureau's) permitting personnel and the personnel involved in inspections are excepted, and so permitting will continue and inspections will continue. Environmental reviews on the other hand will be slowed," Beaudreau told reporters, after testifying before a Senate committee. "In the near term, I don't anticipate immediate effects in the pace of permitting. Longer term, though, there could be."
Government officials stressed that work tied to human safety and protection of the environment would continue. As a result, even with a shutdown, inspectors will continue visiting oil and gas facilities offshore and onshore, both for routine reviews and emergency inspections. If there were a major oil spill, "employees will be available for activation to handle the event, " the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said.
Many Cabinet-level departments indefinitely have shuttered websites, putting a wealth of information temporarily out of reach, while some agencies are keeping sites available without updates. On Tuesday, websites for individual Interior Department agencies — including portals to information about drilling permits and enforcement activities — were sending would-be viewers to an Interior Department page instead.
"The non-emergency related websites will redirect to doi.gov because staff who manage content or maintain the servers are being furloughed," said an Interior spokesman.
All told, 369 safety bureau employees and 477 ocean energy bureau workers are being furloughed. About 10,200 Bureau of Land Management employees and 10,000 Energy Department employees are being sent home during a lapse in funding.
Also on FuelFix:
How fracking transforms fortunes, land


text:
Kenny Chesney's 'You and Tequila' Reaches Platinum Certification
What can make Kenny Chesney's nine ACM nominations even better? How about having his chart-topping hit, 'You and Tequila,' being certified platinum!
Chesney's fans just can't seem to get enough of his duet with Grace Potter, which has now sold over a million digital downloads. The song is also responsible for Chesney's multiple ACM nods including Single of the Year, Song of the Year and Vocal Event of the Year, as well as two Grammy's for Best Country Duo/Group Performance and Best Country Song.
Fans who are lucky enough to catch Chensey on the road this summer with Tim McGraw on their Brothers of the Sun tour will be able to hear the duet live, as Potter is on the bill as one of the opening acts. After all, it's only fitting to play the song on the tour, as the road is where Chesney was first introduced to the song. During the summer of 2003, Chesney's opening act, Deana Carter, played the song each night, which she recorded on her own album and co-wrote with hit songwriter Matreca Berg.
"It's thrilling to know that Deana and Matraca's beautiful song has reached so many people," says Chesney. "And the fact that a half-million tickets has already been sold for the Brothers of the Sun tour makes me wants to get back on the road and give each crowd the best spring break party of their lives."
The Brothers of the Sun tour will also feature opener Jake Owen. The tour is set to kick off in June. Click here for a complete list of dates where the tour will be stopping.


text:
In de Blob 2, Comrade Black is back and so is his war on color. Disguised as Papa Blanc, Comrade Black rigs the city's election in order to win and take control of Prisma City with his brainwashing new cult. That is, until de Blob bounces back in full color-spreading force with his revolution to restore color and life back to the city and its residents.
In the colorful sequel, de Blob will paint his way through the enormous and pollution-filled Prisma City accompanied by an interactive soundtrack and an arsenal of new tricks to confound his enemies. Joining de Blob will be a new robot sidekick, named Pinky, who will help him blast enemies, disable traps, and negotiate the challenging levels of Prisma City. The game will also present players with new side quests, which allow players to upgrade de Blob's abilities.
Find every inspiration, gallery card and style swirls.
Also known as: The Blob 2, de Blob: The Underground [working title]
Also available on: Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Local Multiplayer - Cooperative: 4
For more info on these technical requirements and features, please view GameSpy's Specs FAQ.
de Blob 2 at IGN
de Blob 2 Cheats at IGN
de Blob 2 Guide at IGN
de Blob 2 at GameSpy
de Blob 2 at GameStats


text:
As you take a breath following a riveting regular-season finale between the Packers and Vikings and wait for what necessarily will be the first game of the 2012 postseason, take a look at this item from Judy Battista of the New York Times regarding the manner in which the NFL planned the final course of a 17-week meal.
The seeds were planted several years ago, when the NFL decided to go with intra-division games for the last week of the season. More recently, the NFL began to pay attention to the scheduling of the games played on the final Sunday of the season.
That Cowboys-Redskins game, with the winner capturing the NFC East and the loser heading home, nearly couldn't have happened because the NFL and NBC considered placing the Week 16 game between the Saints and Cowboys on NBC. Doing so would have maxed out the Cowboys' national-TV allotment for the year, preventing the Cowboys from appearing in prime time in Week 17.
In all, 10 of the 16 games from the final week of the season had playoff implications, and the NFL deliberately selected games like the Packers and Vikings for a 4:25 p.m. ET kickoff and not for prime time because there's no guarantee that the outcome would have changed playoff scenarios. The Packers could have sewn up the No. 2 seed before 8:30 p.m. ET, and the Vikings could have nailed down a playoff berth before playing their final game of the year.
