text:
Harborside at Atlantis
Resort DescriptionHarborside Resort at Atlantis provides a wealth of private amenities and pleasures, just steps from the villas. Many alluring and adventurous options exist in the area, including the world's largest marine habitat, a Mayan Temple waterslide, an electrifying casino, international cuisine, exceptional facilities for sports and shopping, and salon and spa services. The resort offers one-, two-, and three-bedroom villas, decorated in bright colors, with all the amenities and comforts of home. Each villa includes a fully-equipped kitchen and entertainment center complete with VCR. If you must keep in touch with the outside world on your vacation, Harborside has a business center with copying, fax, and Internet services. Harborside Resort at Atlantis offers two optional meal plans, which guests need to purchase before arriving, or at check-in. Surrounded by one of the prettiest barrier reefs in the world, the Bahamas encompass approximately 700 islands and 2,000 cays.
Contact Us About This Property
Amenities On-Site
Amenities Nearby
Resort Location |Coral Tower Casino Drive , Paradise Island, BAHAMAS
Inventory Available
|Property ID
|Check In Date
|Villa Type
|Vista Type


text:
Parking at Events
Save Mart Center Events
Our focus is to ensure students, faculty, and staff have parking spaces during Save Mart Center events on school nights, as well as to mitigate traffic congestion.
Parking is available in the North Lot, the parking fee is normally $10.00 or $5.00, depending on the type of event.
Please note:
- Traffic on Woodrow and Chestnut Avenues will be restricted and possibly shut down to university traffic (students, employees, and non-SMC university visitors).
- To enter or exit the east campus parking lots (C, V, B, A, and J) use Maple Ave off of Shaw Ave, or Maple Ave from Barstow Ave.
- Employees and students may purchase the $4.00 daily permit from the Parking Office.
Staff, faculty, and students who have a valid campus parking permit, may park in the campus parking lots with their parking pass. Please remember, these permits are not valid for the North Parking Lot during an event.
Football Parking
All campus lots are utilized for parking during football games.
Season ticket holders receive a parking pass in advance, and may park in their designated lot: either red, white, purple, gray, or yellow.
Single game ticket holders may parking in Campus Parking Lots A, B, C, D, E, J, and V. The fee on game days is $10.00. Students and staff/faculty permits are valid on campus only.
See the Football Fan Guide for a color coded parking map.
Other Events
Please check with sponsoring department for the event you are attending, for parking information/availability.
It is the responsibility of the attendee to know the parking rules and regulations prior to parking. If no free parking has been arranged for the event, you may purchase a daily permit and park in the student/visitor parking lots, designated "green" lots on the campus map.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Nintendo 3DS add-on Circle Pad, apparently dubbed the "Circle Pad Pro" in the West, runs on a single AA battery.
How long does that battery last? According to a one individual in Japan who already has the upcoming peripheral, the device's instruction booklet says batteries will last around 480 hours.
If true, that's impressive and eases the headaches of buying batteries for this. It does nothing for the way the thing looks.
The Circle Pad Pro also comes with a strap, visible in the above photo. In case you want wear this thing on your wrist.
The add-on will cost ¥1,500 (US$19), and it will be released in Japan on December 10.
3DS「拡張スライドパッド」 [ゲームでYouTube]


text:
Menopausal Myths: Let me begin by sharing some of our common myths
about the menopausal experience. l) Menopause is inevitable. There's not
much I can do to delay it. You're right that you can't avoid menopause
(that's not to say every woman even wants to!) but certain lifestyle factors
such as smoking, drinking too much alcohol or coffee, or significant emotional
stress can bring on menopause earlier. 2) Doesn't every body have to go
through hot flashes? Most women, about four out of five, do experience hot
flashes, to a greater or lesser degree, but the frequency, intensity, and
duration varies tremendously. For some women it's terribly uncomfortable and
embarrassing; for others only a minor irritation.3) I had my ovaries removed
in my twenties because of cancer and have been on hormones ever since, so I
don't have to go through hot flashes. Women who have had their ovaries
removed and taken supplementary estrogen for a number of years can still get
hot flashes once they stop taking the hormones. 4)The only way to get rid of
hot flashes and vaginal dryness is to take estrogen. Homeopathy, herbs,
diet, nutritional supplements, and other natural thrapies can be very effective
in treating these symptoms, and a growing number of women are thinking twice
about automatically taking hormones once they reach menopause. 5) All I have
to do to prevent osteoporosis is to take plenty of calcium. Taking calcium
supplementation, however large the amount, is not sufficient to prevent
osteoporosis, as you'll understand more later in this article. 6) So much
for my sex drive! Menopause does not necessarily mean a plunge in sexual
energy. Many women find sex quite pleasureable, and more liberated, after the
menopausal years.
These are only a few of the many misconceptions about menopause and new
information is surfacing all the time to separate menopausal facts from
fallacies. Three books which I found helpful in sorting out current information
are Menopause Naturally by Sadja Greenwood (which provides lots of good
medical information and support but actually not much in the way of natural
therapies), The Calcium Plus Workbook by Evelyn Whitlock and
McDougall's Medi-cine: A Challenging Second Opinion by John McDougall.
I'd like to share with you what I feel is most important about menopause,
answer questions I hear many women ask about the experi-ence, and give you some
ideas about natural treatment which you can consider for yourself.


text:
Ford Mustang HID Kits, Xenon HID Head Light and Fog Lights
Ford Mustang HID Kit installations are probably the most common upgrades performed to increase the brightness of the stock headlight assemblies on your Mustang. HID kits use High Intensity Discharge technology (hence the term H.I.D.) that utilize special bulbs filled with Xenon gas. These Xenon charged HID light bulbs are then electrified by a self-regulating ballast that provides a constant current, resulting in a super bright light from your existing Mustang headlights. Please note that each Mustang HID kit we offer is an HID CONVERSION kit, and will not work if your Mustang headlights came equipped with factory HID lights.
Our line of Ford Mustang HID Kit carry thru 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 or 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11 models.
87-11 Mustang HID Kit
You can choose your Mustang HID kit from one of our several color and wattage options. In addition to high wattage 50W kits for super high intensity light, we also offer the more common 35W Low Wattage HID Kit, which are recommended for their longer life and trouble free usage. We also offer the following color options for your Mustang HID kit: 3000K for YELLOW HID color, 6000K for WHITE HID color, and 8000K for BLUE HID color ( K stands for Kelvins, the industry standard color measurement for HID light color output). Also, we have easy-to-install slim HID ballasts available for select Low Wattage 3000K and 6000K Ford Mustang HID Kits.
Ford Mustang HID Kit Frequently Asked Questions:
What color HID Kit should I get for my Mustang?For headlights and foglights, a 6000K super white HID kit (low watt) is by far the most popular choice among Mustang owners. 8000K Blue HID kits come in second place for HID headlights. Even though they are called "blue" 8000K HID lights actually are still white, with a bit of a blue tint to them. 3000K Yellow is the most effective choice for HID foglights since yellow is scientifically proven to provide better visibility in rain, fog, or snow. 3000K Yellow (aka JDM Yellow) HID headlights are not legal for street use in certain communities.
I see separate listings for the high beam and low beam HID lights, but my Mustang headlights uses one bulb for both (9004, 9007, H4, etc.) . Which HID Conversion kit do I pick?Unless otherwise listed, every set of HID lights we offer is single filament, meaning if your Mustang has one single bulb for the high and low beams, you can only change one function to HID. The other function would be eliminated, thus, we only recommend connecting the HID kit to your low beams in those situations.
I want/own aftermarket projector lights. Can I use Mustang HID headlight conversion kits with them?HID lights actually work best with a projector lens to help disperse the light. HOWEVER, please be advised that aftermarket headlight and some foglight PROJECTOR LIGHTS USE DIFFERENT TYPES OF BULBS (usually H1, H3, etc). You would have to buy the HID kit made for your Projector Headlight bulbs since the Mustang HID kits we list are for your Mustang's STOCK headlights. We recommend customers to get their projector headlights first to find out exactly which type of HID conversion kit they need. Warning: YOU MUST USE LOW WATTAGE HID KITS WHEN INSTALLING INTO PROJECTOR HEADLIGHTS. Projector headlights usually have a cramped space for the bulb, and a high wattage HID Lights put out too much heat for the projector lens to handle. This is also true for most Mustang Projector Foglights.
Is this HID Conversion kit legal for street use on my Mustang's headlight or foglight assemblies?Laws vary by jurisdiction, but so long as you have pointed the headlamps on your Mustang pointed downward so your new HID Lights aren't blinding other drivers (or police officers!) you will probably avoid trouble. Some areas such as certain Canada communities require that the High Beams on your Mustang match the Low Beams, so if your low beam is HID, then your High Beam must be HID as well. Please do not install a single filament H.I.D. headlight kit if your community has such a law and your stock bulbs use one dual filament for both high and low beam functions.
How do I aim my Mustang Headlamps to keep my HID lights from blinding other drivers?Usually there are little gears with screws on the inside of your Mustang's headlamps. You can usually turn these by hand or with a screwdriver. Park facing a wall and adjust until the light is set to an appropriate level usually LOWER than your headlights (to ensure a downward angle)
I have the premium package/higher model for my Mustang and my vehicle came with stock OEM HID Xenon lights already. Can I use your Mustang HID Conversion kit to replace my factory HID kit?Sorry, but no. If your Mustang came pre-equipped with an H.I.D. kit, you will need to buy a different type of HID bulb (D2C, D2S, etc) and ballast, usually referred to as a "Stock Replacement HID Bulb / Ballast." Our kits are CONVERSION kits and are made to work with stock halogen bulb harnesses only. Though rare, if your Mustang came with stock HID foglights, then the HID foglight kits we offer would also not work.
I don't want junk parts on my Mustang, what is the warranty on this HID conversion kit?Every Mustang HID Headlight kit and Mustang HID Foglight kit we sell is valid for warranty replacement for 1 year from the original date of purchase so long as they are properly installed on your Mustang, unmodified, and used for normal daily driving.
TunersDepot Ford Mustang HID Kits Reviews & Ratings (1)
Our 1 HID Kits Reviews have an average rating of 5.0 out of 5 stars. Every customer can leave a review about our service and the product that was purchased. In order to leave your review for the purchased product, please log into MY ACCOUNT after you receive your order. We encourage all of our customers to take the time to share their experiences with our website with everyone.
Posted on Jul 25, 2013 by FM_2010 - (2009 - 2011 Ford Mustang)
I never thought I'll spend this much for a light. But after I put this Tunersdepot hid on my Mustang. It definitly worth of my money spend. Thank you!!


