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This information is produced and provided by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The information in this topic may have changed since it was written. For the most current information, contact the National Cancer Institute via the Internet web site at http://cancer.gov or call 1-800-4-CANCER.
The AIDS was first described in 1981, and the first definitions included certain opportunistic infections, Kaposi sarcoma, and central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas. In 1984, a multicenter study described the clinical spectrum of non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) in the populations at risk for AIDS.[1] In 1985 and 1987, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised the definition of AIDS to include human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients who had aggressive B-cell NHL. The incidence of NHL has increased in an almost parallel course with the AIDS epidemic and accounts for 2% to 3% of newly diagnosed AIDS cases.[2]
Pathologically, AIDS-related lymphomas are comprised of a narrow spectrum of histologic types consisting almost exclusively of B-cell tumors of aggressive type. These include the following:
The HIV-associated lymphomas can be categorized into the following:
Primary effusion lymphoma has been associated with Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpes-virus/human herpes virus type-8 (KSHV/HHV-8).[3,4] Primary effusion lymphoma presents as a liquid phase spreading along serous membranes in the absence of masses or adenopathy.[3] In addition to HHV-8, many cases are also associated with Epstein-Barr virus. Extension of lymphoma from the effusion to underlying tissue may occur. Plasmablastic multicentric Castleman disease is also associated with a coinfection of KSHV/HHV-8 and HIV.[5,6] Patients typically present with fever, night sweats, weight loss, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. Patients may progress to primary effusion lymphoma or to plasmablastic or anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Anecdotal responses to rituximab, an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody, have been reported.[5][Level of evidence: 3iiiDiv]
An international database of 48,000 HIV-seropositive individuals from the United States, Europe, and Australia found a 42% decline in the incidence of NHLs from 1997 to 1999 compared with 1992 to 1996, both for PCNSL and for systemic lymphoma.[7] The introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is the proposed explanation for this decline.[8] The diagnosis of AIDS precedes the onset of NHL in approximately 57% of the patients, but in 30% of the patients the diagnosis of AIDS is made at the time of the diagnosis of NHL and HIV positivity.[9] The geographic distribution of these lymphomas is also similar to the geographic spread of AIDS. Unlike Kaposi sarcoma, which has a predilection for homosexual men and appears to be on the decline in incidence, all risk groups appear to have an excess number of NHLs; these risk groups include intravenous drug users and children of HIV-positive individuals.
In general, the clinical setting and response to treatment of patients with AIDS-related lymphoma is very different from that of the non-HIV patients with lymphoma. The HIV-infected individual with aggressive lymphoma usually presents with advanced-stage disease that is frequently extranodal.[10]
Common extranodal sites include the following:
Very unusual sites are also characteristic and include the following:
The clinical course is more aggressive, and the disease is both more extensive and less responsive to chemotherapy. Immunodeficiency and cytopenias, common in these patients at the time of initial presentation, are exacerbated by the administration of chemotherapy. Treatment of the malignancy increases the risk of opportunistic infections that, in turn, further compromise the delivery of adequate treatment.
Prognoses of patients with AIDS-related lymphoma have been associated with the following:[11]
Patients with AIDS-related PCNSL appear to have more severe underlying HIV-related disease than do patients with systemic lymphoma. In one report, this severity was evidenced by patients with PCNSL having a higher incidence of prior AIDS diagnoses (73% vs. 37%), lower median number of CD4 lymphocytes (30/dL vs. 189/dL), and a worse median survival time (2.5 months vs. 6.0 months).[12] This report also showed that patients with poor risk factors—defined as Karnofsky performance status <70%, history of prior AIDS diagnosis, and bone marrow involvement—had a median survival time of 4.0 months compared with a good prognosis group without any of these risk factors, who had a median survival time of 11.3 months.