And so the NFL chose to go with Cowboys-Redskins, even though FOX didn't want to give up that game.
"FOX wasn't thrilled, but we have constant dialogue with them," Howard Katz, NFL senior V.P. of broadcasting and media operations told Battista. "They let us know they'd like to keep the Dallas game if at all possible. It could have been Green Bay going for the 1 seed, Minnesota having to win to get the 6 seed and Adrian Peterson going for the rushing record. But in the end, there were things that could have negated it all. We had to go with the sure thing."
The only sure thing was Cowboys at Redskins, which became even more of a sure thing once the Bears won, preventing the Redskins from backing in to the postseason with a loss.
The message is that, while the Week 17 slate already featured plenty of compelling games with playoff implications, the NFL specifically configured the day to maximize the drama inherent to the effort both to qualify for the playoffs and to capture the highest possible seed.
For Sunday night, the drama will be high. Cowboys vs. Redskins, in the biggest installment of the rivalry since they squared off in the 1982 NFC title game.


text:
Sandi Tan's past is teeming with ghosts. The Pasadena-based filmmaker-turned-novelist isn't a "seer" herself — she's a self-described scaredy-cat and doesn't particularly enjoy supernatural books and movies — but her childhood in Singapore in the 1980s was populated with vivid ghost stories and family members who saw spirits. Even her elementary school, a dank former World War II-era military hospital, was said to be haunted.
"It's such a big part of people's lives in that part of the world," says Tan, picking over a plate of tea sandwiches at Little Tokyo's Chado Tea Room. "Whether you believe or not, whether you're religious or not, it's perceived to be there all the time."
It's no wonder, then, that Tan's debut novel, "The Black Isle" (Grand Central: 480 pp., $24.99), conjures the afterlife. The book, which comes out Tuesday and was a Publishers Weekly pick of the week in May, is an ambitious, supernatural coming-of-age story set on a fictional island in Southeast Asia and spanning more than 60 politically charged years. It's a classic story of identity — albeit one set against an ethereal tapestry of apparitions, voodoo rites and superstition — about a young medium, Cassandra, whose family relocates to an island in the Indonesian archipelago from their native Shanghai. But it's equally a story about national identity; as the island evolves from a swampy but peaceful British colony in the '20s, through the destruction of World War II, to a postwar cultural and economic hub in the '50s and '60s, one gets an intimate portrait of a small country coming into its own.
"It's a fictional amalgamation of things I knew about Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia," Tan says. "It's not supposed to be accurate. It's an imagined past, an affection for this romanticized idea of Malaysia in the '30s and '40s."
Tan is a former film critic at Singapore's the Straits Times; she studied screenwriting at Columbia University, and her short films have played around the world, including at the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival in France and the New York Film Festival. The book is fittingly visual. So acute is Cassandra's love of her new home in the tropics — and so pungent are Tan's descriptions of its discombobulated urban center, abandoned graveyards and overgrown rubber plantations — that the island is very much a character of its own in the book.
"The images come first, then the words" says Tan, who's married to film critic John Powers. "I saw it as a film that was playing in my head, as directed by a dream team of my favorite directors — David Lynch, P.T. Anderson, Stanley Kubrick, Alfonso Cuarón, '70s-era Francis Ford Coppola and maybe Jane Campion too."
Once it had taken root, Tan couldn't get the idea for "The Black Isle" out of her head. But telling this particular story, a sweeping period piece set abroad, as a movie would not have been possible in today's film climate, she says. "It's just too unwieldy and expensive; no one would ever make it." So she penned it as a novel, something she found unexpectedly liberating compared with the collaborative nature of film.
With its paranormal-meets-goth sensibility and angsty, flawed-but-fierce heroine, "The Black Isle" is a natural fit for the "Twilight" crowd. Her publisher has even released the ebook a month early to generate blog buzz among target audiences. But the book is decidedly darker than the vampire series and not without social commentary. Real life on the black isle is far more horrific than the shell-shocked poltergeists that roam its terrain. The bloody war years are rife with torture, rape and gratuitous murder; and Cassandra, who was engaged in an incestuous relationship with her twin brother, is haunted by loneliness. There's even a memorable cephalopodic sex scene between a housewife and an octopus.
"The island was going awry, and nature was going amok — all before history goes amok," Tan says. "I had to have some very memorable symbol of that."
Tan, who describes herself as "first a movie geek, secondly a reader and thirdly a writer," is clearly a skilled storyteller at heart, no matter its manifestations. She's a third of the way through her next novel, though it's not a sequel to "The Black Isle," or even supernatural, and she'd like to return to filmmaking. The goal, she says, is to move fluidly between genres, though with a cohesive sensibility.
"My work is dark," she says. "I'm interested in ghosts of various kinds — not just the phantoms Cassandra sees, but regrets, things left undone, people left behind, the past. I think that's universal."