text:
The governor and governor-elect flew to Sacramento on Thursday to take care of some transition business.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger posted the above picture with Attorney General Jerry Brown on board a private plane.
"Governor-elect Brown is riding to Sacramento with me today," Schwarzenegger Tweeted.
A Brown campaign spokesperson said the two were discussing details of future meetings and that Brown will also meet with finance and legislative leaders while in the state capitol.
Schwarzenegger never came out and publicly supported Brown's campaign, but the two seem to have a friendly relationship.
In fact, Schwarzenegger refused to say who is was voting for in the race for his successor all the way up to Election Day.
"I will tell you all about it later on," Schwarzenegger said as he entered his neighborhood polling location on Tuesday.
So far, we can't find an answer to that question. The governor did finally spill on how he voted when it came to propositions.
He announced the follow on Twitter:
"I promised I would tell you how I voted today."
- Prop 19: no
- Prop 20: yes
- Prop 21: no
- Prop 22: no
- Prop 23: no
- Prop 24: no
- Prop 25: no
- Prop 26: no
- Prop 27: no
Apparently he wasn't a fan of the proposition choices this time.


text:
Join Now!
Whole Person Wellness Program
Personal Wellness
Employee Wellness
Certified Coach Training
Healthy Living
Alternative Therapies
Health A-Z
Expert Columns
Event Calendar
About Us
Contact Us
Healthy Kitchen
Healthy Woman
Healthy Man
Healthy Child
Healthy Aging
Fitness Center
Expert Columns
Wellness Center
Emotional Health
Healthy Brain
Healthy Relationships
Healthy Sleep
Healthy Stress
Healthy Weight
Mind/Body Health
Spiritual Health
Tai Chi & Qigong
Wellness Inventory
Expert Columns
Breath Therapy
Chinese Medicine
Energy Medicine
Guided Imagery
Herbal Medicine
Holistic Dentistry
Massage & Bodywork
Mind/Body Medicine
Music & Sound Healing
Natural Vision Care
Naturopathic Medicine
Nutritional Medicine
Professional Center
Expert Columns
More Alternative Therapies
Back Pain
Brain Health
Breast Health
Emergency /First Aid
Eye Health
Heart Health
High Cholesterol
Obesity & Weight Loss
Prostate Health
Sleep Health
Expert Columns
All Conditions
Health Centers
Aging Well
Alternative Medicines
Brain Health
Eating Well
Emotional Health
Healthy Weight
Sleep Well
Key Services
Event Calendar
Expert Columns
First Aid
Wellness Inventory
Welcome Center
America's Worst Enemy?
What is the leading cause of death in the United States?
Auto Accidents
Heart Disease
Perscription Meds
Herbal Medicine: Cayenne --This Popular Herb is Hot
Christopher Hobbs LAc, AHG
It's well known
that cayenne pepper is an important ingredient in hot sauces, salsa and spicy restaurant dishes, but mostly unknown that extracts of cayenne can help ease the terrible burning pain of shingles (herpes zoster), reduce muscle soreness, speed healing of strains and sprains, heal ulcers of the digestive tract, and stimulate metabolism, helping the body get rid of excess fat.
The herb (and spice) cayenne is the ripe fruits (called peppers) of a blend of varieties of
Capsicum annuum
var. minimum
and small-fruited varieties of C. fructescens
from the nightshade family.
of Use
The origins of this herb, now used as food and medicine in most countries of the world, is uncertain. Cayenne was not mentioned in writings from ancient Egypt (1500 BC), Greece (455 BC to 50 BC), Rome (25 BC to 150 AD), Persia (13th century), India and China, so historians claim Cayenne peppers originated from the Americas, most likely from the banks of the Amazon. It is impossible for modern botanists to say where cayenne grew in some ancient time as a wild plant, because it has been domesticated and widely cultivated for so many centuries. Thus, we are content today to enjoy its fruits without being sure of its true origin and much of its history, though it is likely that cayenne went to India and China as early as the 14th or 15th century, and began to be cultivated in Europe in the 16th century.
Today, cayenne is as popular as ever as a food, and modern science has continued to support its use as a healing herb with a number of well-designed clinical and laboratory studies. It's world-wide acceptance as an effective medicine is supported by ts official status in the Pharmacopoeias of Austria, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Switzerland and Belgium.
Popular and Folk Uses
As anyone knows who has eaten a very spicy meal at a Thai or Mexican restaurant, Capsicum at first causes a strong burning sensation of the lips and mouth, followed by a sense of warmth spreading to the stomach and intestines.
Casein-containing foods (such as milk) can quickly lessen the burning feeling of cayenne on the lips and mouth, probably because the heat-producing compounds of cayenne are fat-soluble and are taken up and removed from the local area.
Not only do people of warm climates love cayenne in spicy dishes, but as a folk remedy for weak digestion and loss of appetite accompanied by gas and sluggish elimination, and as a stimulant to the circulation and the powers of resistance to help ward of colds and flus.
Cayenne is a favorite with herbalists from many countries, and in the U.S., it was the "number two" favorite remedy of Samuel Thompson of the early 1800s, who started a popular herbal multi-level marketing extravaganza with his patent formulas--sort of a 19th century Herbal Life. He used it especially for helping to ward off and even expel the contagion of serious infectious diseases. It was also a favorite of the well-known Dr. Christopher, a Mormon herbalist who traversed the country in the 1960s and 70s, helping to bring herbal medicine back into American consciousness. In the late 70s, I remember watching him in a dynamic Seattle lecture, to the amazement of onlookers, put cayenne directly into his eyes as a healing and clearing remedy (don't try this at home folks!). He was enthusiastic about its use for numerous complaints, including as a styptic to help stop the bleeding of cuts.
Today, cayenne is one of the most-often used herbal remedies and is commonly recommended by herbalists for increasing circulation in people with cold hands and feet, as a metabolic stimulant for people with sluggish metabolisms who are overweight, as a warming stimulant with other herbs such as garlic and ginger for protecting against colds and upper respiratory tract infections, and externally as a liniment or in ointments for sore muscles, arthritis, rheumatism, low back pain, strains, sprains, bruises and neuralgia.
Scientific Investigations and Medical Uses
The most important active ingredient in cayenne are components of a pungent oleoresin, most importantly, capsaicin, but also a number of other related compounds. Capsaicin Cayenne is also rich in carotenoids (orange and red coloring compounds), which are receiving current interest for their cancer-protective and strong anti-oxidant properties, as well as a number of vitamins (especially A and C).
There has been some discussion about whether cayenne, if it is used excessively, can irritate or even cause ulceration of the intestinal tract. In reviewing the modern scientific literature, studies agree that cayenne not only does not harm the intestinal mucosa (the protective covering), but on the contrary, can speed healing--though some people seem to be more sensitive to the irritating effect than others. In one study, daily consumption of meals containing 3 grams of chili powder did not worsen patients with duodenal ulcers who were also taking antacids. A recent study, using a video camera threaded into the digestive tract, found no visible damage to the mucosa of the stomach or upper small intestine of 12 healthy volunteers who consumed 30 grams of jalapeÒo peppers. When the subjects were given a meal containing 2 grams of aspirin, multiple gastric ulcers were seen in 11 out of the 12.
In animal studies, cayenne has actually shown a protective effect on the gastric mucosa, prompting some researchers to call for further human studies.
One of the more interesting effects of cayenne (or capsaicin) is its proven enhancement of the metabolic rate and thermogenesis. Preliminary studies suggest that capsaicin or cayenne may increase the burning of fat in the body.
There is also an indication from laboratory studies that capsaicin can slow fat absorption from the small intestine. Although more work needs to be done before its effectiveness in weight loss programs can be proven, products are currently being developed and a few are already available in health food stores.
Capsaicin has received tremendous attention as a topical analgesic for relieving the pain that often accompanies herpes zoster (shingles) outbreaks and other skin ailments. Capsaicin is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an Over-the-Counter (OTC) medication and is commonly recommended by doctors under the trade name ZostrixÆ for this purpose, as well as for controlling pain from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Studies show that capsaicin may block the feeling of pain by depleting and then blocking the production of "substance P," which is thought to be the main chemical messenger of pain from the peripheral sensory nerves to the brain. It may also be involved with the release of inflammatory substances in affected joints of arthritis.
Because capsaicin is very alcohol-soluble, tincture of cayenne may be effective as a home-remedy for the relief of mild pain. Although I recommend seeking the advice of a qualified health professional for shingles or arthritis before attempting to self-medicate with cayenne, I have found the tincture, or ointments or salves that contain it are often effective for relieving mild to moderate muscle aches or pains. The preparations should be applied consistently at least 3 or 4 times daily (up to 5 or 6 times) for up to 2 weeks, or even a month before they are effective. After 4 or 5 months of pain relief, up to 50% of the people who use a capsaicin product may not experience further pain. For those that do, treatment can be continued. A few drops of a tincture of cayenne was recommended in the British 19th century medical press as a sure remedy for a toothache.
Redness and a burning sensation sometimes accompanies the application, but this usually disappears after two or three weeks. After control of the pain is achieved, the cayenne preparation has to be used continuously for continued relief to occur. Clinical studies indicate that up to 80% of the volunteers who use a capsaicin cream experience some measure of relief, which is significantly better than placebo groups. Watch for any irritation or redness of the skin locally, which might indicate an individual sensitivity to cayenne, and make sure to keep all cayenne and capsaicin preparations away from the eyes. In this case, use less often or consult a qualified health care practitioner for guidance. Unlike mustard, which can blister and burn the skin, cayenne, even in its most powerful forms will not cause these undesirable side-effects. Finally, there is some recent evidence to suggest that capsaicin-containing preparations may be useful for treating psoriasis.
In the food industry, cayenne is used in numerous foods and beverages besides hot sauces and condiments, including alcoholic beverages, meat products, candy, baked goods, puddings, and frozen dairy desserts (cayenne ice-cream anyone?).
The next time you enjoy a spicy Thai dinner, think of all the additional benefits from mother nature's food pharmacy that accompany the warm glow of a satisfying meal.
References Consulted
Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia (3oth ed., 1993).
The Physician's Desk Reference (47th ed., 1993).
Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations, 1988.
Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs and Cosmetics, 1980.
United States Pharmacopeia, Complete Drug Reference, 1993.
A Modern Herbal (Grieve), 1930.
Add your comment
About The Author
Christopher Hobbs is a fourth generation herbalist and botanist with over 30 years experience with herbs. Founder of Native Herb Custom Extracts (now Rainbow Light Custom Extracts) and the Institute for Natural Products...
Related Articles & Links
on Arthritis
Herbal Medicine
Health Conditions Center
Herbal Medicine Center
by Christopher Hobbs
From Our Friends
Popular Related Articles/Areas
Balance Your Diet, Control Your Weight
Alternative Medicine: Or Striving for Whole Person Care?
Inflammation – The Silent Killer (Part Two)
Healthy Computing: Armrests
Fever As Healer
A One-Week Cleansing and Detoxification Program
Breast Health Tip #21: Avoid Sugar
Vitamins & Minerals - How Much is Enough?
History of Medicines: Golden Seal in Early American Medical Botany
Echinacea spp.
Popular & Related Products
Whole Person Wellbeing
Wellness Workbook
Lab Tests Women's Health
Consumer Direct Labs Services
ZENMED Skin
Repair System
Comprehensive Wellness Profile Save on Lab Test
Popular & Featured Events
2019 National Wellness Conference
October 1-3, 2019
Kissimmee, FL USA
Additional Calendar Links
Dimensions of Wellness
Health A-Z
Alternative Therapies
Wellness Inventory
Wellness Center
Healthy Kitchen
Healthy Woman
Healthy Man
Healthy Child
Healthy Aging
Nutrition Center
Fitness Center
Discount Lab Tests
First Aid
Global Health Calendar
Privacy Policy
Contact Us
The information provided on HealthWorld Online is for educational purposes only and IS NOT intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek professional medical advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Are you ready to embark on a personal wellness journey with our whole person approach?
Reduce stress
Improve work-life balance
Enhance your health/wellbeing
Learn More/Subscribe
Are you looking to create or enhance a culture of wellness in your organization?
Whole person approach
Increase engagement
Enhance performance
Learn More
Do you want to become a wellness coach?
Whole person focus
Dimensional wellness model
ICF Approved
Learn More
Free Webinar


