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On Friday night, the Warriors missed a chance for a perfect road trip. But on Saturday night, they secured a tremendous one. The win was nice — securing a 6-1 record for this December odyssey — but the way in which the Warriors won was the most encouraging development of the night. After struggling all season to gain separation against inferior teams, they finally managed a blow out against a pretty good one. Whether it was the opportunity to work out Friday night's frustration or a final burst of energy before returning home, the Warriors thoroughly dominated the Hawks. In the process, they hopefully learned one more lesson in their ascendency up the NBA ranks.
This is a deep team. That was the single pre-season conclusion everyone could agree upon, and even after two early season injury losses it has proven to be true. But depth alone does nothing for you. A team has to find a way to integrate those talented supporting players and give them moments where they can play leading roles. The Warriors managed that better in Atlanta than in any other game I've seen this year — setting up Harrison Barnes, Carl Landry and Jarrett Jack for big nights. With Lee, Curry and Thompson all logging monster minutes for the trip, it was the aggressiveness of the second wave that spurred the Warriors onto victory. This (hopefully) will be a long season. As the games pile up, the Warriors will need to rely more heavily on players outside their big three. Saturday night was a good start.
Two things allowed the Warriors to finally secure a run-away win.
- Ball movement — Curry and Jack did an excellent job all night long feeding the hot hand or the player with a mismatch. Exhibit A is the 10-point second quarter from Harrison Barnes. The rookie's biggest scoring night in nearly a month started by design. With poor defender Kyle Korver matched up on the explosive Barnes, the Warriors' ball handlers fed the mismatch. Barnes took Korver inside and out. He seemed to gain confidence with each successful possession, and ultimately forced Korver out of the game — but not before the Warriors opened up a decisive 16-5 run. At this point in his career, Barnes may need a bit of help to get going. He's not going to assert himself and demand the ball with Curry, Thompson and Lee on the court. But when the Warriors finally found him and highlighted him in the offense, he produced impressive results. Lee similarly benefitted from the Warriors' unselfishness in the third quarter when he went 4-5 in a quick burst and finally broke the Hawks' will.
- Individual defense — The Warriors' individual defense has been so steady this road trip that I'm almost beginning to take it for granted. They close out on shooters, they step into the lane against penetration, they fight through screens to minimize switches. It looks almost nothing like the defense of last year's team (not to mention those that came before it) — and that's a wonderful thing. Even when the Warriors are undersized, they're working to establish early position and keep players from setting up too close to the basket (Landry and Green both did an excellent job with this). We can quibble over the exact percentage, but a lot of defense is simply the willingness to play it (aka effort). Right now the Warriors aren't simply willing defenders, they're hungry. Every single player is working to get stops — even much maligned defenders David Lee and Stephen Curry — and the new additions to the team are all average-or-better defenders. Given what we've accepted as the status quo for so long, the defensive upgrade is bringing about a change in expectations. When I watch Draymond Green get one-on-one stops against players attempting to penetrate, I catch myself thinking "I forgot that the offensive player isn't guaranteed to get past his defender."
This night belonged to the supporting cast, but that's not to say the big three didn't do their part as well.
- Curry hit a few beautiful shots early, then threw up a bunch of ill-advised ones on his way to a 6-20 night. But despite what would normally be a frustrating offensive performance, he managed to step up his game in other areas. Nearly all of his 11 assists were on passes where either Curry's vision or sense of spacing helped create an open look. He played with the Hawks' big men, suckering them towards him with penetration and then dumping the ball inside and out for open looks. His rebounding and defense were also excellent, ensuring that even when the Warriors' offense sputtered a bit, the Hawks weren't able to manage a run.
- Don't let certain announcer's endless repetition of arbitrary stats ("x straight 20/10 games!") detract from what Lee is doing right now. Stats be damned, he's doing whatever the Warriors need to win games. Saturday night, they needed someone to go toe-to-toe with the big and athletic Atlanta front line. Lee held his own on every assignment, getting his defensive work in early to make sure he didn't end up backed up under the basket at a disadvantage. The scoring burst in the second half delivered the knock-out blow, but was far less important in the big picture than his focus on doing the dirty work against a physical opponent.
- Thompson had a quiet night, but serves credit for not forcing his shots when others were more deserving of looks. As one of the "established" scorers on this team, Thompson easily could have short-circuited the Barnes run, for example, by demanding his looks. Instead, he was a good teammate, did his work on defense and on the glass, and ultimately walked away with an easy win. Thompson is still feeling out the right balance each game between being a volume shooter and a good teammate, but he found the right mix on Saturday night.
Finally, seven games deep into a road trip, a team needs a little extra boost to deliver a win like this. Charles Jenkins and Andris Biedrins provided it, and both delivered performances they can hopefully build upon. Jenkins' minutes have been limited through no fault of his own — he's simply playing behind what can, after this road trip, reasonably claim to be the best three-guard rotation in the league. Jenkins has taken his short bursts of playing time in stride and delivers with his usual efficiency when Jackson calls his number. For his sake, I hope he gets to find a few more minutes here and there since he's played so well in limited duty. Curry and Thompson will need more rest as the season rolls on. With Jenkins on the bench, there's no good reason they shouldn't have it. As for Biedrins, the Warriors forced him back into the starting line-up with Ezeli out for the night. Andris' night was far from a breakout performance, but he gave them 14 minutes of what they needed from him — defense and rebounding. As Ezeli has increasingly struggled, there's been a tiny opening created for Biedrins to earn more minutes. This performance may have helped his cause, but he'll need to show this type of focus on a consistent basis to break back into the Bogut-less rotation.
When the Warriors arrive back in Oakland on Tuesday, fans will be greeting a new team. In the two weeks they've been gone, they've overhauled expectations. I'm no longer dreading the moment when things falls apart, but eagerly awaiting the moments when things come together. As fans, we're now angry when they drop games like Friday's in Orlando, because we actually expect them to win them. It's all bit disorienting still — and I can't squeeze all the questions to the back of my mind — but there's nothing like a 6-1 road trip to silence doubt. In 2008-09 and 2009-10, by way of contrast, the team won 8 road games each 82-game season. The Warriors have demonstrated that they have the potential to be a top-ten NBA team — the depth, the two-way game, the cohesive team-play and the ability to win on the road. They aren't perfect or invincible, as the Orlando game showed, but you can imagine this team not just making the playoffs, but being an opponent others would rather not draw. Over the coming weeks and months, we'll learn whether they have the focus, discipline and toughness to make good on that promise.