text:
The Auburn women's basketball game picked up its seventh straight win with a 85-49 victory over Jacksonville.
AUBURN �— The Auburn women's basketball game picked up its seventh straight win with a 85-49 victory over Jacksonville on Saturday.
The Tigers improved to 10-2, while the Dolphins fell to 4-7. The winning streak is the longest for the Tigers since winning the first 20 games of the 2008-09 season.
"I thought our young ladies did a really good job," Auburn coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. "We really focused on getting the ball inside, and after Peyton (Davis) got hurt, I thought Tra'cee (Tanner) stepped in and did a really good job. I thought the team did a really good job of getting the ball inside. That's why we came up with 28 assists in the game."
Despite not scoring, Najat Ouardad handed out nine assists.
Tanner led the Tigers in scoring and notched her first double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. She shot 83 percent from the floor with a career-high 10 field goals made. She and her sister, Tyrese, combined 37 points and 15 rebounds. Tyrese Tanner tied her season high in field goals made, shooting 7 for 15 from the floor, to score 16.
In addition to the Tanner duo, Blanche Alverson and Hasina Muhammad posted double figures for the second consecutive game, as Alverson finished with 16 and Muhammad with 10. Muhammad remains the only player in the SEC to have scored in double figures in each game this season.
Julie King and Pascale West each scored six points off the bench for Auburn. The six points marked a career high for King and tied the career high for West.
The Tigers used a 12-1 run to jump out to an early 14-4 lead. After a 3-pointer from Maggie Wilson cut Auburn's lead back to seven, the Tigers held the Dolphins without a field goal for more than four minutes of play.
Auburn increased its lead to as many as 24 points with 5:04 remaining in the half and took a comfortable 43-22 advantage into the locker room.
Tyrese Tanner exploded for the Tigers in the first half with 13 points, while Ouardad tied her career high in assists with eight before the break.
Auburn utilized its press to create 13 first half turnovers, resulting in 17 points off turnovers.
Jacksonville was hot from beyond the arc as 18 of the Dolphins' 22 first-half points came from 6 of 13 shooting from 3-point range.
The Tigers never allowed the lead to slip below 19 in the second half. Tra'cee Tanner picked up 14 of her points in the remaining 20 minutes, while Muhammad picked up eight of her 10 and Alverson earned nine of her 16.
Auburn limited Jacksonville's top scorers to a combined 11 points.
Leading scorer Jade Cargill finished with just four, while Tracie Sneed added seven.
Briona Brown led the Dolphins with 13 while Queen Alford tallied 10.
Auburn takes on Samford on Saturday.


text:
Timberwolves Roll Thunder 100-81
MINNEAPOLIS -- Kevin Love had 24 points and 12 rebounds and Ricky Rubio added 14 points, 10 assists and five steals to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 100-81 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
Nikola Pekovic had 15 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota, which played surprisingly good defense against Kevin Durant and the Thunder. Derrick Williams had 10 points and seven rebounds for Minnesota after not playing in the opener.
Durant scored 13 points on 4-for-11 shooting and had trouble finding clean look against a Timberwolves team that was supposed to be porous on defense. But the Thunder shot 35 percent and turned the ball over 21 times to get run out of the building.
After scoring 42 in the season opener against Utah, Durant scored his fewest points since Dec. 31, 2011 when he had 12 against Phoenix. Jeremy Lamb was the only other Thunder player in double figures with 16, and it has become abundantly clear very early in the season how much they miss Russell Westbrook.
Westbrook is out indefinitely with a knee injury, and the Thunder offense has lacked its usual zip and explosiveness with the fiery guard on the bench.
Westbrook or no Westbrook, it was a bit of a statement for the Wolves, who enter this season with hopes of getting to the playoffs for the first time since 2004. They led by as many as 34 points in the game, allowing coach Rick Adelman to rest his starting five for the entire fourth quarter.
The Timberwolves shot poorly in the first half as well, but they used some opportunistic defense and made good at the free throw line to build a 20-point lead. They made 18 of 19 shots at the foul line while Durant, Kendrick Perkins and Steven Adams piled up the fouls early.
The Wolves, who figured to struggle on the defensive end this season without a true shot-blocker in the paint, forced 13 turnovers in the first half, which led to 19 points. Williams blocked two shots and the Wolves made Durant work for his touches while limiting his shot attempts. The Thunder star was just 2 for 5 from the field in the first 26 minutes, and it looked at times like he was deferring to his younger role players to try to get them involved.
All it did was dig the Thunder a bigger hole.
The Wolves offense got clicking midway through the second quarter with a 21-9 run that ended on a beauty of a no-look, wraparound bounce pass from Rubio to Pekovic in transition for a 59-37 lead.