text:
BirthDays [L]
Having established BirthDays[L], you will always be aware of the birthdays of your loved ones, friends, colleagues and partners (do not forget to add in the "Contacts"). There is a home screen widget. You can set a reminder for a contact. Number of sets - 10 (for the free version)...Read more


text:
What alternative therapies are available to treat Myasthenia Gravis?
What should I know about nutrition and Myasthenia Gravis?
The best diet to follow is the diet recommended by the American Heart Association and supplemented with "over the counter" multivitamins. It is important to avoid weight gain and obesity because these can cause diabetes mellitus and limit treatment options. If you have problems with chewing and swallowing, the consistency of food and food selection will need to be modified. Patients who are receiving prednisone or corticosteroids need to be sure that they are getting enough potassium as well as vitamin D and calcium to prevent weakening of the bones. Additional vitamin B12, magnesium, and folate beyond the usual daily requirements are not needed. MG patients need to be aware that some tonic waters contain quinine (it is listed on the label). Quinine can make a patient with Myasthenia Gravis weaker. Caffeine affects MG patients the same way as those that don't have the disease. Caffeine can make a person feel more awake, experience tremors, and feel a sense of anxiety.
Does massage therapy help Myasthenia Gravis patients?
I am not aware of any study that shows that massage therapy is helpful for patients with Myasthenia Gravis. A few patients of mine report feeling better after having massage therapy or single massages, and did not experience any problems.
Does acupuncture help Myasthenia Gravis patients?
There is no information to suggest that acupuncture can benefit Myasthenia Gravis patients. I have 2 patients who have used acupuncture for back pain and one FEELS that it helps.
Do alternative medications, such as herbs, help Myasthenia Gravis patients?
There are many "alternative medications" that patients use to supplement conventional treatment. I think that everyone who uses alternative medications needs to know that alternative medications have not been evaluated unlike prescription medications, and their manufacture is completely unregulated so that there is no assurance that what is in the bottle is what you wish to take.
There is little information regarding many herbs (Zuong Yi Qi Wan, Echinacea, Inulin, Ma Huang) and they have not been formally tested for treatment of MG. I urge patients who use supplements of any kind to use caution. It is also important to remember that many medications do cause increased weakness in MG patients,and, if experienced, you should consult your doctor.
For more information:
Go to the Myasthenia Gravis health topic.


text:
EGLIN AFB � The Marine variant of the F-35 fighter jet has been grounded after a flight at the base experienced an engine problem during takeoff.
EGLIN AFB � The Marine variant of the F-35 fighter jet has been grounded after a flight at the base experienced an engine problem during takeoff.
Flights of the plane have been banned across the country until the problem is addressed.
On Jan. 16 as a pilot was starting his takeoff, a failure of one of the fueldraulic lines on the side of the motor was noticed, said Lt. Col. David Berke, commander of Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 at Eglin.
The pilot was moving at a relatively slow speed and was able to stop the jet with no additional problems. No one was injured and the plane was not damaged, Berke said.
The Marine model of the plane, the F-35B, is designed for short takeoff and vertical landing capability, but was performing a traditional takeoff when the flight was aborted.
It was the first time a $70 million-plus F-35B had to stop a flight during takeoff at Eglin.
�We rarely fly aircraft where we have issues that arise during flight,� Berke said.
Aircraft maintainers evaluated the cause of the failure and reported their findings to the command staff. The planes were grounded program-wide Jan. 18.
Engineers are continuing to investigate the root cause of the problem, which may be a manufacturing defect in the fueldraulic lines.
�Once they come up with a solution, we will start flying airplanes again,� Berke said.
The incident marks the longest grounding for any variant of the F-35. The jets have been grounded four times previously, but not for more than 15 days and not once since they started flying at Eglin last year.
Berke said it is not uncommon for new aircraft to have problems in their first years.
�This is not unique to the F-35B,� he said. �With immature systems these discoveries can and will present themselves over time.�
He doesn�t expect the grounding to slow down plans to train pilots and maintainers this year.
He said there is plenty of work to do improving and expanding the training curriculum, maintaining the jets and using state-of-the-art flight simulators.
�It hasn�t really affected our ability to do anything other than fly,� Berke said. �I don�t anticipate this putting us behind our timeline.�
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Lauren Sage Reinlie at 850-315-4440 or email@example.com. Follow her on Twitter @LaurenRnwfdn.


text:
Goth-loli dolls of felt. 18 centimeter tall.
Goth-loli (Gothic and Lolita) is a sort of fashion culture of Japanese girls.
It is kawaii (cute) goth.
Basic making is the same way as fashion doll.
The body is slim. I painted eyes and lips with acrylic color.
One-piece dress.
Decorate with lace and ribbon.
How to make locks.
Put glue on the edge of a strip of hair.
Wind the hair around a thin stick.
Dry it with hair dryer or an iron.
Remove the stick.
You may sew the headdress to the wig.
Shoes and boots. The shoelace is an embroidery thread.
It is better if you make peticoat and panties.
How to make panties (very easy).
Jun 27, 2012
Goth-loli dolls of felt. 18 centimeter tall.
Jun 6, 2012
Ladybug cushion
Small cushion of a big ladybird beetle.
You may apply this to a pouch.
Sew the darts.
Attach the dots on the back with zigzag stitch or blanket stitch.
Sew a tape or strip of cloth at the middle of the back. You may omit this line.
Sew the head to the back.
Sew the belly to the back.
Sew a fastener at the opening.
Make the inside cushion (same size).
Seven-spotted ladybird beetle is popular in my country.
You may choose any color, any dots.


text:
John Tibbetts - From Africa to Mars! 100 Years of Tarzan and John Carter
On the 100th anniversary of the creation of Tarzan and John Carter of Mars, John Tibbetts looks at the career of fantasy writer Edgar Rice Burroughs and the enduring popularity of his most iconic characters.
Burroughs' story Under the Moons of Mars was serialized in 1912 and introduced the swashbuckling John Carter of Mars. That same year Burroughs also created Tarzan.
A critic, broadcaster, and author of many books about film and classical music, Tibbetts is an associate professor in the Department of Theatre and Film at the University of Kansas.