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Renal and urinary findings in 20 patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome diagnosed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)
Achados renais e urinários em 20 pacientes com síndrome de Williams-Beuren diagnosticados pelo teste de hibridização in situ por fluoresceína (FISH)
Sofia Mizuho Miura Sugayama; Vera Hermina Kalika Koch; Érica Arai Furusawa; Cláudio Leone; Chong Ae Kim
Genetics Clinic Unit and Nephrology Unit of the Department of Pediatrics, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo - São Paulo/SP, Brazil. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
PURPOSE: Williams-Beuren syndrome is a rare multiple anomalies/mental retardation syndrome caused by deletion of contiguous genes at chromosome region 7q11.23. The aim of this work was to determine the frequency and the types of renal and urinary tract anomalies in 20 patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome.
METHODS: The fluorescence in situ hybridization test using a LSI Williams syndrome region DNA probe was performed for all 20 patients to confirm the diagnosis of Williams-Beuren syndrome. A prospective study was performed in order to investigate renal and urinary aspects using laboratory assays to check renal function, ultrasonography of the kidneys and urinary tract, voiding cystourethrogram and urodynamics.
RESULTS: Deletion of the elastin gene (positive fluorescence in situ hybridization test) was found in 17 out of 20 patients. Renal alterations were diagnosed in 5 of 17 (29%) the patients with the deletion and in 1 of 3 patients without the deletion. Fourteen patients with the deletion presented dysfunctional voiding. Arterial hypertension was diagnosed in 3 patients with deletions and 1 of these presented bilateral stenosis of the renal arteries.
CONCLUSIONS: Due to the high incidence of renal and urinary abnormalities in Williams-Beuren syndrome, performing a systematic laboratory and sonographic evaluation of the patients is recommended.
KEY WORDS: Williams-Beuren syndrome. Fluorescence in situ hybridization. Elastin. Renal abnormalities. Voiding dysfunction.
OBJETIVO: A síndrome de Williams-Beuren é uma rara síndrome de deleção de genes contíguos que cursa com múltiplas anomalias congênitas, deficiência mental e anomalias renais e urinárias. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a freqüência e os tipos de anomalias renais e urinárias em 20 pacientes com síndrome de Williams-Beuren diagnosticados pelo teste de hibridização in situ por fluorescência.
MÉTODOS: Estudou-se prospectivamente os aspectos renais e urinários através de avaliação laboratorial da função renal, ultrassonografia de rins e vias urinárias, uretrocistografia miccional e estudo urodinâmico. O teste da hibridização in situ por fluorescência com a sonda LSI Williams Region foi feito nos 20 pacientes com síndrome de Williams-Beuren para a confirmação do diagnóstico. ]]> RESULTADOS E DISCUSSÃO: A deleção do gene da elastina (teste de hibridização in situ por fluorescência positivo) foi detectado em 17/20 afetados (85%). As alterações renais foram diagnosticadas em 5/17 (29%) dos pacientes com a deleção e em 1/3 dos indivíduos sem a deleção. Catorze pacientes com a deleção apresentavam disfunções miccionais. A hipertensão arterial foi diagnosticada em três pacientes com a deleção e um deles apresentava estenose bilateral das artérias renais.
CONCLUSÕES: Devido à elevada incidência de anormalidades renais e do trato urinário na síndrome de Williams-Beuren, recomenda-se realizar uma avaliação laboratorial e de imagem sistematizada nos pacientes.
UNITERMOS: Síndrome de Williams-Beuren. Hibridização in situ por fluoresceína. Elastina. Anormalidades renais. Disfunção vesical.
Williams-Beuren syndrome (WBS) is a rare genetic disease characterized by a typical dysmorphic faces, congenital heart defects, growth deficiency, teeth and skeletal anomalies, inguinal hernia, infantile hypercalcemia, mental retardation, distinct cognitive profile, overfriendly personality, and renal anomalies.1,2,3,4 Williams et al. in 19611 and Beuren2 in 1962 independently described the syndrome. The estimated prevalence of WBS ranges between 1 in 7,500 to 1 in 25,000 newborns. 5,6 The occurrence is usually sporadic in most families. 5,6
Williams-Beuren syndrome is considered a segmental aneusomy syndrome that results from a hemizygous deletion of contiguous gene on the long arm of chromosome 7 (7q11.23).7,8 Most WBS individuals have a 1,5 megabase deletion in 7q11.23 encompassing the elastin gene (ELN) and 25 gene to 35 genes.9,10 The phenotypic abnormalities of WBS are a result of the haploinsufficiency of the genes in this region. Hemizygosity of the ELN locus is responsible for cardiovascular abnormalities and connective-tissue abnormalities (dysmorphic facial features, prematurely wrinkled skin, hernia, joint laxity during infancy, hoarse voice, bladder and gut diverticula).11 LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1), a gene contiguous to ELN, and the second most frequently deleted gene in WBS patients, is expressed in the central nervous system and it may be responsible for impaired visual motor integration.12
Diagnosis of WBS is by clinical evaluation, usually during infancy, when the typical facial and cognitive profile become more apparent.3,4 Approximately 99% of the patients of WBS have microdeletion in chromosome 7q11.23 encompassing ELN and is detectable by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH).13,14 This test is useful for confirming the diagnosis of WBS, because great clinical variability is present, hindering a diagnosis, especially in the first year of life.
Cardiovascular anomalies occur in 80% of the WBS patients.3,4,15 Aortic supravalvar stenosis is the most common cardiac defect, present in 64%15 of the affected patients. Local and diffuse stenosis of the thoracic and abdominal aorta may also occur in WBS.16
The differential diagnosis for WBS includes Noonan syndrome17 and fetal alcohol syndrome, both of which can be associated with congenital heart disease and developmental delay.]]> Idiopathic hypercalcemia is documented in only 15% of affected patients and disappears by the end of the second year of life18. Abnormalities in the regulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D have also been described in patients with WBS; however the cause of the hypercalcemia remains unknown. 19
The estimated incidence of renal abnormalities in WBS is 18%.20,21. The congenital structural renal defects include ectopia, agenesis, hypoplasia, duplication, horseshoe kidney, asymmetry, hydronephrosis, vesicoureteral reflux and stenosis of the renal artery.20,21,22,23,24,25. Renal involvement can also be present as nephrocalcinosis, proteinuria and chronic renal insufficiency. 20,21,24,26,27 Arterial hypertension is a frequent finding in WBS6,27, especially among adolescents and adults and can be secondary to stenosis of the renal arteries.4,20,22,24,28,30
A systematic investigation of the renal system and urinary tracts of 20 patients with WBS was undertaken in order to determine the frequency and the types of renal and urinary tract anomalies.
The cohort of this prospective study consisted of 20 patients (11 males and 9 females) presenting with clinical features suggestive of WBS, followed-up at our institute, from 1999 to 2002. The mean age at the time of diagnosis was 5.9 years (range: 8 months to 10 years and 7 months). Conventional karyotyping using GTG banding in a peripheral blood sample was carried out in all patients.
The diagnosis of WBS was confirmed using the FISH test. This technique enables the determination of a specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence in a chromosome band. 30 The technique involves the hybridization of a fluorescent- or radioactive-labeled probe to its complementary DNA segment within a metaphase chromosome. The probe is visualized with fluorescence in the FISH technique or with an x-ray film.31 In our study, the hemizygosity for the elastin gene was analyzed using the LSI Williams syndrome region DNA probe (VYSIS®) (Figure 1), according to Pinkel et al. (1986).30 This is a specific-locus probe marked with Spectrum OrangeTM dye, which contains the locus of the ELN, the locus of the LIMK1 gene, and the locus of D7S613, a marker of chromosome 7. The control probe marked with Spectrum GreenTM is included in the mixture and corresponds to loci D7S486 and D7S522 located in the 7q31 band. Figure 2 represents the ideogram of chromosome 7, showing the hybridization regions of the probe. The presence of only 1 red signal (elastin gene) and 2 fluorescent green signals (markers of chromosome 7) indicates deletion of elastin gene in one of the chromatids of chromosome 7, confirming the WBS diagnosis. In this case, the patient is considered FISH positive. The individual who has 2 red signals (presence of elastin gene in both chromatids of chromosome 7), and 2 green signals is considered FISH negative (Figures 3a, 3b).
The patient' s medical histories were reviewed with emphasis on the occurrence of episodes of arterial hypertension, urinary lithiasis, urinary tract infection, or symptoms of dysfunctional voiding such as urinary incontinence or urgency. A complete physical examination was performed including weight: while barefoot and using light clothing (Filizola scales, SP, Brazil - up to 150 kg) and height measured with a wall anthropometer with the patient in upright position, barefoot, feet together, and keeping heels, buttocks, and shoulders in contact with the wall. Blood pressure was checked after 5 minutes of rest in the seated position by the auscultation method using a mercury column, with the right arm resting at heart level, positioning the stethoscope against the brachial artery, using an arm-sleeve cuff with an inflatable bulb with a length approximately covering 40% of the arm circumference measured mid-distance between the elbow and the acromion and sufficient length to completely involve the brachial perimeter. Systolic pressure was defined as the value of arterial pressure corresponding to Korotkoff phase I (KI), and diastolic pressure as the value corresponding to Korotkoff phase V of (KV).32 Renal function was evaluated by laboratory determination of serum sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, bicarbonate, phosphorus, urea, and creatinine. Glomerular filtration rate was calculated utilizing the Schwartz formula.33 Urinary evaluation included urinalysis and a 24-hour urine collection for determination of sodium, potassium, uric acid, calcium, and citrate. Hypercalcemia was defined as total serum calcium >10.5 mg/dL or ionized calcium > 1.32 mmol/L. Hypercalciuria was defined as 24-hour urinary calcium excretion > 4 mg/kg/day. Microscopic hematuria was defined as presence > 5 red blood cells/ high power field in the urinary sediment. Renal and urinary tract investigation also comprised a renal ultrasound examination, which was completed by a Doppler study in hypertensive patients. A voiding cystourethrogram was performed for evaluation of urinary tract infection or dysfunctional voiding. Urodynamic evaluation was performed in patients with dysfunctional voiding. Clinically hypertensive patients were also evaluated by Tc 99m DMSA scans in an attempt to diagnose renal scars and by magnetic resonance imaging of the aorta and renal arteries in order to rule out renal vascular malformations. Renal angiography for diagnosis of renovascular hypertension in selected cases with severe hypertension or abnormal magnetic resonance imaging of the aorta and renal arteries.]]>
All patients presented with a typical face (Figure 4), delayed development/mental retardation, friendly personality, and dental and skeletal anomalies. All of our patients were considered sporadic since their parents were healthy. Conventional karyotyping yielded normal results in all 20 patients. Deletion of the elastin gene (FISH positive) was found in 17 out of 20 patients (the remaining 3 patients were FISH negative).
Laboratory tests (urinalysis, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, and serum sodium and potassium) were normal in all patients. Renal abnormalities were diagnosed in 5 of 17 (29%) of the FISH-positive patients and in 1 of 3 FISH-negative ones (Table 1). On ultrasound examination, renal echogenicity was normal in 2 FISH-positive patients (15/17) and in 3 FISH-negative individuals (3/3). Small parapyelitic cysts were visible in 1 FISH-positive patient, and alteration of the renal texture was present in 2 FISH-positive patients. Microscopic hematuria was detected in 2 girls, one (FISH negative) of which presented associated intermittent hypercalciuria and the other (FISH positive) presented repeated urinary infections (RUI). Another patient (FISH positive) presented RUI and grade 3 vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) at the right kidney.
Fourteen FISH-positive patients were found to have dysfunctional voiding. Urodynamic evaluation was performed in 14 of 20 patients (13 FISH positive, 1 FISH negative), with normal findings in 4 patients (three FISH positive; one FISH negative), detrusor hyperactivity in 8 patients, reduction in bladder complacency in 3 patients, and high urinary pressure on micturition in 2 patients.
Arterial hypertension (AH) was diagnosed in 3 FISH-positive patients, in 2 of which, 16 years and 8 years of age, the AH was mild. Renal Doppler evaluation and magnetic resonance of the aorta and renal arteries was normal. Both were successfully treated with a salt-restricted diet.
One patient (FISH positive) at 14 years of age presented severe AH that was refractory to anti-hypertensive treatment due to bilateral stenosis of the renal arteries (Figure 1). Arteriography revealed 90% stenosis of the right renal artery, with ipsilateral retraction of the kidney and 50% stenosis of the left renal artery. The abdominal aorta was narrowed but it was still pervious having flat and regular walls, and the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery were in the usual position without apparent lesions (Figure 5). The patient underwent angioplasty of the right renal artery, but without success; later, resection and reimplantation of the right renal artery was performed at the site of the stenosis.
DISCUSSION]]> The incidence of structural renal anomalies was found to be 18% in the classic studies of Pober et al. (1993)20 and Pankau et al. (1996)21, in which renal ultrasound was performed. The frequency of renal anomalies in the present study (30%) was higher than that from those studies, probably due to the smaller sample size and systematic renal evaluation. Tables 2 and 3 present the renal anomalies among the patients with WBS in the present study and also in the main studies in the literature.
In the present study, 10% (2/20) of the patients presented abnormalities in the renal texture as revealed by ultrasonography. On kidney ultrasound examination of 25 children and adolescents with WBS, Coté et al. (1989)26 detected increased renal medullary echogenicity in 20% (5/25) of the patients. Infantile hypercalcemia was documented in 2 of 5 of these patients. Those children with normal levels of serum calcium, during the first year of life, did not develop nephrocalcinosis throughout the follow-up to 4 years. Both patients of our sample with abnormalities in renal texture presented intermittent hypercalciuria; however the serum calcium was normal. Increased renal medullary echogenicity is a nonspecific ultrasonography finding, that could be due to deposits of calcium, protein, or urates and also to medullary tubular ectasia.26 Patients with WBS can present persistently high serum calcium for months but usually return to normal levels during the second half of the first year of life.18
The occurrence of hypercalcemia was not documented in any of the 20 patients in the present work. The incidence of hypercalcemia documented in the literature is 15%18 in patients with WBS and, when present, frequently occurs within the first 18 months of life. The frequency of hypercalciuria in our sample was 32% (6/19) and thus was similar to the 30% reported in the literature18.
The frequency of VUR in the present study was 5% (1/20), which was similar to that reported in the literature, 3% in the work by Pober et al. (1993)20 and 4% in the series of Pankau et al. (1996).21
In the present sample, the frequency of urinary complaints was 75% (15/20). This percentage was greater than of Schulman et al. (1996)33 who studied 41 patients (18 males and 23 females; mean age, 9.4 years) affected by WBS. More than 30% of the patients studied by those authors presented high urinary frequency, incontinence, or urinary tract infections.
Urodynamic evaluation revealed abnormalities in 8 of 14 (57%) patients of the present sample. This frequency was greater than that of the study by Schulmann et al. (1996),36 in which the frequency 32% (13/41). Detrusor hyperactivity was the most frequently observed abnormality (75%) in the present study. Involuntary contractions of the detrusor muscle of the bladder were detected in 25% of our patients. This latter percentage was greater to that observed by Schulmann et al. (1996)36, which was 10% (4/41).]]> Table 4 shows the frequency of arterial hypertension (AH) among the patients with WBS of the present study and in the main studies in the literature. The risk of developing AH increases with the patient' s age.
The incidence of narrowing and stenosis of the renal artery in the literature is variable in WBS. Pober et al. (1993)20 investigated the frequency of stenosis of the renal artery in 9 patients that underwent abdominal angiography during cardiac catheterization. The mean age at the time of catheterization was 6 years (range, 1-17 years). The authors observed slight unilateral or bilateral narrowing of the renal artery in 4 patients and normal renal arteries in the remaining 5. Persistent arterial hypertension occurred in only 2 patients, and there was no correlation with the state of the renal artery. Pankau et al. (1996)21 observed narrowing of the renal artery in (44.4%) patients in the abdominal angiography performed during cardiac catheterization in 18 patients with WBS.
Some authors consider that the incidence of arterial stenosis and arterial hypertension are even higher, due to the finding of hypoplasia of the ascending aorta and of the aortic arch, and even more extensive stenoses of the aorta have been observed in a high number of patients.20 Furthermore, it should be noted that such narrowing or stenosis of the renal artery was not systematically investigated in many series of WBS patients and there are few data regarding abdominal angiography.
Due to the high incidence of renal and urinary abnormalities in WBS, ultrasound examination of the kidneys and urinary tract should be performed for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, and a urine test for the calcium- to-creatinine ratio should be performed at the time of the diagnosis.18 Laboratory examinations and urinalysis should be carried out at least every year during chidhood for evaluation of renal function. Serum calcium should be measured every year throughout life if the patient is normocalcemic.18 If there is persistent hypercalcemia and/or hypercalciuria or nephrocalcinosis, referral to a nephrologist for management is advisable.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS]]> The authors are grateful to Dr. Lisa Suzuki, MD, assistant doctor of the Image Diagnosis Service of ICr-HC-FMUSP for performing the doppler ultrasonography of the kidneys; Dr. Roberto Blasblag, MD, assistant doctor of the Magnetic Nuclear Resonance Sector of HC-FMUSP, Dr Flavio Trigo Rocha, PhD, MD, Head of Urodynamics Sector of HC-FMUSP, Dr Cristiano Mendes Gomes, PhD, MD, Dr. Zein Mohammed Sammour, MD, doctors of Urodynamics Sector of HC-FMUSP for performing the urodynamic studies. We also are in debt to Dr Maria de Loudes L. F. Chauffaille, PhD, MD, Head of Cytogenetics Service of Fleury Laboratory and Kikue Terada Abe, PhD, biologist of the Instituto de Biociências-USP, for performing the FISH tests without cost for our study.
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35. Sforzini C, Milani D, Fossali E, Brabato A, Grumieri G, Bianchetti M, et al. Renal tract ultrasonography and calcium homeostasis in Williams-Beuren syndrome. Pediatr Nephrol 2002;17:899-902. [ Links ]
36. Schulman Sl, Zderic S, Kaplan P. Increased prevalence of urinary symptoms and voiding dysfunction in Williams syndrome. J Pediatr 1996;129:466-9. [ Links ]
37. Wessel A, Motz R, Pankau R, Bursch JH. Arterial hypertension and blood pressure profile in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome. Z Kardiol 1997;86:251-7. [ Links ]
38. Broder K, Reinhardt E, Ahern J, Lifton R, Tamborlane W, Pober B. Elevated ambulatory blood pressure in 20 subjects with Williams syndrome. Am J Med Genet 1999; 83:356-60. [ Links ]
Received for publication on February 27, 2004.]]>