For the second straight season, the Thunder lost a key player off their bench. They traded James Harden before last season, then let Kevin Martin go to the Timberwolves, who signed him to a four-year deal to ail their perimeter shooting woes. The departures have left a second unit lacking in firepower, and with Westbrook still on the mend, the bench is even thinner.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Graduate Regulations
Academic Leave
Students granted "Academic Leave" may interrupt study for predetermined periods of time with the assurance of resuming study requirements in effect at the time of initial enrollment. A formal written request for Academic Leave must be submitted to the Dean of Business or Education. The request must indicate the specific duration of the proposed leave, the clear intent to resume study, and a general statement of the reasons for the leave. While every attempt is made to approve such requests, students are cautioned that program, division, and university circumstances, as well as division requirements regarding "Time Limitations on Degree Completion" may require the Dean to refuse a request for leave. (Refusal does not mean that a student may not interrupt study. Refusal means only upon return the student may be subjected to new continuation and/or degree requirements.) Students enrolled in cohort programs should refer to the statement entitled "Cohort Instructional Format" regarding the applicability of Academic Leave to the cohort format. Revised 08/24/2010


text:
coltraning wrote:ChicagoTom wrote:.
Hopefully Tracey McGrady's back won't allow him to play against the Rockets on Thursday night. I am also hoping that the Warriors can play a better game than they did last Tuesday against the same Rockets.
I have to disagree - if McGrady plays on Thursday,i definitely want him playing against the Rockets
That's it, back spasms or not, TMac would be great!


text:
Oceania Marina: A Graceful Cruise Ship With Splashy Art And Good Food
MIAMI — For all the hoopla about the gourmet food on the Marina, Oceania Cruises' newest ship, one might think it is the house that Jacques built.
Guests can dine on Frog Legs with Parisian Herb Gnocchi in Riesling Sauce and Cassoulet au Confit de Canard in Jacques, the restaurant named for legendary chef Jacques Pepin, who is Oceania's executive culinary director. They can eat Malaysian Beef Penaeng and a salad of watermelon and duck foie gras in Red Ginger, a pan-Asian restaurant whose menu Pepin also oversees. Those are in addition to the main dining room, the steakhouse and the Italian restaurant that carried over from Oceania's older ships and gave the company a reputation for great food.
But Marina is really the house that Frank and Bob built.
The ship incorporates the vision of Frank del Rio, CEO of Prestige Cruise Holdings, Oceania's parent company, and Bob Binder, president of Oceania Cruises, who were heavily involved in the ship's design and decor. They chose the colors of the walls and carpets; the chandeliers and lamps, some of the china, stemware and flatware; and even some of the wine. They put favorite dishes from their travels on the menu at Red Ginger, and chose all the furnishings, seeking to give the ship the feel of a luxurious home.
"You can see our fingerprints in every room on the ship," del Rio said.
Most cruise lines hire a company that specializes in finding art for big ships, but Oceania's executives hand-picked every piece of art.
"Let's just say I was given a budget for art and I went way over," said del Rio, showing off some of the 16 signed Picasso lithographs he bought for the ship.
The Marina was christened in Miami on Feb. 5. It is the first new ship built for Oceania, which has been operating for eight years with three smaller ships formerly owned by the defunct Renaissance cruise line. A twin to Marina, the Riviera, is under construction in a shipyard in Genoa, Italy and is scheduled to join the Oceania fleet in April 2012. The two new ships, which cost about $600 million each, will more than double Oceania's capacity. Each of the three older ships has berths for 684 passengers; the new ships will hold 1,250 each.
But more significantly, the new ships will reinforce Oceania's niche as what del Rio calls an "upper premium" line catering to experienced travelers — generally smaller ships, more space and staff per passenger than Celebrity, Princess or Holland America, but bigger and less intimate than luxury lines like Seabourn and Silversea. Unlike most premium ships, Oceania doesn't charge an extra fee for dining in alternative restaurants. Unlike the luxury lines, gratuities, wine and spirits are not included in the cost of an Oceania cruise.
Oceania's guests view the line's cruises as a good value, said Susan Reder, president of Frosch Classic Cruise & Travel in Southern California..
Although prices aren't exactly comparable because cabin sizes, itineraries and amenities are different, per-person per-night fares on Marina generally run significantly less than on Seabourn, Silversea, or Crystal, and significantly more than Celebrity, Princess, Holland America or Azamara Club Cruises, another super-premium line that uses the same model of former Renaissance ships as Oceania's older ships, but with different decor.
The Marina is a graceful ship — plush and elegant, incorporating both contemporary and classic design elements. It has intimate nooks in public spaces and an overall sense that this is a place to relax (there are no tie racks in the closets). Overall the decor is understated, in shades of browns, beiges, blues and burgundy, but it is accented by splashy art and a few over-the-top pieces: a Lalique staircase on the main deck, the lavender lighting in the Casino Bar (matched by the lavender tie and pocket square that del Rio wore to the christening ceremony) and the Dakota Jackson electric piano in Martinis.