text:
The evolution of (my) Acrocanthosaurus/
WithSpinosaurus temporarily out of the way, we're going to take a closer look at Acrocanthosaurus. This series is going to include a post on what we know and don't know about Acrocanthosaurus, how to restore the skeletal in multiple views, and how to restore the muscles. At the end of that series I'll also comment on some areas of soft-tissue variation that artists should keep in mind when they envision "their" Acrocanthosaurus.
First though, I wanted to take a moment to look at how my own reconstruction of Acrocanthosaurus has changed over the last decade. With any luck some of my earlier errors in methodology might help others who want to do skeletals. Also I hope to provide some insight to how I update skeletals over time, and the importance of revising your work as new data is published.
Although Acrocanthosaurus is hardly the best known theropod, it provides more than its share of challenges when attempting to reconstruct it. In my case, I attempted the original skeletals during what I'd call a methodological nexus - it was one of the first skeletals I attempted within an entirely digital environment, and to some degree the initial reconstruction suffered as a result. I had developed many techniques when I executed skeletals in pen and ink, and most of those translated fairly well during the years (roughly 2000-2004) when I used a hybrid method of digital and ink work. Alas, attempting to work entirely inside a computer forced me to rediscover how to accomplish the same things inside of Photoshop, and as a result the first couple of attempts were actually a step backward in some ways. Luckily I stuck with it, and the results are now far better then anything I accomplished in the "analog" world.
In the beginning...
Acrocanthosaurus itself is not a new dinosaur. It was described in 1950, and it was noted at the time that the specimen was a carnosaur with enlarged neural spines on the back. What really brought Acrocanthosaurus to my attention, however, was the reconstruction of NCSM 14345, the "Fran" specimen, which was prepared, molded, and mounted by Black Hills in the 1990s. One of those specimens became part of a travelling display that I contributed to, and I was inspired by the fully restored mount, as well as my ability to take lots of photographs of the mount.
Alas, that was in the "olden days" when cameras captured light on sheets impregnated with silver nitrate rather than CCDs, and I never did scan in those photos. I still had them in 2003, but they appear to be one of many casualties of moving around frequently.
I was also attending the University of Wyoming, and their Geology library had supplied valuable gifts: descriptions of Acrocanthosaurus specimens by Jerry Harris (1998), and Currie & Carpenter (2000). Armed with proto-pdfs (read: xeroxed copies), lots of photos, and an abundance of enthusiasm I sat down to create my first all-digital skeletal reconstruction.
The tomb of the unknown skeletal...
Directly above, what you don't see is my first Acrocanthosaurus skeletal. I'm not being shy, I just didn't back up the original very carefully, and eventually the hard drive it was on suffered a systemic failure. Cloud storage was a pie-in-the-sky dream at the time, so I've lost several "original" skeletal files during the course of computer failures over the years. Luckily I've been anal retentive enough to keep current versions of skeletal files on multiple hard drives, so I haven't totally lost a reconstruction (at least, not a digital one).
What I can say is that in many ways my first attempt was an unmitigated failure. For starters, I didn't actually have the papers I mentioned above in their entirety. I'd read them in Laramie, but at the end of the semester I only photocopied the parts I thought I'd need (hey, it took time and money to copy texts in those days!). And of course the photocopies didn't always do justice to the original figures.
Instead I had to rely strongly on the photographs I had taken of the Fran mount. Even that was fraught with uncertainty, as I hadn't been able to take orthographic photos of the mount. Also, there were errors in the fully restored mount, but without all of the text from Currie & Carpenter I didn't always recall what was restored and what was cast from original bone. The results were predictably poor.
You don't have to take my word for it though. I posted that first attempt to the Dinosaur Mailing List in early July of 2003. Jaimie Headden and Waylon Rowley made quick and (deservedly) pointed replies. I had missed several characteristic parts of the tail and neck vertebrae, and a bunch of other minor details had simply been missed.
What happened? For one thing I really didn't have enough data on hand. But more importantly, I was distracted by having to solve the technical problems of a new medium. Digital skeletal reconstructions have many advantages, but at the time they were lost on me as I struggled to figure out how to simply do the things I'd taken for granted in the "analog world".
The Acro strikes back
With a bit of work, I quickly produced the skeletal above, which addressed some of the basics. It wasn't a horrible attempt - it accurately captures almost all of the proportions, and many of the changes since have been either due to newer research getting published, or on changing interpretations in soft tissue reconstruction.
One thing mistake in this earlier version is that the neural spines were too tall - I had based their height on the mount of the Fran specimen, but it turned out that neural spines were not complete in that specimen (at least not the ones in the back, sacrum, or the front part of the tail). A review of other specimens ruled out such a grandiose neural spine height, and that also has implications for paleoartists wondering how to illustrate the back.
Two important papers were published on Acrocanthosaurus after that early skeletal. One was on the forearm, which showed that the arm couldn't actually reach as far forward as I'd illustrated it (and also clarified details of the size and shape of all the elements). Another paper was published in the last year that updated our understanding of the skull of Acrocanthosaurus. When I was asked if I could supply the skeletal to an upcoming book, it was clear that I had to revamp the skeletal before sending it along...
Back to the future
Which brings us back to my current skeletal. In addition to the new skull and arm data, the newfangled Acrocanthosaur naturally sports my new skeletal pose. So how crazy different is it? In some ways it's pretty similar - the overall dimensions really didn't change, and that's a good thing. A bunch of more subtle soft-tissue changes took place (at least some of which will get to star in their own post in the future), but a couple of obvious ones involve the tail and the neck.
The tail in the newer one has a heavier base, reflecting the research by Persons and Currie on tyrannosaur tails that I wrote about last year. The tail also is a bit less bouncy. The current skeletal is moving at a more sedate pace, and its tail is no longer bouncing along like a dropped garden hose. The neural spines on the tail have also been updated, with the spines on the front of the tail (near the hips) shorter to reflect other specimens, and the ones in the middle a bit taller, again based on other specimens.
Looking at the neck, the silhouette is no longer shrink-wrapped as tightly to the skeleton. I will probably address the "why" part of that in a later post, but suffice it to say that the newer Acro would have an easier time wolfing down large pieces of meat it tore off a carcass.
A final set of changes were made in the pectoral girdle (the shoulder region). I added a furcula which, while not found in Acrocanthosaurus, now appear to be a primitive feature found in all theropods. Additionally, I used to illustrate a large cartilaginous presternum that split the coracoids apart (you can see it poking out the bottom and front of the chest area on the older skeletal).
Reflecting the articulated chest regions of other non-maniraptoran theropods, I changed it to a smaller presternum, that would have ended sooner and allowed the coracoids to almost contact one another along the midline. This slightly changes the outline in side view, but in front or top view has the effect of narrowing the front of the torso across the shoulders. Now if only someone would produce multiple-angle skeletals of Acrocanthosaurus to show this off...


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
The Shelby County girls' basketball team will travel to North Hardin Saturday to face the No. 10-ranked Lady Trojans at 7:30 p.m.
North Hardin has lost just three games this season and only twice to instate teams -- a 70-61 loss on No. 26 to Hart County and a 46-38 loss on Jan. 3 to No. 4-ranked Elizabethtown. The Lady Trojans also already have wins over four top 10 teams.
If you currently subscribe or have subscribed in the past to the The Sentinel-News, then simply find your account number on your mailing label and enter it below.
Click the question mark below to see where your account ID appears on your mailing label.
|ZIP Code:


text:
Trust DuPont™ Acrylic Caulk & Silicone Sealant Products
Your home is your greatest investment. That's why it's good to know you can count on the complete line of DuPont™ Acrylic Caulk and Silicone Sealant products to help you protect it.
For more than 200 years, DuPont has delivered a vast array of innovative and reliable products that have made home improvement much simpler and easier for consumers. So the next time your home improvement project calls for an acrylic caulk or silicone sealant, choose the name you trust.
Discover our full line of high-quality silicone sealant and acrylic caulk products designed to meet virtually all of your caulking and sealing needs, including:
DuPont™ Kitchen & Bath Sealants enhanced with Teflon® surface protector - For places where mold and mildew resistance are a priority like showers, sinks and around flooring.
DuPont™ Concrete & Masonry products For general repairs to masonry, sidewalks and similar mortar applications.
DuPont™ Airtite® Siliconized Acrylic Caulks with weather-tight seal technology - To seal gaps around windows, doors, trim and a variety of other interior and exterior surfaces.
In addition our silicone sealant and acrylic caulk products are proven to address many other home improvement needs including:
- Windows, Doors & Siding – to eliminate air infiltration and increase your home's energy efficiency
- Aluminum & Metal – for metal surfaces, such as gutters and flashing
- Driveways & Roofing – for filling cracks in nonstructural gaps in driveways or roofing
- Painting – when you have a painting project and need a paintable caulk
For more information on these products and more, visit the product website.


text:
Blog Posts
Legislation To Launch A Clean Energy Economy
March 31, 2009
Today, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey released a draft of comprehensive energy legislation, the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), that will create jobs, help end our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, and combat global warming.
Speaker Pelosi:
The discussion draft of comprehensive clean energy legislation released this morning by Chairmen Waxman and Markey is a strong starting point. The President has called for landmark legislation to launch a clean energy economy that will build prosperity and balance the needs of the American people and industry.
As was the case with the Energy Independence and Security Act in 2007, House leaders will work closely with the committees of jurisdiction to advance this critical legislation.
The final legislation will: create millions of new, green jobs; increase our national security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil; increase American competitiveness by making us a technology leader; meet the climate crisis with sound science; and reduce overall energy costs for consumers and businesses.
We will continue to hear the best ideas about how to tackle the challenge from a broad range of stakeholders, with the intention of having legislation on the House floor this year.
The scope of this effort is historic and overdue.
Read the discussion draft summary>>


text:
The Giz family just gained a surly, Cockney cousin: this fall, Gizmodo UK will kick off in full force, helmed by the incomparable Kat Hannaford. It'll be just like the Gizmodo you know and love, just with more crumpets. Welcome!
Gizmodo, perhaps the most (in)famous technology website in the world, is coming to the UK following a new partnership between Future Publishing and Gizmodo's publisher, Gawker Media.
Gizmodo UK will be a fully localised tech site, published by Future alongside its current UK market-leading portfolio, including T3, TechRadar and MacFormat.
Future Publishing is already the UK's biggest Technology Publisher, reaching millions of tech-hungry consumers each and every month in print, online and on the move.
Launching this autumn, Gizmodo UK will immediately and significantly increase Future's technology footprint to over four million monthly UK consumers – attracting a new and passionate UK audience to the world-famous site about gadgets and gadget culture.
The Gizmodo UK site will be edited by Kat Hannaford, previously a contributing editor for Gizmodo US and prior to that, a news editor at www.T3.com.
Gizmodo, with its informed yet irreverent take on tech news and rumour, perfectly complements T3's stylish, aspirational product showcase and TechRadar's authoritative and uncomplicated focus on reviews and group tests.
Nial Ferguson, Group Publishing Director of Future's Technology Division says: "We are very excited about bringing Gizmodo to the UK. It is a hugely influential brand and one that we are proud to have within our market-leading portfolio. Gizmodo UK allows us to speak to a completely new set of tech consumers and to offer our commercial partners even more exciting opportunities."
Gaby Darbyshire, COO of Gawker Media, says: "Future is the perfect partner to run Gizmodo in the UK. They are experts in all things tech and understand the unique voice of Gizmodo. We are delighted that Kat, an old Gizmodo hand, will be running the site and look forward to working with the Future team."
Mark Wood, CEO of Future UK, adds: "This partnership between Future and Gawker Media is another example of our commitment to delivering best in class, must-read content in the digital space. After becoming the first magazine publisher to be named by the Association of Online Publishers as Consumer Digital Publisher of the year early in the summer, this deal reaffirms our intention to continue accelerating digital growth within our business."
Future recently confirmed the launch of its 100th digital edition for iPad – with the launch of Official Xbox Magazine – establishing itself as one of the UK's most successful digital publishers on the iPad, as well as online. iPad sales revenues have been growing at more than 10% a month this year and have now gone past the £2m-a-year mark.
Gizmodo UK will be the 9th international edition of the site. Localised versions are also available in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Japan, Australia, and Brazil. Other Gawker Media titles currently available internationally include Lifehacker, Kotaku and Jalopnik.