subset: commoncrawl


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Crafting the Perfect Holiday
November 22nd, 2011
A few days ago I started working on the decorations we will use for our holiday book display at the Elkton Central Library this year. I am decoupaging old book pages on to a Styrofoam tree. Will it be a success? Im not sure at this point. For me the joy of creating is not really being sure what you will end up with and the pleasure I receive when it turns out, hopefully, better than expected. The other nice thing about it is that Im recycling old books and flower pots!
Everyone is looking for ways to save money during the holidays. One of the ways I save (and recycle) is by making my own gifts for relatives and friends out of vintage paper and fabric. They appreciate the thought, love and effort put into the gifts, and I enjoy making them. It, however, is not a pretty sight at my house during the creative process. When an idea strikes me, I rip through the boxes and boxes of vintage paper and fabric I collect until just the right pieces come together.
The library has a wide assortment of craft books from Scherenschnitte (Papercutting) to rug hooking and many dedicated just to holiday crafts. Two of my particular favorites are Sara Tolivers Vintage Christmas Crafts and Terry Taylors Altered Art. I love the vintage quality of these two books and have made shadow boxes as gifts using ideas from both of them. Happily, these shadow boxes have become treasured gifts, prized by the recipients.
Here is a list of some other craft books available at the library that might inspire you to craft the perfect holiday this year. In December all the Cecil County Public Libraries will host holiday craft programs for all ages and open houses with music and food. We invite you to join us in celebrating the holidays. And now is the time to check out those craft books!
What will you be crafting for the holidays?
Tags: adults, altered art, Cecil County, cecil county public library, christmas crafts, collection, craft book, crafts, events, family, free, holiday crafts, holidays, information, library, news, online resources, programming, reading, Recommendations, resources, vintage crafts