"Oceania is where it is today because they have been so fabulous with the food and service," said Reder. "Now the hardware they have added ... is going to be amazing the cabin sizes, the design, the public spaces, the restaurants. The ship is going to be very hot."
One reason is the dining, which was consistently good and often outstanding on a preview cruise this month.
Although Pepin has been Oceania's executive culinary director since the company was established eight years ago, his role is much more visible on the Marina because his first restaurant is on the ship. With the launch of Marina, Oceania also published a cookbook in which Pepin figures heavily.
Pepin — chef, cookbook author and host of several food shows on TV — oversees the development of menus and recipes, and he's always aware of who the clientele are.
"I would say that the people that come on our ship are pretty sophisticated," he said. "They have been in the best restaurants. You are not going to fool them. They are knowledgeable about food. They're ready to be happy, and unless you really screw up, they're going to be happy."
In Jacques, Pepin says the menu is built around classic French comfort food. "My philosophy is the best ingredients and the least possible fussing. This is not the place for innovation or creation or nouvelle cuisine. It's dishes from the '50s and '60s," he said, citing the garlic-marinated rack of veal, cassoulet, French onion soup with real Gruyere.
Guests have responded to Oceania's emphasis on gourmet food and its alternative restaurants that, said Deborah Brye, an agent with Unique Travel of Palm Beach. "They love the dining. It's open seating and there's no additional cost. They can go to the main dining room when they want. The food is outstanding that's where they put the money on all their ships. When our clients come back from a cruise, they're very happy."
This report is based on a three-night preview cruise for media, travel agents, business associates and VIPs. With about 1,150 guests, the ship was nearly full, but not crowded. Service was friendly; there were some slip-ups, but they were minor and probably could be attributed to the newness of the ship.
Marina has two specialty restaurants, Jacques and Red Ginger, not on Oceania's smaller ships; two specialty restaurants from its older ships, Toscana and the Polo Grill; the Grand Dining Room, the Terrace Cafe (pool deck buffet) and Waves (pool deck grill).
Reservations in all restaurants are staggered, just like in shore-side restaurants — there is no all-at-once seating. Over the course of a cruise, guests are guaranteed a dinner in each of the four specialty restaurants; they may also be able to reserve tables on other nights, although guests in the suites have first crack at extra nights in the specialty restaurants.
Jacques features classic French dishes such as Dover sole, veal stew, Coquilles St. Jacques, roast chicken, steak frite, two preparations of duck foie gras and escargot in a garlicky cream sauce under puff pastry. On the evening I dined at Jacques, guests lingered, mopping up puddles of sauce and bits of foie gras with their bread.
The big surprise is Red Ginger, which serves a variety of creatively composed Asian dishes such as tiny medallions of lobster served on raw tuna and thin crisp slices of lotus root; spicy caramelized tiger prawns; an Asian-spiced lamb tenderloin with kohlrabi puree; and an unexpectedly subtle and delicious chocolate-lemongrass creme brulee..
"When we started designing Marina, we wanted an Asian restaurant to round out the repertoire," del Rio said. "We figured Red Ginger would be an afterthought" that guests would book only after they had reserved a table at Jacques, then the steakhouse and Italian restaurant. "But if the first sailing, the transatlantic cruise, was any indication, (Red Ginger) is no. 1."
Polo Grill is an English-style steakhouse with various cuts of 28-day aged beef, veal, lamb, free-range pork, lobster, scampi and mahi mahi; classic appetizers and sides like crabcake, oysters Rockefeller, creamed spinach and garlic mashed potatoes. Toscano serves pastas, risottos and such main courses as lobster fra diavolo, grilled veal chop with a terrific porcini sauce, pan-seared sea bass and veal marsala. The Grand Dining Room — the main dining room — offers Continental cuisine plus lighter, healthier dishes from Canyon Ranch, including at least nine entrees at dinner.
Also new:
—Baristas, a no-fee coffee bar serving specialty coffee drinks.
—Privee, a private dining room with a spectacular red and white table that seats up to 10 guests. There is no extra charge for the customized eight- or nine-course menu, but there is a $1,000 fee for the room; wine is extra.
—La Reserve by Wine Spectator, a 24-seat dining room which again carries no fee for the seven-course meal, but does charge $89.50 for the wines served with each course.
Marina has 625 staterooms, all but 34 of which have balconies. The basic verandah stateroom, of which there are 444, is roomy at 248 square feet plus a 36-square-foot balcony. Two-hundred of the verandah staterooms include access to a Concierge Lounge. The cabin has a queen bed, sofa, desk and coffee table, flat-screen TV with DVD player, minibar, safe, lounge chairs on the balcony, and a decent amount of drawer and closet space. The marble-and-granite bathroom has a bump-your-elbows shower stall with a rain-shower fixture that will bang anyone 6 feet tall in the head. A separate, full-size tub has a hand-held shower but no curtains or doors to keep water from spraying all over. Amenities are from Bvlgari.