text:
A new RightScale CentOS5 base image (RightImage) is available: RightImage CentOS V1_10 ami-08f41161. Please see the changelog for the details of what has changed. We also try to keep the Public AMI listing on Amazon's site up-to-date.
A little background on RightImages: To configure servers we use a base image and install software at boot time using our ServerTemplates and RightScripts. This is way more modular and maintainable than baking entire servers into AMIs. Please see our blog post on the rationale behind this. As a result, we produce base images that are small yet have all the software utilities one just needs in EC2 already installed, from the Amazon EC2 tools to traceroute, curl, wget, etc. The second innovation we made with our images is that they are fully scripted and we publish the script. You can launch Amazon's FC4 image, run our script, and out pops a clone of our RightImage. So if you want to see what we install or make some changes you can go right ahead.
Archived Comments
Jon Great! Keep them coming. Even if I don't wind up using the image itself, the ideas from the rightscripts are valuable of their own accord. Thanks! Jon
Thorsten Thanks for the encouragement Jon! Let us know what prevents you from using the images themselves 🙂
Jon "Thanks for the encouragement Jon! Let us know what prevents you from using the images themselves :-)" On second thought, maybe I will try the CentOS5 image. I'll let you know how it goes. -Jon


text:
Merrell wins county spelling bee
Staff writer
Hillsboro Middle School eight-grader Mesa Merrell approached the Marion County Spelling Bee competition with a stay-calm, lead-on mentality.
"I just prepared all I could, then calmed myself with a few deep breaths and went for it," she said. "Determination gets you much farther than nervousness."
Merrell said she prepared for the spelling competition by going over lists of words her principal Greg Brown gave her. She practiced on her own several hours every day after school in the weeks leading up to the county competition on Feb. 6 at Peabody-Burns Elementary.
"I guess I went a little overboard," Merrell said. "I wanted to do as well as I could. I didn't know if I could win or not, I just wanted to do very well."
Merrell said the first 15 rounds of the spelling competition were easy.
"The words were not really challenging at all," she said.
It was not until there were about 10 competitors left spelling that Merrell began to wonder if she could win it all.
"I spell without really thinking about it," she said. "I just worked hard to stay calm and say the word and spell it."
Merrell spelled "incoherently" correctly to win the competition. It was the 205th word in the competition. Lanna Wagner of Goessel placed second, and Lindsey Sigel of Marion was third.
Merrell and Wagner will travel to Fort Hays State University in Hays on March 2 to test their spelling skills in the state competition. Merrell said she is studying online lists of words in preparation, and she hopes to represent her county to the best of her ability.
Last modified Feb. 13, 2013


text: The trailer for Neil Gaiman's Coraline is out, and it manages to combine stark beauty with some of the darkness of Gaiman's original novel. We've already seen how they created the movie's amazing-looking puppets, and now we can see what happens when those hand-crafted marvels are put together. The story follows a girl's journey into a parallel universe, but in order for her to stay some serious sacrifices need to be made in the eye-versus-button department.


text:
Manage system process (Linux)
On Linux® hosting accounts, you can view and end certain types of connections to your account. You can use this to manage runaway scripts or get your account's PHP initialization file to take effect.
- Log in to your GoDaddy account.
- Click Web Hosting.
- Next to the hosting account you want to use, click Manage.
- In the Stats & Monitors section, click System Processes.
- In the list on the left, click the process you want to view or click All Processes to view all processes at once.
- To end a process, click the corresponding end button on the toolbar.
Ending a process kills all current connections to the process. Any users connected to the process will have to reconnect.


text:
This website requires cookies to provide all of its features. For more information on what data is contained in the cookies, please see our Privacy Policy page. Continuing to use this website implies that you accept the use of cookies.
Recently added item(s) ×
You have no items in your shopping cart.
These Forgefix Multi-Purpose Pozi Screws with countersunk heads have a zinc yellow passivated finish for increased durability.
The screws are immensely popular and versatile, and used in all trades including joinery, electrical and plumbing. Also widely used in DIY applications.
APPLICATIONSuitable for use with many materials including PVCu, Timber, Chipboard, MDF, and other similar types.
The Zinc Yellow Passivation process of electroplating is similar to the 'Galvanised' and 'Zinc Plated' processes but with the addition of a yellow dye. It offers an aesthetically pleasing finish, whilst having excellent resistance to corrosion.
The Pozidriv screw is similar in appearance to the classic Phillips cross-head, but in fact is very different. The Pozidriv has four additional points of contact, and does not have the rounded corners that the Phillips screw drive has. The biggest advantage it offers is that, when used with the correct tooling in good condition, it does not cam out, allowing great torque to be applied. The Pozidriv screw can easily be distinguished by a line embossed in the screw head at 45° to the slots for the driver.
The countersunk head is designed to sink flush with substrates to leave a smooth surface finish. They have single threads, designed to offer higher pull out values and quicker insertion.
Availability: In stock
© 2019 Wonkee Donkee Tools
Developed by GloverSure Ltd.


text:
After the coffee. Before the ESPN and ABC upfront presentations.
The Skinny: Hoping to get to the Yankees-Mets game tonight if it doesn't get rained out. Keep a good thought. Today's roundup includes analysis of Fox's new prime-time lineup. Also, DirecTV and AT&T get closer to a deal, and Major League Soccer signs new TV deals.
Daily Dose: Thursday night football will have a new anchoring team this fall. With CBS now producing the games, it's no surprise that James Brown and Bill Cowher will have prominent roles along with Deion Sanders, who is part of the NFL Network team. Not on the team yet is longtime NFL Network host Rich Eisen, whose contract with the league-owned network is up at the end of summer. An NFL Network spokesman said, "Rich has been the face of the NFL Network since its launch in 2003, and we have every intention of keeping him for years to come."
More drama, less singing. After enduring steep ratings declines this season, Fox unveiled a new schedule full of dramas and less "American Idol." The network plans several high-profile dramas and miniseries including "Gotham," "Red Band Society," "Gracepoint" and "Empire." On the comedy front, the network is moving "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" to Sunday, where it will hopefully benefit from having football and "The Simpsons" as lead-ins. Coverage and analysis of Fox's schedule from the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, USA Today, the Hollywood Reporter and Variety.
Inching closer. While neither side is yet to acknowledge any talks, AT&T is getting closer to a deal to buy satellite broadcaster DirecTV. According to the Wall Street Journal, the sale would value DirecTV at about $50 billion and the terms would be stock and cash. Per the Journal, it could all come together in a couple of weeks (sure, ruin my Memorial Day weekend) or it could fall part.
Goal! Major League Soccer signed a new deal with ESPN, Fox Sports and Univision at a record combined rights fee average of $90 million a season over the next eight years. The agreement not only reflects the growing popularity of soccer, but the ongoing battle by sports networks for content. More on the deal from the Sports Business Journal.
It pays to play. CBS, which is to unveil its new fall lineup on Wednesday, may command the biggest ad-fee increases from advertisers, but it won't be for anything the network did this season. In fact, CBS had a pretty disappointing year. If it gets more money from Madison Avenue, it will be because of Thursday night football, which the network secured the rights for earlier this year. The New York Post on how the NFL will help CBS.
See you in court. Earlier this year, the Federal Communications Commission unveiled new rules that would make it more difficult for local broadcasters that compete against each other to also share some business operations. The FCC argued that such combinations gave broadcasters an unfair advantage over advertisers and distributors who pay to carry their signals, and that they don't serve the public interest. Now the National Assn. of Broadcasters has sued the FCC, saying the regulatory agency overstepped its authority with the rules. Details from Broadcasting & Cable.
Inside the Los Angeles Times: The TV networks are giving more time to commercials, according to a new study from Nielsen.
Follow me on Twitter. I'm walking around this city just for you. @JBFlint.


text:
Remote interviewing
Online focus groups, IDIs and UX interviews
Lab-based user studies
Usability tests, eyetracking studies, accessibility testing
Group Facilitation
Panel research, ideation and structured creativity sessions, participatory design
Marketing & User Experience Research
DIG is a research consultancy that helps clients design products and services around their real-world customers.
We believe that customer research can do more than identify problems and compare proposed options. At its best, it generates the kind of fresh connections and insights that can inspire creative new design ideas and product developments. That's what keeps us excited by the work we do.
"David handles all of the qualitative research that we do in Corporate Marketing at ADP, and I cannot recommend him highly enough. His handling of all aspects of a project is superb – from initial design to moderating through to the final report." - Deborah Barron, VP, Market Intelligence
"DIG went above and beyond to provide the highest quality of work, so that we could extend the FedEx Purple Promise to our customers. It was truly a pleasure working with DIG. They will continue to be one of our preferred vendors in the future." - Marc Schrader, Senior Marketing Specialist
"DIG helped register.com prioritize our offerings and greatly improved the user experience of our customer website. It is often difficult to get clearly defined, actionable results when doing research for technology products and services. We've always been pleased with their results from DIG."
- Chris Korintus, Senior Manager, Market Research and User Experience Planning
Brand and Communication Research
Our marketing research helps clients to clarify their value proposition, create a coherent brand identity, and optimize the language, imagery and design of their communications. more
UX Research
We take an integrative approach to evaluating user experience, reviewing qualitative user feedback, direct observation, and quantitative metrics, to develop a valid strategy for prioritizing fixes and design enhancements. more
Why choose DIG?
We bring over 25 years of experience on all aspects of branding, communication and UX strategy to our work with Fortune 100 companies and their marketing partners.
From the blog
12 DecKindle Fire Under Fire
Really, Jakob? Another one of our heroes has fallen in our
4 AugFacebook, a public utility?
In the wake of Facebook's recent privacy setting debacle
8 JunThe language of emotion
Evidently, the last generation has seen a precipitous drop in
- archive


text:
- Home
- News
- Sports
- Opinion
- Obituaries
- Features
- Special Sections
- Classifieds
- Public Notices
International nuclear inspectors were visiting a power plant in Japan that has undergone post-crisis stress tests. Tokyo is hoping facilities like the one in Ohi can be brought back on line, but many locals are leery.
Add new comment
Read and share your thoughts on this story