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ESPN, Twitter Expand Tie-Up
Sports Network to Increase Highlights on Messaging Service, Generating Ad Sales
ESPN and Twitter Inc. are announcing a major expansion of their collaboration to post sports-related videos on the short-messaging service—part of a growing wave of tie-ups as TV networks and Twitter hunt for new advertising revenue.
ESPN, which is majority-owned by Walt Disney Co. DIS -3.24% , plans to show video-highlight clips on Twitter of major sports events in the coming year, including from soccer matches leading up to the World Cup, college football and the X Games extreme-sports tournaments. People can watch the video clips on Twitter's website and mobile apps shortly after the action happens on TV.
The sports network plans to sell ads that will run inside the video clips, and marketing sponsors will commit to buying from Twitter a minimum value of "promoted"—or paid—Twitter posts to circulate their pitches.
Twitter executives have been talking with many TV companies, including Comcast Corp. CMCSA -3.06% 's NBCUniversal and CBS Corp. CBS.A -2.01% , about more ways to collaborate on online video that would be shown inside Twitter, with each side selling ads to accompany the videos, according to people familiar with the discussions.
ESPN will feature its Twitter partnership at an event Tuesday for advertisers. The announcement continues a partnership announced last year that has included sports' fans Twitter posts appearing on ESPN telecasts and a recent experiment with college football Web-video highlights on Twitter.
The closer ties spotlight the symbiotic business needs of Twitter and the television industry. For the TV networks, Twitter tie-ins provide new ways to make money beyond 30-second TV commercials likely to be skipped or ignored. Entertainment executives talk about "engagement"—buzz and social-media comments around a show—nearly as often as they mention traditional TV ratings.
"We want to be able to push ESPN's…content wherever sports fans are," said Eric Johnson, ESPN's executive vice president of multimedia sales. "Twitter is a great opportunity for us to do that."
While Twitter is best known as a way to share 140-character text messages, the service now allows companies to post longer story summaries, photos and videos that can pop up without jumping away from Twitter.com or Twitter apps.
The company has fixated on television to press one of its major advantages over Facebook Inc. —its status as a hub for digital conversations about breaking news and other live events, especially on television. Nielsen says 40% of people who use a smartphone in the U.S. visit a social network while watching television. Twitter wants to ensure it is making money from all the posts about TV broadcasts, and from the ways TV networks use Twitter to promote their shows.
Twitter and the TV networks are going after the same prize: a slice of the roughly $350 billion annual spending on world-wide TV advertising, according to Nielsen. Some research shows social media is boosting viewership of live television, and the TV networks and Twitter are eager to capitalize.
"There is certainly a lot of interest from broadcasters," said Glenn Brown, Twitter's head of promoted content and sponsorships. "Video is very popular on the Web; it's what our TV partners are good at doing, and it's an area that ad partners are most interested in."
As Twitter discusses similar arrangements with other entertainment companies, it is telling TV networks that video clips on Twitter can pad viewership by convincing people to flip on the TV set when they might not otherwise do so, or by rewarding fans who are already tuning in by giving them exclusive video clips.
In the trial run that started last December, ESPN showed highlights of college football bowl games on Twitter, and Ford Motor Co. bought ads from Twitter and ESPN to promote the clips. ESPN says the video highlights were seen more than seven million times.
"When it comes to TV, where Twitter is particularly strong is grabbing the conversation, or facilitating the conversation," said Curt Hecht, chief global revenue officer for the Weather Co., which is owned by NBCUniversal and private-equity firms Blackstone Group LP and Bain Capital.
The company, which owns the Weather Channel, said in April its Twitter partnership will allow users to see clips on Twitter ranging from local forecasts to videos people shoot of extreme weather events. Home Depot Inc. will pay to show how-to videos tailored to local weather, so a forecast of a Texas heat wave could be accompanied by a video on how to build a patio.
The Fox network also said Monday it will show Web-video clips inside of Twitter, and marketers can buy video ads to promote the clips. Fox network is owned by News Corp . , which also publishes The Wall Street Journal.
It is unclear if the interests of Twitter and TV companies will always align. Networks could decide to post video on Twitter on their own, without cutting Twitter into ad sales. Twitter also may increasingly be treading on the TV networks' turf by vying to be a meeting point for people seeking news and entertainment.
Twitter executives play down the potential for tension. "We get along well with the TV industry, and they get along well with us," Twitter's Mr. Brown said.
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FRIDAY, Dec. 14, 2012 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who are heavily into drinking and smoking pot may show signs of breakdown in the brain's wiring system, a small study suggests.
Using brain scans of 92 teenagers, researchers found that kids who regularly drank and used marijuana showed negative changes in the brain's "white matter" over 18 months.
The brain has two broad types of tissue, known as gray matter and white matter. The gray matter can be seen as the brain's information-processing centers, while the white matter is like the wiring connecting those centers.
It's not clear what the current findings could mean for teens' everyday brain function. And it's not even certain that it's the substance abuse causing the white matter changes.
But researchers say the results offer a cautionary message about heavy drinking and pot smoking.
"White matter is the information highway. It allows the brain to communicate quickly and efficiently," said the study's lead researcher, Joanna Jacobus, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, San Diego.
If white matter is "less healthy," she explained, there could be subtle effects on a person's memory, attention and mental processing speed.
Dr. Duncan Clark, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine who studies teen substance abuse, also weighed in on the study.
"We are concerned that alcohol, marijuana or other substance use may cause delays or deficits in teen brain development," Clark said. "This study adds to those concerns."
Other studies have found signs of white-matter "disorganization" in kids who drink or smoke pot. What's different here is that the researchers followed kids over time to see whether substance abuse itself was linked to brain changes, said Clark, who was not involved in the study.
The findings, reported online Dec. 14 in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, are based on 41 teenagers with a history of habitual drinking and pot smoking, and 51 teens who reported little, if any, alcohol or drug use.
At the start of the study and again 18 months later, all of the teens underwent a type of MRI scan that maps the diffusion of water molecules in the brain. The technique can pick up subtle changes in the structural integrity of the brain's white matter.
As a group, Jacobus and her colleagues found, kids who drank and smoked pot showed negative white-matter changes. In particular, the more they drank over the study period, the worse their white-matter integrity.
Over 18 months, teens in the substance-abuse group drank on more than 400 occasions, on average, and smoked pot more than 650 times. Heavier marijuana use, however, did not correlate with the negative brain changes.
"This study suggests that alcohol use has more effect than marijuana use," Clark said.
He added, though, that more research is needed on that question -- including whether drinking and pot smoking together could have some combined effects. "I believe it would be premature to make conclusions about marijuana's effects," Clark said.
The researchers had no information on what the teens' white matter was like before they started drinking and smoking pot. So they can't say for sure whether the drugs are the cause of the brain changes they saw.
It's always possible there are other explanations, Jacobus said.
"Genetics and home environment can influence healthy brain development in many ways," she said. "It is possible that white matter and other structural brain differences between these youth predisposed certain individuals to use more heavily compared to others."
The differences in white matter between substance abusers and nonusers might translate into only subtle effects in real life -- in areas such as kids' school performance, Jacobus said.
But, she said, "it's important to point out that with regular, repeated, heavy use throughout adolescence and young adulthood, these small effects may become more noticeable and consequential."
More information
Learn more about the effects of substance abuse from the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse.


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Houston activists meet with feds over Trayvon Martin case
About a dozen Houston community activists met Tuesday with U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson to demand action in the wake of the George Zimmerman acquittal.
But the community leaders were mum after the meeting about their specific demands.
"He was firm, and we were just as firm with him," said Quanell X as the activists emerged from the meeting in downtown Houston. "It was not a hug and kiss meeting. It was not a kissing cousin meeting. We listened to him, he listened to us."
Prior to the 9 a.m. sit-down, Krystal Muhammad, Houston chairwoman of the New Black Panther Party, outlined the group's game plan.
"We have some specific demands of the Department of Justice, from the local level to the national level," she said. "We want accountability and transparency to our communities as to what they're (DOJ) doing with regard to the Trayvon Martin case, as well as many other cases we've submitted to the Department of Justice."
DeLoyd Parker Jr., co-founder and executive director of S.H.A.P.E. Community Center, said the group is awaiting Magidson's response.
"The bottom line is that we made a move today," he said. "It was a move on behalf of the people, and we firmly believe that. We'll see what their response is ... whether he (Magidson) really represents the people. It's their move right now."
A Florida jury's decision July 14 to acquit Zimmerman in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin sparked protests nationwide, including Houston.
Muhammad, of the New Black Panther Party, said the time for passivity is over.
"Today is a new day," she said. "You're no longer going to be able to hide in these marble towers and ignore the people. You're going to have come to the people. We will remain at your doorsteps and inside your office and at your home and everywhere you turn until we see justice."
Also taking part in the meeting with Magidson were the National Black United Front, Harris County Green Party, Progressive Amateur Boxing Association and Nation Of Islam Southwest Region.
Magidson could not be immediately reached for comment.


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WASHINGTON About one of every 13 miles of the Appalachian Trail between Maine and Georgia passes through national forests where a Bush administration plan could allow clear cutting of wooded areas, an environmental group said Tuesday.
WASHINGTON About one of every 13 miles of the Appalachian Trail between Maine and Georgia passes through national forests where a Bush administration plan could allow clear cutting of wooded areas, an environmental group said Tuesday.
The Campaign to Protect America 's Lands said it found that 163 of the popular trail's 2,174 miles fall within the 58 million acres where the Bush administration proposed lifting a ban on logging, road-building, and other development.
Designated as the first National Scenic Trail in 1968, the Appalachian Trail draws an estimated 2 million hikers each year, including about 500 who travel its entire length over several months. Most enjoy shorter segments of the trail — first built between 1923 and 1937 — that are within easy reach of cities in the East.
"I don't think that walking through clear cuts or mines is what people are looking for," said Peter Altman, director of the campaign, which is part of the Rockefeller Family Fund's Environmental Integrity Project. However, Altman said he knows of no plans to allow timbering along any of the 163 miles of trail in six states covered by the new policy: Georgia , New Hampshire , North Carolina , Tennessee , Vermont and Virginia .
Heidi Valetkevitch, a Forest Service spokeswoman, said the agency wants to protect the Appalachian Trail — including the so-called "roadless" areas that are near or cross its path.
"We have no intention of putting the Appalachian Trail in jeopardy or harming the area in any way," she said. "It was protected before the roadless rule, and it's protected now. We have no intention of going into these areas. They're going to remain protected."
Most of the trail is protected by the Forest Service's existing management plans and by the National Park Service, which also manages the trail with backcountry users in mind, said David Startzell, executive director of the Appalachian Trail Conference.
The volunteer group in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, works closely with the federal government in managing the trail.
Startzell said there has typically been a couple of timber harvests a year near the trail, but they are only distantly visible and the Forest Service tries to minimize the impacts.
"You're just not going to see much timbering, mining, or road construction within the management zone that surrounds the trail," Startzell said.
The administration announced in July that it would allow logging in areas that former President Clinton had put off-limits to such activity shortly before he left office in 2001.
Source: Associated Press