Other staterooms:
—Three Owner's suites at the rear of the ship span its width and total more than 2,000 square feet each. These suites have a music room, living room and dining area and a small fitness room. Decor is by Ralph Lauren Home.
—Eight Vista suites overlook the bow and measure 1,200-1,500 square feet, including a large living room. Twelve Oceania suites measure 1,000 square feet. Both the Vista and Oceania suites were designed by Dakota Jackson, known for his high-end furniture.
—The Owner's, Oceania and Vista suites all have 24-hour butler service, walk-in closets, king beds, big-screen TVs, and jacuzzis in the master baths and on the verandahs.
—The ship also has 124 penthouse suites with 420 square feet and 24-hour butler service.
—On the smaller side, Marina has 20 oceanview staterooms that are the same as the verandah staterooms minus the balconies, and 14 inside cabins at 174 square feet.
All Oceania ships have a Canyon Ranch Spa, but unlike the spas on the smaller ships — and on most ships of any line — all guests have free access to the spa lounge, sauna, steam room and hot tubs. They do not have to buy a day pass or a treatment to use the facilities. This is a bonus because the deck of the spa lounge is one of the best quiet spots on the ship.
A sampling of treatments: basic massage, $141 for 50 minutes; Euphoric Coffee Scrub, $143 for 50 minutes; bikini wax, $45; 80-minute couples deep-tissue massage, $485. There is also a hair and nail salon.
The fitness center has the usual exercise equipment; treadmills have individual air-conditioning units and iPod docking stations. Some exercise classes are free, others are offered for a fee; personal training sessions and assessments are also available for a fee.
The pool on Deck 12 is small but deep enough for swimming, and has a shallow sun ledge all the way around. There are also two hot tubs next to the pool, as well as a hot tub on the outdoor spa lounge. Between the pool deck, the spa lounge and several other deck spaces — some covered for shade — there is plenty of space for sunbathing and lounging.
Other recreational facilities include a shuffleboard court and driving range, which are also on Oceania's smaller ships, as well as an 18-hole putting green and croquet/bocce ball green, which are not.
—Oceania has partnered with Bon Appetit magazine to offer hands-on cooking classes in its Culinary Center, which has 24 individual cooking stations, making it the largest at sea. Courses start at $49 for a two-hour class and include some multi-session courses for higher fees.
—In the Artist Loft, a rotating list of artists-in-residence offer classes in areas such as needlepoint and painting with watercolors.
—The casino offers blackjack, poker, craps, roulette and slots.
—There is an old-fashioned English-inspired library with 2,000 volumes and a computer center.
—High tea is served daily, with scones, finger sandwiches and music by a string quartet.
—Nightlife includes a nightclub, live classical music under the stars, stage shows and karaoke, although not all on the same night since some share a space.
Passengers: 1,258 at double occupancy Passenger decks: 11 Total decks: 15 Passenger staterooms: 625; capacity 1,250 at double occupancy Length: 785 feet Beam: 105 feet Draft: 25 feet Volume: 66,084 gross tons Staff size: 793
Itineraries: The Marina will make a trans-Atlantic crossing from Miami to Barcelona starting March 28, then do European cruises for seven months. The Marina will return to Miami in December and sail the Caribbean before returning to Europe in March.
Sample fares (per person, double occupancy): $4,799 oceanview (no verandah) for a 10-day Baltic cruise in June; $5,899 verandah stateroom for a 12-day Aegean Sea cruise in September; $1,499 inside cabin for a 10-day Caribbean cruise in February 2012. Oceania is offering two-for-one cruise fares and/or free airfare on certain cruises booked by March 31.
Information: www.oceaniacruises.com


text: Hi Stuart, Stuart Midgley wrote: > Actually, I tend to disagree with your comment here. The curve tells > you one of the characteristics of the network, which is VERY useful in > evaluating a network before you expend time/effort testing your code on > it (assuming you know your code well). On its own (without lots of > other micro benchmarks) I agree that it is useless. Yes, Keith noted it also, it's useful to evaluate the receive rate of a N-to-1 pattern. I meant that it's useless to optimize the send side in this case. > In my own experience, I tend to find that most codes are not latency > sensitive (that is, QsNetII, Infinipath, Myricom etc are effectively > the same, on a latency sense, to most codes)... until they try and > scale to the 1000's of cpu's. All of a sudden simple things like > barriers and synchronisation etc can become expensive on networks with > higher latencies. Things that the software writer wasn't expensive > start to dominate their code. Hence, the ping-pong latencies and ring > latencies are useful in giving you an idea of how well the larger codes > will scale. In my experience, the main source of delay for synchronization points when the number of nodes increase is jitter between computation phases: one node will be late to enter the collective and delay the whole sub-tree. The other source is contention in the fabric, specially at 1000's of nodes, which ring latency tests don't really exercise. Ring latencies are a step in the good direction though, but it still quite analytic IMHO. Patrick -- Patrick Geoffray Myricom, Inc. http://www.myri.com


text:
Thirty-two students in aerospace, engineering and science programs in 11 different countries descended on the Jet Propulsion Laboratory last week as part of a Caltech competition to design a mission to one of Mars' two moons, Phobos or Deimos.