text:
Monday's clandestine launch ceremony for its new Surface tablet ignited Internet debate in a way seldom seen for other product launches for the company. This viral buzz is well earned: Surface is both a bold new direction for Microsoft and the most serious threat so far to the dominance of Apple's iPad. However, there is quite a bit of bad with the good, and several unknowns will ultimately determine the Surface's success or failure.
The good
Surface seems to be a significant, positive step for Microsoft for a number of reasons.
Aggressiveness – From the perspective of this Apple fanboy, Surface seems to be Microsoft's boldest statement in memory. Microsoft is making a big bet on tablet computing. Interface design decisions, the introduction of the Surface, and the company's brash disregard for hardware partners indicate that a tablet-like experience isn't just a direction Microsoft will pursue in the future, it may be the direction.
Striking, conversation-fomenting advertising – Surface is also a rallying cry to the Microsoft faithful, as is reinforced by the video which accompanied the product's launch. Sharp, futuristic, imposing, even, these ads are more confident and forward-thinking than those for Microsoft products. They had me waiting for a Christopher-Nolan-esque BRAAAAAAAAAM or the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey to enter the frame. This brief intro video, as much as anything else, has triggered conversations about Microsoft in my social circle that haven't occurred in the past.
The Keyboards – Microsoft's powerful intro video puts a lot of attention on one of Surface's main features: its keyboards. Just two columns ago, I complained about one of the key issues presented by tablet interfaces: imprecise input. Compared to a keyboard and mouse pointer, putting down text on an iPad can seem like typing with your feet. The Surface's brightly-colored, easily-integrated keyboards eliminate this problem. These thin, attractive add-ons should provide a hybrid touch and keyboard experience superior to the touch-only experience. At the least, the Surface keyboards call into serious question Apple's branding of its own covers as "Smart."
Connectivity – Attracting less attention is the array of ports which will be at the disposal of Surface users. Where Apple offers only a traditional 30-pin connector on iPad, Surface includes USB, SD card, and HD video jacks built into each unit. This eliminates the need for costly dongles, which can rapidly become annoying clutter. iPad owners may find themselves jealous of these features.
The kickstand – The Surface's built-in "kickstand" is an incredibly useful inclusion. My streaming video addiction means my iPad spends a ton of time propped up. Where I had to purchase a case to do this with my iPad, the Surface provides this feature natively. The kickstand will also be a useful accompaniment when using Surface's keyboard covers.
The Bad
Though Surface is an exciting new product offering, there are some negatives to consider.
The Kickstand – "Sexy" doesn't have a kickstand. While Surface's crutch doesn't look horrible, it is a pretty dorky compared to Apple's minimalist design aesthetic. The tablet's kickstand and keyboards may also indicate that Microsoft is taking a different approach to tablet accessories than Apple's. Many — me included — purchase third-party accessories for their iOS devices. An entire ecosystem has sprouted up for this market, and Apple gets a cut of every sale. Including a kickstand and featuring Microsoft-designed keyboards so prominently in advertising may impede development of a robust accessory economy for the Surface.
The screen – Microsoft has been vague on the topic of the Surface's screen, describing the Windows 8 version as offering a "ClearType Full HD Display" but offering no details. Assuming, as many have, that this means the Surface will boast a 1920 x 1080 display, this still puts Surface behind Apple's 2048 x 1536 [Note: as originally published, this column incorrectly cited the iPad's retina display to be 2048 x 2536. Thanks to commenter Matt Hickman for catching this error! -L] display in the new iPad. Considering that the Surface will likely be released at least six months following the March introduction of Apple's Retina Display iPad, Microsoft may have even more ground to make up in this area.
The form factor – Viewed from the front, the Surface looks impressive, and, though I've heard dissenting opinions, I think the keyboards are pretty sharp. However, photos of the back of the device show the tablet to be a bit beefy and utilitarian compared to the iPad's svelte, Spartan frame. Though Apple has recently had a lead in terms of industrial design, that lead is even more apparent in context of the Surface. A tablet's visual appearance will be a factor in the purchase decision for many users, and Microsoft has ground to make up in this area.
Microsoft's hardware history – Viewed in a positive light, Microsoft's hardware history could be summed up as "initially bad products, but improving over time." Look at the Xbox. We're still making jokes about about the size of the original Xbox. The initial Xbox controllers were also truly terrible. The Xbox 360, with a more tolerable base unit and industry-leading controller design, vastly improved on both of these issues. A similar story can be told about the Zune — laughable in the first generation, competitive in its second. When viewed in this light, it may be wise to wait for the reviews before you purchase a Surface.
The unknown
Microsoft's vagueness on several key points mean that the Surface's future is still to be written. The factors below could easily determine if the Surface is the success that Microsoft needs it to be.
The price – The iPad is as amazing for its $399 entry price as for its excellent design and user experience. Much has been written about Tim Cook's supply-chain genius. Recently, it was claimed that "the iPad would cost $5,000" without Cook's oversight. Lacking Tim Cook, how much will the Surface cost? This may be the key question that will define the future of the Surface.
The dangerous fork – The announcement of the Windows RT Surface may indicate that Microsoft is solving the price issue at the cost of user experience. The coolest applications and features may only be available on the Surface with more horsepower. This creates a second-class tier of users from the get go, and may make the Surface a more difficult application platform for developers.
The keyboards – I maligned iPad keyboards in the same column in which I criticized tablet interfaces. They are clunky, badly-performing additions to an otherwise sleek, beautiful device. Absent hands-on experience, the Surface typing experience — especially with the touch keyboard — is a huge question mark. As prominently as the keyboard appears to feature in Microsoft's plans for the device, these keyboards must deliver excellent experiences if the Surface is to be a hit. It remains to be seen if they can meet that demand.
A promising, if uncertain, future
That's of course to say nothing of about other outstanding concerns — notably battery life and the touch application economy — that will help decide the fate of the Surface. Still, in an era defined by Apple's rise to become America's premier tech company, the Surface gives Microsoft fans something to look forward to. Today it's just a talking point, but the Surface tablet will be incredibly important to Microsoft's future. Expect to hear tons more about it as we approach it's (still uncertain) release date.
The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect the beliefs of Digital Trends.


text:
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Star Trek Edits
Some other things of note: Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher) from the show has seen them and written about it in his blog. The videos have also appeared on TV, a on a G4 broadcast called Attack of the Show. (It is mentioned in item number 4 on that clip.) They went as far as getting in costumes and sort of "acting out" the scenes from the particular episode they showed. Cool!
A few other notes on this, and some FAQish sort of stuff...
These were edited by Jan Van den Hemel, who's obviously pretty awesome at this. I helped him make these by writing these sort of "scripts", suggesting how to arrange clips, what lines to dub, and what sort of visual effects to try out. I also usually supply the, uh, external resources. Jan supplies a lot of input to the "scripting" process too. The result I think is a pretty effective fusion of our senses of humor, but of course all the technical editing gravitas is pure Jan.
We will probably keep making these videos, as long as it stays fun. We'll keep doing Star Trek for a while, but will likely also try using samples from other TV shows and movies later.
23 comments:
Remember that part of the reason star trek works so well is because the continuity is so consistent. Characters wear the same outfits and occupy the same sets episode after episode. Similarly, familiar sound effects and music can be shifted around. So in choosing your next project or whatever, maybe keep that in mind?
- February 4, 2009 at 4:55 PM
- Dave said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- February 5, 2009 at 2:53 PM
- Dave said...
These edits are hilarious, amazing, and caused me to cry of laughter in the middle of work. I can't wait to see more!
Also that G4 clip does actually show them acting out Star Trek fanfics. It's directly after it shows your edit. Go watch it again.
- February 5, 2009 at 3:01 PM
These are brilliant. After viewing several, I had a moment of panic and worried it was an old or defunct series. I was quite pleased to discover they are recent, and that you seem to be updating at an impressive rate. I wish I had the time and focus to do this kind of thing. Please keep this up. My friends and I get a huge kick out of them. The first five and the last four or so are especially hilarious. I think this may very well be my new favorite video series.
- February 5, 2009 at 8:27 PM
where the hell do those horse drawings come from? so disturbing.
- February 6, 2009 at 12:47 AM
(...and provide high res versions sometime! These are great enough that I'd love to throw them on a personal DVD and watch offline with friends.)
- February 19, 2009 at 10:42 AM
- Phil said...
Please keep it up... Loving the edits, the crazy humor, the subversive thought behind it... Great stuff. Made me laugh a LOT.
- February 23, 2009 at 11:40 AM
- fet mar said...
If it is the fusion of your senses of humors, then I hope you continue to work together. Your flare for the "quiet absurd" is just phenomenal. I haven't seen anything do it quite so well in a long time. One small piece of advice, open up a donations page, that way we can start paying you to do this and you can quit your regular jobs :)
- March 7, 2009 at 3:06 PM
- Rob said...
Just wanted to say how much I'm loving your TNG edits. I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard as I am with some of these. Keep up the good work!
- March 10, 2009 at 9:07 PM
I, too, set a multi-year internet laughter intensity record watching these clips. I tear up everytime I think of "It's not Lupus." If there was an Oscar for Best Use of External Resources you would surely, surely win.
- March 18, 2009 at 6:19 PM
- SAtch said...
Pure Genius. You guys put these together perfectly. I've seen #15, Gay Jean Luc Picard, a million times, and it's still hilarious. Please, keep going. There's a ton of material still left to pull from.
- March 21, 2009 at 11:58 AM
- David Steinlage said...
These are hilarious! I sent them to a friend an he said they were the funniest thing he had ever seen in his life. We both watched "Bridge Bafoonery" over and over. How about another Back To The Future edit too? Maybe they go so far in the future as to end up in the 24th century by accident?
- March 22, 2009 at 7:51 PM
It would be cool to post a FAQ that indicates where the non-Star Trek clips were drawn from.
- March 28, 2009 at 12:47 PM
- dibenga said...
You MUST produce a DVD.
- May 12, 2009 at 3:07 PM
I think Stargate could also be a good source because there's a lot of consistency from season to season. The same with Voyager. DS9 not so much because the tone changes over time.
- May 13, 2009 at 10:10 AM
- David W said...
OMG you could do tons with stargate. Many different episodes where jack is messing around with someone.
- May 20, 2009 at 1:15 PM
- Dragoljub said...
Your work is phenomenal, I wish there were more creative people like you :)
- June 1, 2009 at 2:14 PM
- Chris said...
Every single one of these made me laugh until I had tears!
The hours and hours of viewing you had do in order to put these together really show!
If this isn't the funniest series of vids I have ever seen in my life, it's clearly in my top 4!
Thank you, sir! Thank you!
- September 21, 2009 at 9:04 PM
- OrangeSwim said...
yes. definetly stargate would be a good series to edit
great edits btw. i love u. LOL. you give purpose for those in college who are bored to death.
- September 28, 2009 at 12:09 AM
- Johnny GoTime said...
Just watched all your TNG ones to date. They're absolutely hilarious - I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard.
Great job you guys!!!
- November 4, 2009 at 11:35 PM
Haha it's hilarious that everyone's like "hey dude for your next project why don't you do battlestar galactica or whatever."
also crap I saw this on the DC news thing
why didn't I check it
- March 14, 2012 at 9:33 PM
- hospital cares said...
Are you interested is selling your human parts such as k1dnney, Blood,L1vers,
with sum $450,00.00 USD We are urgently in need of 0gans,
For details WhatsApp: +91 767 808 3290 Mobile +91 767 808 3290
via email firstname.lastname@example.com
- November 21, 2017 at 7:08 AM
- Apollo Hospital said...
Body organs needed urgently at Apollo Hospital my name is Dr Max Newton ,we offer $850,000 USD contact me via whatsapp number: +917676505791.
email: email@example.com
- December 20, 2017 at 11:18 PM