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Slovak Extraliga Game Night: 12-7-12
Slovak Extraliga (Slovakia)
Banska Bystrica 3 vs. Zilina 1
Dana Tyrell, Banska Bystrica, 0-1-1, +3, 0 PIM
Season totals: 1 GP, 0-1-1, +3, 0 PIM
Dana Tyrell had an assist in his debut appearance with Banska Bystrica, which gradually worked its way to a 3-0 lead in the third period that held up against Zilina, which only broke the shutout in the final minute of regulation. Tyrell was on the ice for all of his team's goals and, though he wasn't credited on the statsheet, was even a factor in the home squad's second goal as he parked out front of the opposing net and provided a timely screen as teammate Clayton Stoner unleashed a blast from above the circles. Banska Bystrica (12-13-4-1, 45 PTS), which boasts NHLers Tanner Glass, Michal Handzus and Stoner in addition to Tyrell, next faces Nitra (15-8-5-2, 57 PTS), currently the second-place team in the league standings, at home on Sunday.
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Hillsboro police
Nov. 25: Officers responded to a commercial alarm in the 100 block of North Ash Street. A burglary was reported in the 100 block of South Ash Street; person said someone had entered an unlocked building and removed several items.
Nov. 26: A person was arrested for driving with a suspended license.
Nov. 27: Officers assisted the Department of Children and Families with a welfare concern in the 900 block of East D Street; two children were ordered to be temporarily removed from the residence.
Nov. 28: Officers assisted Marion County Sheriff with a phone scam. A welfare check was performed at a Hillsboro residence; five children were taken into police protective custody. A report of an attempted Medicare fraud scam in the 600 block of West Grand Avenue. Officers assisted with McPherson authorities with a hit-and-run accident.
Nov. 29: A burglary was reported in the 200 block of North Ash Street; suspects entered a building and removed two fire extinguishers. A person reported concerns regarding a possible protection from abuse violation in the 700 block of West Grand Ave.
Nov. 30: A theft was reported in the 100 block of South Main Street; a person reported a vendor removed items and cash from a vending machine they did not own. Officers assisted a person in the 700 block of West Grand Avenue with a protection from abuse order
Dec. 1: A person reported a fraudulent use of his social security number.
Dec. 4: A telephone harassment complaint was reported in the 900 block of East C Street.
Dec. 5: A child welfare check was conducted in Hillsboro Heights; a person left several small children unattended in cold vehicles with doors left open. A gray truck was reported revving its motor and driving at a high rate of speed in the 100 block of North Cedar Street.
Dec. 6: Door-to-Door sales people were reported operating without a permit.
Dec. 8: A child custody dispute was reported in the 100 block of South Ash Street.
Last modified Dec. 12, 2012


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Transfer from Geneva to Santa Caterina Valfurva
Private chauffeur service from Geneva | Free waiting in airport and Free Child Safety seats
Geneva is the third largest city in Switzerland after Basel and Zurich. This city is attractive by its special, peaceful beauty - this is one of the most peaceful places in Europe. Deciding to spend some time in Geneva, do not forget to take a stroll through the historic center where you can get acquainted with a lot of attractions. The Geneve Water Fountain (Jet d`Eau), the Flower clock at the Promenade du Lac are also worthy of your attention. You can go to the Palace of the United Nations and to lose track of the steps, walking in the hall ... of Lost steps. Briefly, you can never get bored in Geneva, especially if you arrange beforehand your organization issues getting ready for the holiday. First contact our company: here you can order a transfer to the hotel in Geneva - we will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. At the end of your vacation, we can also drive you from Geneva to the airport, so you can bring home a plenty of bright memories and emotions.
Economic minivan oe business sedan from Geneva and Airport
When visiting Santa Caterina Valfurva, you can book a per-hour car rental with driver from 2 hours/day and more. Meet and Greet service, offered by our company, will significantly simplify the meeting in the airport for the newcomers. Using a "car rental with driver" service you can vesit the places of interest, famous shops or outlets to do some shopping near the city, saving your time in this way. Santa Caterina Valfurva chauffeur service offered by our company will cost you much cheaper to order a car rental with driver with us than to hire a taxi driver. To book the economy car or minivan with chauffeur or a comfortable premium class car, coach, shuttle bus up to 50 seats, please choose the button. Per hour rental in the left upper corner of the page, write in the [Departure:] field the departure point and number of hours.
Company vehicle fleet
- ComfortToyota Avensis, Volkswagen Passat, Chevrolet Cruze, KIA Sportage
- Business ClassMercedes C-Class, E-Class
- Business MinivanMercedes Viano, Mercedes Vito, Volkswagen Caravelle
- Standart Minivan ExtraLongMercedes Sprinter 415
- CompactCitroen C1, Fiat Panda, Hyundai Atos
- Economy Fiat Punto, Peugeot 206, Vokswagen Golf, Fiat Doblo
- Luxury ClassMercedes S-Class, Audi A8, BMW 730, Cadillac STS
- Economy MinivanOpel Vivaro, Renault Trafic
- Standart Minivan LongMercedes Sprinter, Ford Transit
- MiniBusSewa Bus 25, Mercy, Mercedes Benz Sitcar Beluga
- Bus StandartMercedes 404
- Bus PremiumMercedes Tourismo, Setra 515, Volvo 9700
- Exotic LimoRolls Royce Phantom, Limousine Magnum, Bentley Arnage 120, Chrysler C 300 Limousine 130, Hummer H3 140, Lincoln Strech Limousine
- Vintage SedanOn Request (Alfa Romeo, Cadillac, Buick, Plyumouth etc.)


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Chandon Champagne and Living Edge have formed a great partnership to present Miniature Cork Chair Competitions in Australia. Numerous delicately crafted designs are the result of the competition being held in three cities over the past couple of years. The Brisbane display at In Design Live on the weekend was a highlight for me.
Artists and architects are invited to fashion a miniature chair using two corks, wire cages and foils,with designs judged on their originality, wit, artistry and craftsmanship.
The chairs featured below are from the Melbourne exhibition, with photos by Christian Mushenko.