"Watching the enthusiasm there was just really impressive," said Jason Rabinovitch, a Caltech graduate student who co-organized the program with fellow graduate student Nick Parziale.
Parziale added that students, who visited JPL for a tour, had to be dragged away from each station during the tour.
The students were split into teams named after missions managed by JPL — Voyager and Explorer — and had five days to plan the missions before presenting them to a jury of space experts.
But the competition focused more on gaining knowledge of getting to Mars and networking for future jobs rather than a prize. Students were mentored by experts from NASA, JPL and Lockheed Martin. Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who walked on the moon after Neil Armstrong in 1969, gave a lecture on getting to Mars.
Each team had lead engineers, scientists and members who had experience in spacecraft trajectory and radiation, just as if a real mission was being planned.
Melissa Tanner, a Pasadena native and mechanical engineering graduate student at Caltech, said she and many other students worked on little or no sleep to complete the project.
Tanner said it was all worth it after she learned that her team, Voyager, won.
"I feel powerful," said the 25-year-old. "I feel like I could work on a real space mission now."
Tanner was one of four Caltech students accepted into the competition. Other participants hailed from 21 different universities.
The winning team members received additional funds for travel expenses.
In their plan, members of the Voyager team decided to send a probe to both moons seven years before a manned mission to Phobos, the larger of the two satellites. The first mission would offer valuable clues about the composition of the moons and how to land on one.
JPL scientists who guided the students lauded the work of both teams.
"I was incredibly amazed at what you folks were able to do in five days," Jakob Van Zyl, an associate director of project formulation and strategy at JPL, told the students. "My job at JPL is to make these kinds of things happen, so if you can impress that guy, then you know you've really done a great job."
The competition is not far off from reality. JPL recently announced that it is developing spiked roving balls called "hedgehogs" with researchers from Stanford University and MIT that could be used in a possible future mission to Phobos. The mission could launch sometime between 2023-2033. NASA also has a goal to send astronauts to circumnavigate Mars by the 2030s.
Dan Mazanek, a senior space systems engineer with NASA's Langley Research Center who was one of judges in the competition, said the space agency could even seriously consider the team's proposal. "I think wherever good ideas come from, they're good ideas," he said.
Ashley Chadwick, a 21-year-old graduate student at the University of Adelaide in Australia, said it was exciting to travel to JPL, since his country does not have a NASA center. He also enjoyed spending his spring break staying up late to work on a manned space mission.
"I love this," he said. "I love the lack of sleep and all the problems to solve."
Follow Tiffany Kelly on Google+ and on Twitter: @LATiffanyKelly.


text:
A helicopter crash on the NSW south coast that killed Australian filmmaker Andrew Wight occurred because the pilot's door was not closed properly when it took off, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found.
Wight, the writer-producer of the 3D film Sanctum and close friend of Titanic director James Cameron, was killed alongside American filmmaker Mike deGruy when their helicopter crashed and burst into flames at Jaspers Brush near Berry on February 4 last year.
Wight, 52, and deGruy, 60, had just taken off to film the launch of a deep sea submarine in nearby Jervis Bay when their helicopter nose-dived, crashed into the ground and burst into flames. Wight was piloting the chopper when it crashed.
An ATSB report released on Friday revealed that, soon after the Robinson R44 helicopter lifted off, the pilot's door opened and the pilot, Wight, reached out to close the door.
"In attempting to shut the door the pilot probably let go of the cyclic control from the normal [right] control hand, allowing for an unintended, abrupt nose-up pitch and the helicopter tail hitting the ground," the report found.
The helicopter then pitched nose-down and rolled to the right before the right landing gear skid and the main rotor blades struck the ground.
A fire erupted from the fuel tanks and engulfed the helicopter.
It was the fire, and not the impact of the crash, that killed both men, the report found.
"This accident highlights the importance of ensuring all doors are secured prior to take-off," the report found.
"That said, the opening of a door in flight will not normally affect the operation of an R44, but the instinctive reaction to immediately deal with such an event can be quite strong."
The ATSB advised pilots in a similar situation to continue flying with the door open or land to close the door.
Wight, an Australian Adventurer of the Year medal winner and Emmy nominee, was Cameron's producing partner on such documentaries as Ghosts of the Abyss, Aliens of the Deep, Expedition: Bismarck, and Last Mysteries of Titanic.