text:
Product Description
Show your loved one that you really care: let them know that you love him or her more than your favourite television show! Any fellow Browncoat will appreciate the sentiment, and how much it really means. ;) Perfect for any geek guy or gal who loves good sci-fi and fantasy on TV!
This one inch button lets your partner know that you love them more than Firefly!
See the rest of my Nerd Love buttons listed individually in my shoppe, or buy the whole set of ten for greater value (includes I love you more than: Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Star Wars, Star Trek, The X Files, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, Game of Thrones, and True Blood).
This listing is for one button listed above. Button measures 1" in diameter and was created by me with my printer and my nifty little button machine. Now also available in magnets!
Please let me know if you have any questions!
Stay shiny!
Love, Ma
Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe is the place to go when your noggin is craving a very cunning hand-knit hat! I also make buttons & all kinds of other pretties. Support handmade!


text:
I think everyone who has every written a blog about their class has made a post about talents. Usually it about which talents are best for whatever particular task and I might do a post like that in the future, but this one isn't it.
The following talents are awful and you must have been confused or drunk when you did your talents if you have them. To qualify, some of these talents may be great for 5-mans and trash (redundant?) but any Joe Shieldbearer can tank that stuff, tanking performance on bosses is the only thing that matters because they drop teh purpalz.
Tactical mastery: There are only two situations where you will ever leave defensive stance as a tank. You get knocked back or are somehow far from the boss and you want to intercept back. In that situation can could just as easily stay in def stance and intervene to someone close to the boss or you could do a better job of postioning by having your back to a wall so you don't get knocked back in the first place or you could not be a hotshot and just run. The other time you leave def stance is to break fear. You break fear with berserker rage. Berserker rage also increases rage from damage while it is active so you very quickly make up for any rage lost in the stance dance.
Improved revenge: The mobs that are stunnable are the ones you want beating on you so that you can get rage. The mobs (and bosses) that hit hard and that you would want to stun are immune to stun.
Improved disarm: lol. Seriously, bosses will actually laugh out loud if you try to disarm them.*
*they don't actually laugh, I totally tricked you. This talent actually does suck though.
Improved taunt: If you are taunting so often that you need to shorten the cooldown, then either you or your dps are doing something fundamentally wrong. The only time I have ever genuinely thought that this talent might be useful is during the trash in Hyjal when there are 14 mobs at a time and you are running around like a crazy person. But even then, I refused to get this talent simply on principle. Instead of using imp taunt, I just got more resourceful with mocking blow, concussion blow, and aoe taunt in an emergency.
Improved shield bash: If you actually interrupt the spell, it silences the mob anyway. But if you try to preemptively silence a mob, the mob will still queue up the spell and cast it the moment the silence is over and now your interrupt is on cooldown. And just like improved revenge, the mobs where a silence might actually help are all immune to silence and the ones that aren't immune really need you to interrupt the spell cast, not randomly silence them.
Improved shield wall: See my other post from last month about when I think shield wall ought to be used. With that in mind, when you use this mid fight because your healers are silenced or out of range or you take a spike or something, your healers really only need 2-5 seconds to get you to full health. The other 5 seconds of untalented shield wall are an unecessary bonus. Talent points are a precious thing and I simply cannot justify spending 2 points to increase an unecessary 5 second bonus to 10 seconds. If there is something that you cannot recover from in 10 seconds, then you probably wouldn't recover in 15 seconds either. (At time of writing I think I have 1/2 Imp Shield Wall thanks to a mis-click when going back to prot after MS for the weekend)
Everything else in protection is good. I have 46 points in protection in my usual tanking build. If you ever see anybody who put 61 points into protection, you need to give them the gold to respec immediately. Preferably to MS because any idiot can play an MS warrior and not give us tanks a bad name.


text:
Showing Suppliers 1 - 1 of 1
Emhiser Research, Inc.
Address: 2705 Old Hwy 40 West PO Box 189, Verdi, NV
Business Type: Manufacturer
Description: Emhiser Micro-Tech is a unique, innovative, and rapidly growing company in the miniature voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) industry. Emhiser was founded following years of effort to locate a reliable, quality minded VCO manufacturer. Based on the belief that a VCO manufacturer can be... (more)


text:
Anaheim >> The maker of the most popular massively multiplayer online roleplaying game will be taking gamers back to the origins of World of Warcraft, Irvine-based Blizzard Entertainment announced to fans at a packed Anaheim Convention Center on Friday.
"Dear lord, there are a lot of people here today," Blizzard Chief Creative Officer Rob Pardo said during the opening ceremony of the sold out Blizzcon.
At their seventh almost-annual convention, Blizzard announced that the fifth expansion to World of Warcraft, Warlords of Draenor, would see one of the game's villains go back in time before the series' start in 1994 with the strategy game Warcraft: Orcs and Humans. The move is an attempt to rally an all-star cast of villains to take on the game's 7.6 million players.
"There's a huge number of World of Warcraft players that never engaged with those events," Blizzard senior vice-president Chris Metzen explained to the 20,000 fans in attendance.
The company also provided new peeks at — and hands-on demonstrations of — previously announced products, including the Diablo III expansion, Reaper of Souls, the virtual trading card game Heathstone and the fighting game Heroes of the Storm.
Warlords of Draenor will allow World of Warcraft players to visit the world of Draenor in its heyday. The world was previously seen in the wake of a planet-shattering cataclysm in the 2007 expansion The Burning Crusade. Players will also be able to build their own towns, called garrisons, and recruit a custom group of computer-controlled soldiers and adventurers to man them. The expansion will bring updated new character models for the 2004 game.
Hearthstone, previously released for personal computers and tablets, would also be developed for iPhone and Android devices, the company announced. Blizzard, which is famously shy about committing to release dates, said Hearthstone could be released for both phone platforms in late 2014. (No release dates have been announced for any of the other products expected to be shown this weekend.)
The company also took the wraps off of Heroes of the Storm at the two-day convention. The still-in-development game was originally created as a proof of concept at the 2010 Blizzcon to show off the power of the level editing tools available to players of the company's Starcraft II game.
Blizzard Entertainment, a division of Activision Blizzard, is one of the biggest names in videogame design, repeatedly breaking records with its Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft franchises.
The first Blizzcon in 2005 was attended by approximately 4,000 people, company president and CEO Mike Morhaime told an audience more than five times that size, not including a much-larger audience watching via pay-per-view at home.
"From everyone here at Blizzard, thank you, and welcome home," he said.


text:
12 Foods With More Vitamin C Than Oranges
Foods high in vitamin C
If you chug a glass of orange juice every time you start sniffling, you may be onto something. Though studies show that consuming vitamin C can't actually prevent colds, loading up on the nutrient may help slightly shorten the length of time you're sick and reduce the severity of your symptoms. But despite their reputation for being loaded with vitamin C, the 69.7 mg that a medium orange provides is actually less than many other common fruits and veggies. To pack the ultimate vitamin C punch, fill up on these 12 superfoods.
Watch the video: How to Juice an Orange
Chili peppers
A half-cup of chopped or diced chili peppers delivers 107.8 mg of vitamin C. Plus, researchers from the University of Buffalo found that capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers hot, may help relieve joint and muscle pain.
Try this recipe: Red Bean and Poblano Chili
Red bell pepper
A cup of chopped red bell pepper contains nearly three times more vitamin C than an orange—190 mg. Red peppers are also a great source of vitamin A, which promotes eye health.
Try this recipe: Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers
Green bell pepper
A cup of chopped green bell pepper contains less vitamin C than its sweeter sister, but at 120 mg, it's still 200% of your recommended daily allowance. Green bell pepper is also a great source of fiber.
Try this recipe: Sausage and Peppers
In addition to twice your recommended daily intake of vitamin A and seven times the recommended amount of vitamin K, a one-cup serving of kale provides 80.4 mg of vitamin C. The nutrition powerhouse also delivers a sizeable dose of minerals and fatty acids.
Watch the video: Fat-Burning Recipe: Kale, Grapefruit, and Hazelnut Salad
Try this recipe: Braised Kale
This cruciferous veggie provides 132 mg of vitamin C plus a punch of filling fiber for just 30 calories per serving. Plus, research shows broccoli may have cancer-preventing properties.
Try this recipe: Broccoli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Pine Nuts
Research shows that eating papaya can help clear your sinuses, brighten your skin, and strengthen your bones. A one-cup serving delivers 88.3 mg of vitamin C.
Try this recipe: Tropical Fruit Parfaits
A cup of this superfruit contains 84.7 mg of vitamin C, plus healthy doses of folate and other compounds shown to promote heart health. Another unexpected benefit of strawberries? They may help whiten your teeth naturally.
Try this recipe: Merlot Strawberries with Whipped Cream
Whether you roast it, steam it, or mash it, eating a small head of cauliflower gives you a 127.7 mg dose of vitamin C, plus 5 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.
Try this recipe: Cauliflower and Green Onion Mash
Brussels sprouts
These little cabbages are loaded with cancer-preventing phytonutrients and fiber, not to mention 74.8 mg of vitamin C. If you're usually turned off by their bitter taste, bring out their natural sweetness by roasting them.
Try these recipes: Brussels Sprouts Recipes to Make Anyone a Believer
In addition to 78.9 mg of vitamin C, pineapple contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that helps break down food and reduce bloating. Bromelain also acts as a natural anti-inflammatory that can help you recover faster after a tough workout.
Try this recipe: Pan-Grilled Salmon with Pineapple Salsa
One NLEA serving of kiwi (about 2 fruits) boasts 137.2 mg of vitamin C. The fuzzy fruit is also rich in potassium and copper. (Check out 15 more foods that are high in potassium.)
Try this recipe: Shrimp and Kiwi Salad
Taste the tropics for a 122.3 mg boost of vitamin C. Mango is also a great source of vitamin A, which like vitamin C plays a key role in immunity and additionally keeps your eyes healthy.
Try this recipe: Chili-Dusted Grilled Mango and Pineapple