In another report (NIAID-ACTG-142), prognostic factors were evaluated in a group of 192 patients with newly diagnosed AIDS-related lymphoma who were randomly assigned to receive either low-dose methotrexate, bleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dexamethasone (m-BACOD) or standard dose m-BACOD with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.[13] No differences existed between these two treatments in terms of efficacy for disease-free survival, median survival, or risk ratio for death.[13][Level of evidence: 1iiA] On multivariate analysis , factors associated with decreased survival included age older than 35 years, history of intravenous drug use, stage III or stage IV disease, and CD4 counts of less than 100 cells/mm3. The median survival rates were 46 weeks for patients with one or no risk factors, 44 weeks for patients with two risk factors, and 18 weeks for patients with three or more risk factors. The International Prognostic Index may also be predictive for survival.[14,15,16] In a multicenter cohort study of 203 patients, in a multivariable Cox model, response to HAART was independently associated with prolonged survival (relative hazard = 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.16–0.62).[17][Level of evidence: 3iiiDii]
HIV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma
Multiple reviews of Hodgkin lymphoma occurring in patients at risk for AIDS have been done;[18,19] however, Hodgkin lymphoma is still not part of the CDC definition of AIDS because of no clear demonstration of its increased incidence in conjunction with HIV, as is the case for aggressive NHL. The CDC, in conjunction with the San Francisco Department of Public Health, has reported a cohort study in which HIV-infected men had an excess risk that was attributable to the HIV infection of 19.3 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma per 100,000 person-years and 224.9 cases of NHL per 100,000 person-years. Although an excess incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma was found in HIV-infected homosexual men in this report, additional epidemiologic studies will be needed before the CDC will reconsider Hodgkin lymphoma as an HIV-associated malignancy.[20]
HIV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma presents in an aggressive fashion, often with extranodal or bone marrow involvement.[18,19,21] A distinctive feature of HIV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma is the lower frequency of mediastinal adenopathy compared with non-HIV-associated Hodgkin lymphoma. Most patients in these series had either mixed cellularity or lymphocyte-depleted Hodgkin lymphoma, expression of Epstein-Barr virus-associated proteins in Reed-Sternberg cells, B symptoms, and a median CD4 lymphocyte count of 300/dL or less.[22] In a retrospective multicenter review of 62 patients, those receiving HAART with chemotherapy had a 74% 2-year overall survival (OS) versus a 30% OS for those not receiving HAART (P < .001).[23][Level of evidence: 3iiiA]
Related Summaries
Note: Other PDQ summaries containing information about AIDS-related lymphoma include the following:
All three pathologic types are equally distributed and represent aggressive disease.
AIDS-related lymphomas, though usually of B-cell origin as demonstrated by immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene rearrangement studies, have also been shown to be oligoclonal and polyclonal as well as monoclonal in origin. Although human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) does not appear to have a direct etiologic role, HIV infection does lead to an altered immunologic milieu. HIV generally infects T lymphocytes whose loss of regulation function leads to hypergammaglobulinemia and polyclonal B-cell hyperplasia. B cells are not the targets of HIV infection. Instead, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is thought to be at least a cofactor in the etiology of some of these lymphomas. The EBV genome has been detected in varying numbers of patients with AIDS-related lymphomas; molecular analysis suggests that the cells were infected before clonal proliferation began.[1] EBV is detected in 30% of patients with small, noncleaved lymphomas and in 80% of patients with diffuse, large cell lymphomas. The rare, primary effusion lymphoma consistently harbors human herpes virus type-8 and frequently contains EBV.[2] HIV-related T-cell lymphomas have also been identified and appear to be associated with EBV infection.[3]
Although stage is important in selecting the treatment of patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) who do not have AIDS, the majority of patients with AIDS-related lymphomas have far-advanced disease.
Staging Subclassification System
The Ann Arbor staging system is commonly used for patients with NHL.[1,2] In this system, stage I, II, III, and IV NHL can be subclassified into A and B categories: B for those with well-defined generalized symptoms and A for those without. The B designation is given to patients with any of the following symptoms:
Occasionally, specialized staging systems are used. The physician should be aware of the system used in a specific report.
The E designation is used when extranodal lymphoid malignancies arise in tissues separate from, but near, the major lymphatic aggregates. Stage IV refers to disease that is diffusely spread throughout an extranodal site, such as the liver. If pathologic proof of involvement of one or more extralymphatic sites has been documented, the symbol for the site of involvement, followed by a plus sign (+), is listed.
Current practice assigns a clinical stage (CS) based on the findings of the clinical evaluation and a pathologic stage (PS) based on the findings made as a result of invasive procedures beyond the initial biopsy.
For example, on percutaneous biopsy, a patient with inguinal adenopathy and a positive lymphangiogram without systemic symptoms might be found to have involvement of the liver and bone marrow. The precise stage of such a patient would be CS IIA, PS IVA(H+)(M+).