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"Wildly varied and always surprising, Darker Days is a fantastic collection of dark wonders. Cain is a gifted storyteller and a writer to watch." — Jonathan Janz
"I've said before that the way to assess the health of a genre is to look at the number of excellent young writers it attracts. There is a new wave of excellent writers showing up in Horror. Kenneth W. Cain is one of these very good writers. His prose is precise, his plotting and pace move seamlessly and quickly, and his stories are compelling. Darker Days is a good example of some of his best work—highly recommended." — Gene O'Neill, The White Plague Chronicles
"A feast for the senses no matter your tastes! Kenneth W. Cain does it again with Darker Days: A Collection of Dark Fiction." — Rena Mason, Bram Stoker Award® winning author of The Evolutionist and East End Girls
"Darker Days, the latest collection of short stories by Kenneth W. Cain, delivers on its title's promise. From the very first story readers are dragged into seemingly ordinary situations that serve as cover for dark secrets. Ranging from subtle horror to downright terror, from science fiction to weird fantasy, Cain demonstrates a breadth of styles that keeps you off balance as you move from one story to the next. There is something for everyone in this collection—as long as you don't want to sleep at night!" — JG Faherty, author of The Cure, Carnival of Fear, and The Burning Time
Reviews for Darker Days:
"Kenneth Cain has the ability to bring up hard topics without driving them into the ground or beating you over the head with them." — SciFi & Scary
"There's a lot of interesting content in DARKER DAYS. What makes this twenty-six story collection memorable is the diversity of genres and the variety of themes." — Pop Culture Podium
"Darker Days, by Kenneth Cain, is a great collection of tales that any fan of horror fiction would enjoy. There's something in this book for everyone. The subject matter of the tales therein includes ghosts, cosmic horror, zombies, vampires, weird creatures, aliens, kaiju, and demons. While there were stories I enjoyed more than others, there wasn't a single dud in this collection." — HorrorAddicts.net
"Kenneth W. Cain is an exceptional writer. His stories never fail to provide the chills and thrills you want from a horror anthology. Highly recommended." — Goodreads review
Now that you've warmed by the embers, submerse in darker days.
The author of the short story collections These Old Tales, Fresh Cut Tales, and Embers presents Darker Days: A Collection of Dark Fiction. In his youth Cain developed a sense of wonderment owed in part to TV shows like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, One Step Beyond and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Now Cain seeks the same dark overtones in his writing.
There's a little something for every reader within this collection. These 26 short speculative stories arise from a void, escaping shadows that ebb and weave through minds like worms, planting the larvae that live just under the skin, thriving upon fear. These are Cain's darker days.
In this collection, Cain features stories from the Old West, of past lives and future days, the living and the dead, new and unique monsters as well as fresh takes on those of lore. Once more he tackles themes of loss and grief and the afterlife, always exploring the greater unknown. In "The Sanguine Wars," Cain takes us to a future where soldiers are made to endure the horrors of war. He explores the complexities of global warming and what lengths men and women alike sink to in "The Reassignment Project." And, as often is the case, he ends on a lighter note, with "Lenny's New Eyes" and "A Very Different Sort of Apocalypse."
When the darkness comes, embrace it. Let it wrap you up in cold. Don't worry, it's not your time…yet.
Includes the following stories:
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Tales From The Lake Volume 5
"If you're a short story reader, this is an absolute must-read. Volume five is even better than the four preceding volumes, which is a very hard bar to hit. Go buy this!" — John R. Little, author of The Memory Tree, Miranda, and Soul Mates
Reviews for Tales from the Lake Volume 5:
"Taken all together, Tales From The Lake – Volume 5 is an absolute triumph, a wonderfully inclusive celebration of the best that the Horror genre can produce, unhindered by the constraints of themes or specific topics. The individual stories within the collection are uniformly of a very high quality, and have been expertly brought together and edited by Kenneth W. Cain and Crystal Lake Publishing." – Sci-Fi and Fantasy Reviews
"edited by Kenneth Cain, one of the as yet unsung heroes of dark horror fiction–an author in his own right who deserves much more attention and spotlighting." – The Haunted Reading Room
"This anthology from Crystal Lake Publishing is by far the best volume yet in the Tales from the Lake series!" – Amazon review
"Though the stories in Tales from the Lake Volume 5 are not themed in the traditional sense, they form a cohesive unit. Threads connect each to the others as if the authors had conspired to give the anthology its unique flavor." — HorrorAddicts.net
"The current and previous have been a huge improvement and I enjoyed them immensely." – Amazon review
"The most terrifying thing in the world is not a vampire or zombie, it is mankind and what we are capable of doing to each other. This collection from editor Kenneth W. Cain will eat at you for a long time. Horrifying, haunting, and unforgettable!" – Goodreads review
"I've been a fan of the Tales From The Lake anthology since the first volume and it's amazing to see how much it has evolved over the years. Volume 5 is quite possibly the best yet." – Goodreads review
"Kenneth W. Cain did an excellent job of weaving the stories together and they flow from one to another leaving the reader on a journey of terror and entertainment." – Goodreads review
"Over the years I've read enough anthologies, short story collections and fiction magazines to refine my expectations for what comprises a premium horror story. So when I declare that I thoroughly enjoyed two-thirds of the fiction in TALES FROM THE LAKE VOLUME 5 – – that says a lot about the high quality of the contents." – Pop Culture Podium
"…this one has some seriously fantastic offerings." – A.E. Siraki
The Legend Continues…
In the spirit of popular Dark Fiction and Horror anthologies such as Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories and Behold: Oddities, Curiosities and Undefinable Wonders, and the best of Stephen King's short fiction, comes Crystal Lake Publishing's Tales from The Lake anthologies.
Where are the real horrors? Whether they be a family member returning from the dead, exploring the depths of depression or the deterioration of the mind, you'll find them here.
This anthology contains twenty-two tales and three poems to elicit unexpected emotions, to bring you into the story. Welcome to my lake, where dreams really do come true… As nightmares!
This fifth volume of speculative fiction contains:
Short stories:
With an introduction by editor Kenneth W. Cain. Cover art by Ben Baldwin. Proudly represented by Crystal Lake Publishing – Tales from The Darkest Depths.
A Season in Hell
"Kenneth W. Cain takes timely social topics and explores them against the backdrop of America's pastime. What begins as a baseball story quickly delves into something rich, deep, and dark." – Mercedes M. Yardley, author of Pretty Little Dead Girls
Reviews for A Season in Hell:
"Kenneth was in great form here, like a virtuoso who hits every note. A Season In Hell is a powerful short which affected me greatly. Even brought a tear to my eye. Just wow.." – Frank Michaels Errington's Horrible Book Reviews
"I know zilch about baseball, but I know about racism, bigotry, sexism, abuse, and violence. I also know about the human tendencies to blame, to ignore, and to think violence is an appropriate tool. I am aware of all that, and so is author Kenneth W. Cain, who created a novella that made me cry, copiously. Then, his brilliant, incisive, Afterword made me weep all over again." – The Haunted Reading Room
"A very quick read that will break into your very soul, and maybe change it a little." – Goodreads review
"…both thought-provoking and haunting, in the sense that the story will stay with me for a very long time." – Goodreads review
"Keisha's story is narrated so realistically that it read like a true story. This intensified the suffering that Keisha is subjected to, making it raw, easy to imagine and full of anguish. Though this is a short novella, it evoked very strong emotion in me." – Banshee Irish Horror Blog
"…a powerful story, and not at all what I thought it was going to be. This is fiction but it feels so real and given the history of misogyny in sports and the current struggles for women it is a different kind of horror story. Anyone who has been bullied or unfairly treated can relate to A Season in Hell. I think it would make a great teaching tool in high schools." – I Smell Sheep
"…a powerful read, there are lessons to be learned. You know, when you pick up a horror book it usually because you want to be entertained, escaping reality for a while but real horror is much darker than that. Real horror is the reality of how and what man can do to another. The pain inflicted might not show on the surface but it's there… deeply ingrained in your psyche for all eternity." – Horror Novel reviews
When Dillon Peterson is honored for his baseball career, he must face a ghost that has long haunted him. He is transported back through his memories to a single season in the nineties that broke his heart. That was the season he met Keisha Green, the first and only woman to play baseball in the minor leagues. He sees what she goes through, what she must endure just to play the game both of them love, and this struggle leads to their friendship. As matters escalate, Dillon finds himself regretting his role in it all, as well as his career in baseball.
"A Season in Hell is a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking story. You won't soon forget Dillon or Keisha. Her struggle is as timely today as ever. A Season in Hell is also a love letter to baseball and how, despite everything, the game can still heal and bring people together who seemed impossibly far apart, and can do so through intimidating odds. A timeless story of true humanity." —John Palisano, Vice President of the Horror Writers Association and Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of Night of 1,000 Beasts
"Kenneth W. Cain hits a grand slam with this tragic tale of baseball. As a fan of the game and also such a heart-breaking story I can't wait to see what's next from the author!" – Armand Rosamilia, author of A View From My Seat: My Baseball Season With the Jumbo Shrimp
"Not a squall, not a blizzard … It's a pulp horror AVALANCHE! That's Kenneth W. Cain's new collection, Embers." — Mort Castle, Bram Stoker Award winner
Reviews for Embers:
"Cain's characters are anything but black and white. They are as multi-faceted as any real person you know. They are presented with difficult decisions and even worse situations, and they do the best that they can. Monster and man both are tested relentlessly, Cain never taking the easy way out. Some of the stories are predominately scary, some are predominately sad. All of them will evoke a range of emotions while you read and long after you've finished." — Charnel House Reviews
"Prepare for the stretching of your mind and the expansion of your imagination as Kenneth W. Cain boldly goes into unexplored territory, sometimes speculative, other times horrific, but always enlightening." — Mallory Heart Reviews
"Some of these tales take on a poe-esque quality, while others a more Lovecraftian tone, and then we find those that bestow upon us the moral musings of Rod Serling. Yeah, these stories are good!" — Horror Novel Reviews
"If you enjoy your horror with a touch of Lovecraft, I believe you'll appreciate this body of work from Kenneth W. Cain more than you would otherwise." — Cemetery Dance (Frank Michaels Errington)
"The market is flooded with short story collections and I sincerely hope that Cain's Embers finds an audience as he has a strong voice and an obvious writing ability. A really good collection overall" — The Grim Reader
"Each story is connected by a little thread to the next one. Kenneth created a web of weird, sometimes gory, sometimes psychological and always scary threads." — Banshee Irish Horror Blog
"Embers is a collection that strolls into every corner of horror to gather bits before running them through the spin cycle, dial set to dread." — Unnerving Magazine
"…from page 1 I enjoyed reading each and every word." — Terror-Tree
"Books like Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark were always a fun read as a child right before bed. Cain's Embers is like an adult version of those novels." — The Horrific Network
"What makes his work scary is that he takes normal everyday situations with characters just like you and me and twists them into something horrific. These are tales that really could happen to anyone." — S.J. Budd
"Overall, Embers is a well-constructed and put together collection of horror stories from Kenneth W. Cain that marks another quality release from Crystal Lake Publishing." — A.E. Siraki
"I thought it was a great collection." — Sci-Fi and Scary
From the author of the short story collections These Old Tales and Fresh Cut Tales comes his latest effort, Embers: A Collection of Dark Fiction. In his youth Cain developed a sense of wonderment owed in part to TV shows like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, One Step Beyond and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Now Cain seeks the same dark overtones in his writing. There's a little something for every reader within this collection. These 25 short speculative stories represent the smoldering remains of a blaze, the fiery bits meant to ignite the mind with slow-burning imagery and smoky twists and turns. These are the very embers of Cain's soul.
In this collection, Cain features stories of troubled men and women, both living and dead. Themes of loss and the afterlife take on many forms, as he explores the unknown. For instance, "The Chamber" focuses on a hardened veteran of World War II who has committed heinous crimes. He seeks only to find peace from his conscience, but sometimes that comes at a great loss. "Valerie's Window" visits a small town amid a tragic end to humanity. Only things are not as they seem, and the more Valerie comes to know herself, the more her reality is revealed. "The Benefit of Being Weighty" has a humorous side, but the theme of this story revolves around fat shaming and the price one must pay for being so ignorant. Hopefully, these three short descriptions have increased your curiosity to read the book.
When the dark comes, light a match. Let the fire burn bright and hot. So that when it dies the embers warm you.
Includes the following stories:
The Big Book of Monsters & Friends