text:
23rd April 2006, 04:24 PM
Just come back from a nice sunday stroll with Maisie, my son, and my friend, her 2 kids and her springer spaniel. All was going well- dogs coming back when called, kids behaving, weather not too miserable for a change. Maisie then picked something up off the floor, pinned her ears right back (my signal for knowing she's doing something she shouldn't) and ran so far away I could hardly see her. :shock: Fortunately we live in a tiny village in the middle of the countryside so there was no danger of cars etc. After some careful positioning of the kids, we had her surrounded and one of the boys got quite close to her. He shouted "Maisie has got a chicken leg". I panicked because of the danger of chicken bones getting lodged in her throat. :yikes At this point I was picturing a chicken leg like you would see on your dinner plate in her mouth, but as I got closer realised it was actually a full, raw chicken leg which looked like it should still be on a live chicken, complete with red foot! :yuk: I was gagging at this point so my friend stepped in and saved the day. She checked the bone was still intact, but seems to think Maisie had a feast of the raw meat. I guess now I play the waiting game for the inevitable sickness and diarhoea. :yuk: This is the only time she has not come back to me when called, but it did warn me in one of the cavalier books I read, that they do it when it suits them. Lesson learnt!
Maisie (ruby)
Maisie (ruby)


text:
Hello all
This is my first posting. I live in Oakland, CA and my neighbor keeps Bees and over the past year she has had a hive on my patio. I've spent many hours watching and listening to this hive of Italian "Blonds" which she bought from a bee breeder in Chico, CA. Since the hive was installed we have had a intermittent problem with ants. It seemed that the problem had been solved by installing a "moat" around the hive/ box. The box is on cinder blocks within a plastic pan of water.
The hive was removed from the moat when the ants gave up at the end of the summer. Even after the 1st storm in November there was no problem with ants. -That is - until the 2nd storm, which didn't occur until February (for those outside of CA. we're in the middle of a drought). The rain in February brought the ants back with a vengeance. The box went back inside the the moat. Cinnamon was sprinkled all around it, and I was on daily ant patrol. My neighbor used some "Ecosmart Organic Insecticide" which she had used in the summer without any ill effects. It consists of peppermint oil, rosemary oil, wintergreen oil, mineral oil, Polyglyceryl Oleate, and Sodium Benzoate.
This afternoon I went to check on the ant problem and it looked worse than the yesterday, when I bent down to rescue a bee that had fallen into the moat, I realized I couldn't hear any bees from inside the hive (there is usually at least one really loud one giving orders :) ). I also realized there were no bees coming or going from the hive. So I cracked open the boxes and saw no bees! They were there yesterday. A few dead bees inside the box, but otherwise just ants. There were no dead bees around the entrance to the hive or lying around on the patio either.
I watch the hive for around a hour. A few bees came by the hive, flew around it as if checking out the hive, then departed. Some bees came by to have a sip of the water that I keep nearby. I realized some of them were from another hive as they were a dark brown and larger (Russians?) rather than the small golden bees of our hive. ....Finally after around a half an hour a blond bee went inside, but she came back out a couple of minutes later, flew around the hive, went back in, then came out and flew away.
It's all so sad, a few days ago they were bringing pollen into the hive. Could the ants have brought something deadly into the hive? Could the moat have encouraged a fungus this time? There didn't seem to be any noticeable mildew. My neighbor is away for the afternoon & evening. I'm not looking forward to telling her that her bees are gone.
Carol - (mangohead)


text:
The Islanders will be back in Brooklyn at some point, I have no doubt about that. My gut tells me that Bruce Ratner may randomly show up on an MSG broadcast again at some point or that the team will schedule one of next year's pre-season games at the Barclays. It wouldn't be quite the same if rescheduled, as a lot of the initial momentum is now lost. While Islander fans are certainly divided on the issue of Brooklyn, there was a large segment that seemed to be generally excited about it. On top of that, it was an interesting idea (and negotiating tactic) that will lose some of its luster the next time around.
There's still more to this story, even if the Islanders don't end up going to Brooklyn in 2015. But it's a shame we aren't going to be able to see it happen here and now.
Meanwhile, in Nassau County, SMG is on the hook for asbestos related fines.


text:
An earlier version of this story published on February 26 incorrectly stated that Italy is the third-largest economy in Europe. Italy is the third-largest economy in the euro zone. The story has been corrected.
LONDON (MarketWatch) — European stocks slumped and Italian yields spiked on Tuesday, as inconclusive Italian election results fueled fears over the potential for political instability in the euro zone's third-largest economy.
The Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP, +0.54% dropped 1.3% to close at 284.60, adding to a slight decline from Monday.
The index holds a 1.8% year-to-date advance, with stellar gains posted in January keeping the benchmark in positive territory for 2013. Most financial markets kicked off the new year in an upbeat fashion after the fiscal cliff was avoided in the U.S., but renewed volatility leading up to elections in Italy and continued U.S. budget woes have made for a tough February.
Italy's FTSE MIB index XX:FTSEMIB sank the most among country-specific indexes, dropping 4.9% to 15,552.20, with banks posting some of the biggest losses. Banca Popolare di Milano Scarl IT:PMI dropped 5.7% and Intesa Sanpaolo SpA ISP, -0.03% fell 9.1%. Italian authorities imposed a short-selling ban on Intesa Sanpaolo. See: Italy bans short-selling of Intesa Sanpaolo
The sharp losses came as election results in Italy pointed to no clear winning coalition, which raised worries about a new election and political instability in the euro zone.
"At the very least, a prolonged period of uncertainty faces the Italian economy, affecting investor sentiment. In coming months, fiscal slippage and obstacles to structural and labor market reforms would not at all be well received by global investors," said Andrew Milligan, head of global strategy at Standard Life Investments, in emailed comments.
"Investors have to think about tail risks. The probability is low, but not negligible, that Italy will have a referendum on European Union membership before this political crisis comes to an end," he added.
The results were inconclusive with the center-left coalition led by Pier Luigi Bersani eking out a small majority in the lower house, but with no parties or alliances winning enough seats to control the Senate. Both houses are needed to pass legislation. See: 'Ungovernable' Italy: Debt crisis back on table
Adding to the uncertainty, former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Tuesday he won't ally with Mario Monti, but announced later in the day that he is open to forming a broad alliance to avoid a second election See: Berlusconi reportedly says no alliance with Monti and See: Italy's Berlusconi open to wide alliance: reports.
"Italy is headed to new elections within six months as election results make Italy ungovernable. It is political, economic and financial chaos," Nouriel Roubini, the New York University economist known as "Dr Doom," tweeted Tuesday.
Italian markets were further rattled by a weak government debt sale. The Treasury sold 8.75 billion euros ($11.5 billion) of six-month bills at higher borrowing costs and lower demand than at the late-January sale. See: Italian T-bill yields surge in postelection sale.
In the secondary market, yields on Italian government bonds spiked, with the one on 10-year paper IT:10YR_ITA up 47 basis points to 4.83%, according to electronic trading platform Tradeweb. See: ECB bond-buying program may not be there to save Italy.
Spanish yields were also rising with investors worried the Italian turmoil could spread to other countries. Spain's foreign minister, José Manuel García-Margallo, reportedly said that he was extraordinarily worried about the election outcome as they showed strong results for antiausterity parties. See WSJ story: Spain Government Feels Italian Heat.
The yield on 10-year Spanish government bonds ES:10YR_ESP jumped 21 basis points to 5.31%. The IBEX 35 index IBEX, +0.56% dropped 2.8% to 8,013.60.
Bernanke testimony in focus
In Washington, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told lawmakers that a hypothetical write-down of Italian debt wouldn't inflict major damage on U.S. financial institutions. See: Live blog of Bernanke's first day of testimony before Congress
Additionally, data showed U.S. house prices rose in December as 2012 posted the best improvement in seven years. Sales of new homes further jumped 15.6% in January, marking the highest pace of activity sine July 2008. See: Annual home price gain best in seven years and See: New home sales jump to highest pace since mid-2008.
In Germany, Deutsche Bank AG DBK, -0.45% DB, +2.28% slumped 4.9% and Commerzbank AG CBK, -0.89% fell 3%. The DAX 30 index DAX, +0.41% slid 2.3% to 7,597.11.
Shares of BASF SE BAS, +0.07% declined 4.5%, as the chemical firm's earnings before interest and taxes missed market expectations. See: BASF Q4 sales up; '13 net, sales are seen higher
In France, Société Générale SA GLE, +1.20% sank 5.4% and BNP Paribas SA BNP, -0.09% dropped 3.2%. The CAC 40 index PX1, +0.46% lost 2.7% to 3,621.92.
Shares of oil group Total SA FP, -0.19% lost more than 3%, tracking oil prices lower. See: Oil falls amid Italy uncertainty, rising dollar
And the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index UKX, +0.80% fell 1.3% to 6,270.44, with shares of HSBC Holdings PLC HSBA, +0.22% US:HBC 5, +0.44% 2.3% lower. See: Banks, resource firms weigh on FTSE 100.