A number of other factors that are not included in the above staging system are important for the staging and prognosis of patients with NHL. These factors include the following:
To identify subgroups of patients most likely to relapse, an international prognostic index was compiled for 2,031 patients with aggressive NHL.[3] After validation by several cancer centers (NCT00003150),[4,5] the major cooperative groups used this index in the design of new clinical trials. The model has been simple to apply, reproducible, and has predicted outcome even after patients have achieved a complete remission. The model has identified five significant risk factors prognostic of overall survival (OS): age (<60 y vs. >60 y), serum LDH (normal vs. elevated), performance status (0 or 1 vs. 2–4), stage (stage I or stage II vs. stage III or stage IV), and extranodal site involvement (0 or 1 vs. 2–4).
Patients with two or more risk factors were shown to have a less than 50% chance of relapse-free and OS at 5 years. This study also identified patients at high risk of relapse based on specific sites of involvement, including bone marrow, central nervous system, liver, lung, and spleen. Patients at high risk of relapse may benefit from consolidation therapy or other approaches under clinical evaluation.[3] Molecular profiles of gene expression using DNA microarrays may help to stratify patients in the future for therapies directed at specific targets and to better predict survival after standard chemotherapy.[6,7]
The treatment of patients with AIDS-related lymphomas presents the challenge of integrating therapy appropriate for the stage and histologic subset of malignant lymphoma with the limitations imposed by HIV infection, which to date is a chronic incurable illness.[1] In addition to antitumor therapy, essential components of an optimal non-Hodgkin lymphoma treatment strategy include the following:[2]
Patients with HIV positivity and underlying immunodeficiency have poor bone marrow reserve, which compromises the potential for drug dose intensity. Intercurrent opportunistic infection is a risk that may also lead to a decrease in drug delivery. Furthermore, chemotherapy itself compromises the immune system and increases the likelihood of opportunistic infection.
The treatment of AIDS-related lymphomas involves overcoming several problems. These are all aggressive lymphomas, which by definition are diffuse large cell/immunoblastic lymphoma or small noncleaved cell lymphoma. These lymphomas frequently involve the bone marrow and central nervous system (CNS) and, therefore, are usually in an advanced stage. In addition, the immunodeficiency of AIDS and the leukopenia that is commonly seen with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection makes the use of immunosuppressive chemotherapy difficult.
A large number of retrospective studies and several prospective studies have been reported using regimens such as cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP), methotrexate, bleomycin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and dexamethasone (m-BACOD), and infusional cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and etoposide.[1,2,3,4] The patients who go into remission are more likely to have less disease, no bone marrow or CNS involvement, no prior AIDS-defining illness, and a better performance status. Patients at risk for subsequent CNS involvement include those with bone marrow involvement or those with Epstein-Barr virus identified in the primary tumor or in the cerebrospinal fluid (i.e., by polymerase chain reaction).[5,6,7] Intrathecal chemotherapy is usually considered for those patients at higher risk for CNS involvement.
Prior to the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) era, a randomized trial of patients with HIV and either Burkitt lymphoma (BL) or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) compared standard dose chemotherapy and growth factor support with reduced-dose chemotherapy.[1] No difference was found in overall survival (OS) between the two dose levels, and no difference was observed between the historic groups (BL and DLBCL); however, the median survival was equally poor at 6 to 7 months.[1][Level of evidence: 1iiA] The introduction of HAART has led to a marked reduction in opportunistic infections, prolonged survival with HIV infection, and a median OS for patients with AIDS-related lymphoma, which is comparable to the outcome in the nonimmunosuppressed population.[4,8,9,10,11,12,13,14][Level of evidence: 3iiiDiv] The use of HAART has also allowed the use of standard dose and even intensive chemotherapy regimens to be given with reasonable safety to patients with AIDS-related lymphomas, which is comparable to the outcome in non-HIV patients.[3,4,13,14,15,16]
In a retrospective review of 363 patients with HIV-associated lymphoma, survival of patients with HIV-DLBCL improved in the HAART era, but survival of similarly treated patients with HIV-BL remained poor.[17][Level of evidence: 3iiiDiv] Future studies will evaluate if more intensive chemotherapy appropriate for non-HIV patients with BL results in better outcomes for patients with HIV-BL.[17] A prospective randomized comparison (AMC-010) of rituximab plus CHOP (R-CHOP) versus CHOP in 150 patients with HIV-DLBCL and HIV-BL showed no difference in (OS); treatment-related infectious deaths occurred in 14% of patients who received R-CHOP versus 2% of patients who received CHOP alone (P = .035).[18][Level of evidence: 1iiA] A Cochrane meta-analysis published in 2009 evaluated 857 patients in four randomized clinical trials; no clinical conclusions regarding the optimal regimen could be reached as a result of varying interventions and the lack of adequately powered trials with a low risk of bias.[19]
Highly selected patients with resistant or relapsed lymphoma after first-line chemotherapy and with continued responsiveness to HAART underwent second-line chemotherapy followed by high-dose therapy and autologous peripheral stem cell transplantation. Long-term survivors have been reported anecdotally for these highly selected patients who relapsed.[20,21,22,23][Level of evidence: 3iiiDiv]
Current Clinical Trials
Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with AIDS-related peripheral/systemic lymphoma. The list of clinical trials can be further narrowed by location, drug, intervention, and other criteria.