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Annotated Playthrough: Regenfighting
Here I will show you the basics of Regenfighting and how to win a whole dungeon with it without using potions or gods or anything special.
But first: What is regenfighting? In later dungeons you will very often come to the point, that you can not kill a monster directly by clicking on it till it dies. If you then to continue fighting by exploring(thus regenerating hp) and clicking on the monster again and again you sometimes can manage to brawl it to death. How do you know when this is going to work? Just continue reading, I will show you :)
For the playthrough I chose an intermediate dungeon (Eastern Tundra), but this strategy can be applied to every dungeon. My favourite class for regenfighting is the monk (because of the double regeneration) with orc as race to compensate his low dmg. I will play purist, because no special things are needed (although there are some items, that can boost regenplay massively !)
This is my start. Found Binlor, but was not interested and didn´t want to use any god anyway, so pass. But I found a fine sword! A great addition to my low dmg as monk. Anything that can boost your base damage is awesome :)
Here you can see how awesome base damage is for monks... I wanted to regenfight but can just dispose of the vampire :D
Found a burndayraz! Maybe you know the different effects, but take a close look at the last part. If an enemy with burning regenerates (normally his lvl per tile), he regenerates one less. Awesome!
Ah :) Finally found an enemy worth fighting. You mean I can´t win against him? I need 5 hits and he just 2? Welcome to the power of regenfighting :) Lets see: I attack him, move one tile, attack him again and fireball him.
I regenerate 4 tiles, attack him and fireball him again.
I regenerate 2 tiles, attack him and fireball him again.
I regenerate 3 tiles and kill him (regenerated in the subdungeon).
But how did I know that I could kill him? It would waste a lot of ressources if you try that and it doesnt work. So before you attack him, a little computation is needed: Determine your Power=Damage*Level. If this is higher than the enemy power (enemy damage* enemy level), you can outregen him! In this example, you have lvl 1 and 9 dmg, so your power is 9. The zombie has lvl 3 and 12 dmg, so his is 36. BUT you play monk, so you can double your power! AND the enemy has to hit through your physical defense, so his dmg(and power) gets halfed. So its an even 18 to 18. If you now use your fireball to decrease his regenerating, you effectively decrease his level by 1, leaving him by a mere 9 power. So 18>9 and he is slowly going down :) How slowly? If your power is much higher than the enemys power, he will go down very fast. A regenfight with 18 to 17 will take ages... it needs a bit of feeling when this is worth it. But the cool thing is: When you have no better target, why not fight? You can always back out of a fight and fight another one ! But back to the dungeon: Through the exploring I found the next target, a lvl 4 goblin.
Lets calculate the power: I am lvl 2 now with 12 dmg. So my power is 2*12*2=48. He is lvl 4 (effectively 3) goblin with 21 (effectively 11(rounded up!!!)) dmg. So his power is 3*11=33. Piece of cake :) I use the same tactic as above, slowly bringing him down.
When he was nearly dead, I noticed something: He has 11 hp, but my fireball deals only 8 dmg. But with the burning, its 9, leaving him on 2 burning stacks. If I attack another monster after that, he will get that stacks as damage, killing him and leveling up :) The next target is at now at hand: A lvl 5 golem.
Golems (and Meatmen!!!) are awesome, because they have low dmg, leaving them pretty powerless. I am at lvl 3 with 15 dmg, thus having 3*15*2=90 power. He has lvl 4 and 13 dmg, so a mere power of 52! Ridicoulous!
So after a short fight, he is history :) Up to the next target! I constantly fight enemies 2 lvls above me to get that extra xp bonus.
I always use the same strategy: Attack until you are nearly dead, fireball to hinder his regeneration, regenerate yourself and attack again. Now lets spice things up a bit! I want a lvl 3 difference and THIS vampire sucked my blood!
He will pay for that... I am lvl 4 with 18 dmg, thus my power is 4*2*18=144, his is 6*21=126. Of course, this is only a little difference, but I want to kill him just for fun^^
And down he goes :) Again with no potions, spells other than burndayraz or something else. My inventory is empty, only the sword from the beginning is here (but would have been optional). Any glyph I found was instantly converted to get me that extra base damage, nothing else is needed :)
Meh, no good targets left... only a golem 2 level above me :) And down he goes. REMEMBER: The lvl 7 warlock in the lower part is much harder than the golem, because you cannot half his dmg (he has magic attack) and his base damage is very high. So dont attack him :)
Meatmen on the other hand are perfect targets. He has 11(!) dmg, lol. Maybe you are amazed by now, how powerful this is. But lets kick it up a notch :) 4 level difference.
The gorgon has a power of 8*32=256, i have 20*5*2=200. Oh man :( I have to pass... but wait! Only one xp is missing. So lets attack him a little bit, level up and kick a lvl 9 with 3 level difference. Oh well :) Better than nothing.
Down he goes :)
Found Tikki Tokki, a major lol for monks. He punishes you every time you take damage... so PASS (although his poison would be awesome!). Inventory still nearly empty, didnt know what to put in there :)
Found the next target and got the next level. I could accomodate to dinging after every fight :D
Found the boss and my next target.
Now lets attack the boss! He has a power of 9*38=342... thats a lot, even for bosses. And he retaliates my fireballs, so I cant slow his regeneration that easy... but a power of 10*38=380 is not acceptable, so I have to keep that in mind somehow.
First I use all my resources and level up on a lvl 1 monster, increasing my power to 8*37*2=592 (that *2 gets extreme useful in the end!)
Started regen fighting and came across a badge of honour. Nice :) My second buy this dungeon, bringing me to 8*45*2=720 power.
Slowly getting there :)
The final fireball (without retaliation!) and I win :) And although I used regen fighting all the time, I got plenty of dark space left. Next time you play just count the spaces you wasted while exploring. Just fight something, maybe you can kill it^^
Killed everything just for fun... DD cheated!!! Didnt have that many accesible black tiles in the end as I thought :D
Here is my endscreen, just if you want to see what enemies I killed in which order.
I hope you learned something and enjoyed the reading :) Thanks a lot and have fun playing with this strategy!


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Personal Trainers in Seattle, WA
Ballinger Village Active - View club info
20202 Ballinger Way NE
Seattle, WA 98155
Browse the profiles below to learn more about our Personal Trainers in Seattle, WA. Once you've found your trainer, you can purchase personal training sessions online. We'll do our best to match you up with the personal trainer that you choose but availability may vary.*
Not ready to choose a trainer? Purchase a Personal Training package and choose a trainer in club.


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Cuomo in '16? Think again
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo developed an early posture after his 2010 election of keeping his head down and ignoring national politics, almost never venturing beyond his home turf for the states that settle presidential races. Most believed it was essentially an act — one that he'd inevitably drop once he started pursuing his widely assumed ambition to be president.
Three years later, Cuomo's political lens is just as narrow. And Democratic activists in early presidential states have come to conclude there's no way he will run in 2016, whether Hillary Clinton is in the race or not. He's been so invisible on the national stage, they say — no speeches, no fundraising, no early-state networking — that even if Cuomo had a late change of heart, he's done none of the legwork that would be needed to mount a credible campaign.
Story Continued Below
Multiple early-state activists told POLITICO last week that while other Democratic presidential hopefuls have been courting them, laying the groundwork to run especially if Clinton doesn't, Cuomo is a nonfactor in their minds. Cuomo is simply not part of the discussion in Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina, where activists delight in their unique status in the nominating process and long to see candidates on repeated visits in the lead-up to primaries and caucuses.
Dick Harpootlian, the long-active South Carolina Democrat and former state party chairman, had a simple response when asked about Cuomo: "Who? Who? Who?"
He recalled, as state chairman, reaching out a few times to Cuomo's aides to see if he might come speak at fundraising events for the party.
Harpootlian was rebuffed "in rather terse terms every time," he said. "Nobody saying, 'Hey, give us a rain check' … none of that. It was just sort of, 'No.' Which to me indicated he has no interest whatsoever in running for president."
Asked whether he puts any stock in the Cuomo-for-president talk, New Hampshire Democratic chairman Ray Buckley had two answers: "No" and "nope."
( PHOTOS: Republicans, 2016 contenders)
"I have come to believe that he is quite content with the challenge of being the governor of New York and has every intention of remaining," Buckley said. "It would be highly unusual for anyone who is considering running for president in this cycle or the next three or four cycles for me not to know it."
A Cuomo spokeswoman declined to comment.
Cuomo's allies insist there would still be time for him to jump into a national race after his 2014 election and that his approach does not indicate he isn't running. They also argue that Cuomo's strict New York focus could actually provide a winning message should he eventually run: Unlike other hopefuls who put Iowa and New Hampshire first, the pitch would go, he took care of business back home. Cuomo's low national profile has also denied the New York press ammunition to rip him for being distracted by out-of-state trips.
Cuomo made a rare excursion to Washington, D.C., on Sunday for the annual Kennedy Center Honors, then stayed Monday to attend a fundraiser for his own reelection, hosted by lobbyist Tony Podesta and others. His aides announced at almost midnight Sunday that he'd attend the Democratic Governors Association's meeting in Washington on Monday, a rare time he's attended.
"No governor of the State of New York has ever ruled out being president!" said former DGA Executive Director Nathan Daschle in an email. "He might not be actively running, but I don't buy for a second that he has ruled it out. There is no reason to. Coming from such a big state, and with his background, network, and name ID, the timetable is much more forgiving. He has a 6-12 month organizational lead built into the fact that he's Andrew Cuomo. I imagine he's taking his time, watching the field shake out, and doing the smartest and most important thing he can do — focusing on his current job."
But early-state operatives say that banking on such a strategy would be wishful thinking.
"I think if you're interested in running in 2016, it would be a mistake to wait for Hillary to decide what she's going to do," said Iowa Democratic strategist Jeff Link, who worked for President Barack Obama's campaign in 2008. "The time to get started is now, because there is a lot of work that you have to do that is foundational, whether it is thinking about the issues that you want to to make central to your thinking and your campaign … [or] getting to know people in these far-flung states."
History is littered with late-breaking entrants to campaigns. The one that went well — Bill Clinton in 1992 — is often highlighted. But Clinton had begun doing spade work well before he declared his candidacy in October 1991. Some of the more recent late entries — such as Texas Republican Gov. Rick Perry, who joined the 2012 race about 14 months out — were unprepared for the national klieg lights and flamed out.
Problems connecting with Cuomo come up quickly in conversations with early-state activists. Invitations to some events have gone unanswered for weeks. When the answer — invariably, "no" — does come back, it sometimes comes from a proxy instead of the governor's staff directly.