He co-wrote and produced the 3D cave diving thriller Sanctum, which took more than $100 million around the world in 2011. Cameron had just appointed Wight to head the Australian office of his 3D company when the crash occurred.
DeGruy was an American cinematographer who specialised in underwater filming.
At the time of the crash, Cameron said both men were world-renowned documentary filmmakers specialising in ocean exploration and conservation.
"Mike and Andrew were like family to me," he said.
"They were my deep-sea brothers and both were true explorers, who did extraordinary things and went places no human being has been.
"They died doing exactly what they loved most, heading out to sea on a new and personally challenging expedition."
Cameron said Wight was so safety conscious that it was "cruelly ironic" he died piloting a helicopter.
The ATSB said that the R44 helicopter Wight was flying was fitted with an all-aluminium fuel tank.
Those tanks have been found to rupture and cause fuel-led fires in other recent fatal crashes, including one at Bulli Tops in March in which four retired CSIRO scientists died.
The Civil Aviation Safety Authority has since grounded all R44 helicopters that have not been re-fitted with a flexible, bladder-type fuel tank that improves resistance to post-accident fuel leaks, which can cause fires.
Megan Levy is a breaking news reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, after previous stints at The Age in Melbourne and London's The Daily Telegraph. Email or tweet Megan with your news tips.


text:
Biofuel dreams evaporate as oil price falls
Hopes of a biofuel bonanza for Southeast Asia, raised when sky-high oil prices made the search for alternative fuels a priority, have been shelved as global fortunes and crude prices nose-dive, reported AFP.
Back when movie stars won plaudits for driving hybrid cars, and grains and oils were going cheap, regional governments grew excited over producing biofuel to lower energy costs and soak up agricultural stockpiles.
Malaysia and Indonesia, which produce most of the world's palm oil, heavily promoted their version of biofuel -- a mixture of diesel with five percent processed palm oil.
Although palm oil prices have now recovered slightly to 526 dollars per tonne, supply has been disrupted as many firms shut down production or refuse to sign long-term supply contracts because of the volatile outlook.
The Malaysian government says it will now review 91 biofuel plant licenses issued during the sector's heyday, as the majority are not operating. "You see, we have been hit by the double whammy of low palm oil prices and low crude oil prices," deputy plantations and commodities minister Kohilan Pillay told AFP.
"The situation now is very low palm oil prices that have caused uncertainty in supply, and at the same time low crude oil prices that have reduced biofuel demand, and that is bad news," he said. Back in 2006, Malaysia was aiming to be the global leader in biodiesel production, and launched the Asian region's first commercial biodiesel plant.
It was propelled by strong demand for biodiesel from Europe and as far afield as Colombia, India, South Korea and Turkey, but these days it has fallen back on domestic demand, mostly from the government sector.
"With such low prices in palm and crude oil, local producers have effectively shut down most of their biofuel production as the only demand going forward at the moment is coming from the domestic market," said Khoo Hock Aun, managing director of regional biotech company Cosmo Biofuels.
The Malaysian government is trying to stimulate the industry by making it compulsory to use biofuel in diesel vehicles. "We are now trying to use up our biofuels stocks while trying to stimulate biofuel usage through a law passed last year that has made its use compulsory for all government diesel vehicles since February this year," Pillay said.
Pillay said the policy would be implemented in phases throughout the civil service and become mandatory for all privately owned diesel vehicles starting next February. In Indonesia, the government recently proposed a 70.6 million dollar plan to support biofuel development, but low prices have it worried.
"What matters now is the uncompetitive biofuel price, which has affected production," said Evita Legowo, the energy and mineral resources ministry's top official on oil and gas.
"We've tried to raise subsidies for biofuel development. It's difficult," she said of plans to maintain a stable supply to the domestic market. Last September, the government issued laws mandating biofuel use by manufacturers, businesses and power plant operators, with the state oil company required by law to sell fuel with at least a one percent biofuel content.
"We aim for a five percent biofuel use in our energy mix in 2025," Legowo added, insisting that Indonesia has not stepped back on biofuel research and development.
The malaise in the industry has suspended for the moment a debate over the environmental impact of biofuel, which campaigners had said was a new cause of deforestation and destruction of wildlife habitats.
The boom triggered vast new plantings of palm oil in Indonesia and on Borneo island which is shared between Malaysia and Indonesia, which environmentalists said threatened orangutans, tigers and rhinoceros. The production of biofuels from agricultural commodities was also blamed for pushing up food prices, in a report by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation last year.
Comment on this Article. Send them to email@example.com
Letters that do not contain full contact information cannot be published.
Letters become the property of AseanAffairs and may be republished in any format.
They typically run 150 words or less and may be edited
submit your comment in the box below
Home | About Us | Contact Us | Special Feature | Features | News | Magazine | Events | TV | Press Release | Advertise With us
| Terms of Use | Site Map | Privacy Policy | DISCLAIMER |