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This AAA 4-Diamond Denver, CO hotel is centrally located in downtown near the Colorado Convention Center and the trendy LoDo District.
Data is submitted by registered FlightAware members on 2012-Nov-01 11:43.You must register or login to edit FBO information.
Jet A and 100LL airport fuel prices for all FBOs at KDEN


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Best Salt Lake City hotels
Salt Lake City HotelsSalt Lake City is a glitzy modern metropolis surrounded by the wild, snow-capped mountains of Utah. This bustling, friendly city boasts a rich range of awe-inspiring architecture, from the grand old-world elegance of the Capitol to the striking spiky towers of religious temples. Art-lovers and history buffs will find plenty of museums to explore, and shoppers can splurge like crazy at Salt Lake City's many malls. Things to seeStart your sun-washed Salt Lake City day by visiting the ever-popular Natural History Museum of Utah, based on the tranquil University of Utah campus. Behind the building's flashy copper-colored exterior, you'll find expansive exhibits showcasing mighty dinosaur skeletons, sparkling crystals, and ancient artifacts. After, take in one of the city's most iconic sights at Temple Square. This leafy, tree-studded 10 acre square is the center of Salt Lake City's Mormon heritage. Gaze at the Tabernacle, a silvery dome-shaped assembly hall, and the Salt Lake Temple - a mammoth, Neo-Gothic-style structure that towers 222 feet into the air. As the afternoon rolls around, immerse yourself in captivating creativity at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts, which owns 17,000 permanent works, from Africa, Asia, and America. If you're traveling with kids, cap off the day at the fun-filled Hogle Zoo, and say hello to graceful tigers and playful polar bears.Hotels in Salt Lake CityThere are an abundance of affordable 3-star hotels in Salt Lake City, which provide comfortable and homey accommodation at prices that won't break the bank. Enjoy free hearty breakfasts - great for starting your day on the right note - and seasonal outdoor pools. For budget accommodation, stay in a 2-star hotel, and benefit from reliable comfort with free WiFi and free guest parking. There are a couple of heavenly 4-star hotels in Salt Lake City too, if you crave luxurious spa services, stylish bar lounges, and fine-dining restaurants. Where to staySalt Lake City has a number of different districts and neighborhoods, each offering a unique atmosphere and vibe - but most people will want to stay in the Downtown/Central City area, where many of the key sights are grouped. Here, you'll be nearby Temple Square, and the City Creek Center - a ritzy outdoor/indoor mall full of flashy boutiques. Culture lovers will also find plenty of theater and ballet in this area. For a picturesque setting full of historic housing and tree-shaded streets, stay in The Avenues. If you love the university vibe, stay near the campus - you'll also be close to the majestic canyons and forests of Red Butte Gardens. How to get to Salt Lake CitySalt Lake City International Airport is based just 6 miles from Downtown, and serves dozens of direct, year-round domestic flights. Fly in from US cities like Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles. The airport also serves a handful of international destinations, like seasonal flights from Amsterdam - but if traveling from overseas you may need to connect at another US city. From the airport, take a speedy light rail train or public bus to Downtown. Alternatively, hire your own car onsite or jump in a cab. Thanks to its wide roads and easy grid system, the city itself is car-friendly, but bus and train services also cover the main areas.
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Lexani Custom Finish Wheels
LSS-55 511 Rims
Finish : Optional Black inner, purple outer, custom center
Available in 20″ 22″ 24″ 26″ 28″ 30″
StreetDreams.org is proud to announce FREE SHIPPING on Lexani wheel and tire purchases. Contact a sales rep for more details.
Lexani Wheels are offered in a wide array of finishes, as well as completely custom finishes as unique as you can think them up. Lexani will build their wheels to your specs and finish, so any Lexani wheel you can imagine, can be created. Let StreetDreams.org help you create the Lexani Wheels of your dreams.


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Inspired by Stars and Bars from designers September Olson and Eileen Houchin
Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke
1/4 yard pink floral (blocks A, D)
1/8 yard green multicolor floral (block A)
1/3 yard blue floral (blocks B, C)
1/8 yard yellow floral (block B)
1/8 yard pink cat print (block C)
1/3 yard white multicolor floral (blocks A, B, C, and D)
9x22" piece (fat eighth) blue vine print (block A)
9x22" piece (fat eighth) pink star (block B)
1/2 yard yellow star print (blocks, inner border)
9x22" piece (fat eighth) green vine print (block D)
1/2 yard seasonal cat print (blocks A, B, C, and D) (If not using this panel, you'll only need 1/4 yard)
1-1/4 yard blue cat print (outer border, binding)
3-1/8 yards backing fabric
55" square batting
Finished quilt: 46-1/2" square
Finished blocks: 18" square
Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics.
Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.


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Part-Time Jobs at ATT in Alabama ( AL )
ATT is accepting applications for part time jobs in Alabama . in all the cities listed below. To see if ATT is accepting application at a location that fits you, click on a City below.
Don't see your city? Just do a ZIP code search to find a job near you.
(Click On Logos)


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Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
DBE & SL/DBE Programs
DBE Registry of Certified Firms
This is a directory of companies certified by the NOAB DBE Office for use on contracts with a DBE (federal) contract goal. For a complete listing of ALL eligible companies, please visit
- this listing includes companies certified by all certifying agencies participating in the Louisiana Unified Certification Program (LAUCP): New Orleans International Airport; New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA); Louisiana Department of Transportation (LADOTD); and the Orleans Levee District (OLD). If you have questions, comments or concerns about any specific company, please contact its certifying agency, as indicated in the listing.
DBE Directory
Adobe Format


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The United Nations Security Council has primary responsibility, under the Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. When the Security Council approaches the final stage of negotiation of a draft resolution the text is printed in blue. What's In Blue is a series of insights on evolving Security Council actions.
The insights supplement the Monthly Forecasts and other reports and are designed to help interested UN readers keep up with what might soon be "in blue". They are sorted by date and category, and are updated daily
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


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Mini Mansions | 01/01/70
Rekords Rekords and Domino are pleased to announce the release of the eponymous debut record from Mini Mansions, on June 6th.
On a break from Queens of the Stone Age, Michael Shuman melded heads and locked arms with longtime friends Tyler Parkford and Zach Dawes in a dusty room in the San Fernando Valley. Here, they began a collaborative séance out of which birthed Mini Mansions in January of 2009. Though their triangle is usually confined to piano, bass, and a cocktail drum kit, the LA-based trio generates a Technicolor spectrum of sound drawn from the baroque, gothic, psychedelic and cinematic realms. Their debut self-titled release curtseys to the past, bows to the present, and foreshadows a progressively more abstract future.
Rekords Rekords' founder Josh Homme describes the band's kaleidoscopic sound as "genuinely psychedelic with huge hooks... After listening to Mini Mansions just once, you won't be able to get it out of your head.'"
Released as the first single on 30th May, Monk is a potent dose of dance-psych, comprised of thick organ cannons, fuzzy bass hooks, ghostly Shangri La beats and sharp melodic carvings. The single will be available via digital download (REK007D) and will be backed with a reworking of Blondie's Heart Of Glass. You can watch the video here
You can also download the album track Kiddie Hypnogogia here: www.dominorecordco.com/minimansionsdownload
Mini Mansions' album will be available on CD (REK002CD), LP (REK002LP) and via digital download (REK002D). The tracklisting is as follows:
1 – Vignette # 1
2 – The Room Outside
3 – Crime Of The Season
4 – Monk
5 – Wunderbars
6 – Seven Sons
7 – Vignette # 2
8 – Kiddie Hypnogogia
9 – Majik Marker
10 - Girls
11 – Vignette # 3
12 – Thriller Escapade
Pre-order the album by clicking HERE