General information about clinical trials is also available from the NCI Web site.
Until the 1980s, primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) was a rare disease. PCNSL has increased dramatically in association with AIDS.[1] PCNSL accounts for approximately 0.6% of initial AIDS diagnoses and is the second most frequent central nervous system (CNS) mass lesion in adults with AIDS. As with other AIDS-related lymphomas, these are usually aggressive B-cell neoplasms, either diffuse large cell or diffuse immunoblastic non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Unlike AIDS-related systemic lymphomas, in which 30% to 50% of tumors are associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), AIDS-related PCNSL has been reported to have a 100% association with EBV.[2] This percentage indicates a pathogenetic role for EBV in this disease. These patients usually have evidence of far-advanced AIDS, are severely debilitated, and present with focal neurologic symptoms such as seizures, changes in mental status, and paralysis.
Computed tomographic scans show contrast-enhancing mass lesions that may not always be distinguished from other CNS diseases, such as toxoplasmosis, that occur in AIDS patients.[3] Magnetic resonance imaging studies using gadolinium contrast may be a more useful initial diagnostic tool in differentiating lymphoma from cerebral toxoplasmosis or progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. Lymphoma tends to present with large lesions, which are enhanced by gadolinium. In cerebral toxoplasmosis, ring enhancement is very common, lesions tend to be smaller, and multiple lesions are seen.[4,5,6] Use of positron emission scanning has demonstrated an improved ability to distinguish PCNSL from toxoplasmosis.[7,8]
PSNCL has an increased uptake while toxoplasmosis lesions are metabolically inactive. Antibodies against toxoplasmosis may also be very useful because the vast majority of cerebral toxoplasmosis occur as a consequence of reactivity of a previous infection. If the IgG titer is less than 1:4, the disease is unlikely to be toxoplasmotic. A lumbar puncture may be useful to detect as many as 23% of patients with malignant cells in their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Evaluating the CSF for EBV DNA may be a useful lymphoma-specific tool since EBV is present in all patients with PCNSL. Despite all of these evaluations, however, the majority of patients with PCNSL require a pathologic diagnosis.[9,10,11] Diagnosis is made by biopsy. Sometimes, a biopsy is attempted only after failure of antibiotics for toxoplasmosis, which will produce clinical and radiographic improvement within 1 to 3 weeks in patients with cerebral toxoplasmosis.[12] PCNSL is often identified as a terminal manifestation of AIDS or on postmortem examination.
Radiation therapy alone has usually been used in this group of patients. With doses in the 35 Gy to 40 Gy range, median duration of survival has been only 72 to 119 days.[3,13,14] Survival is longer in younger patients with better performance status and the absence of opportunistic infection.[15] Most patients respond to treatment by showing partial improvement in neurologic symptoms. Autopsies have revealed that these patients die of opportunistic infections as well as tumor progression. Treatment of these patients is also complicated by other AIDS-related CNS infections, including subacute AIDS encephalitis, cytomegalovirus encephalitis, and toxoplasmosis encephalitis. Spontaneous remissions have been reported after highly active antiretroviral therapy.[16]
Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with AIDS-related primary CNS lymphoma. The list of clinical trials can be further narrowed by location, drug, intervention, and other criteria.
The PDQ cancer information summaries are reviewed regularly and updated as new information becomes available. This section describes the latest changes made to this summary as of the date above.
Stage Information for Aids-Related Lymphoma
This section was extensively revised.
AIDS-Related Peripheral/Systemic Lymphoma
An editorial change was made to this section.
This summary is written and maintained by the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board, which is editorially independent of NCI. The summary reflects an independent review of the literature and does not represent a policy statement of NCI or NIH. More information about summary policies and the role of the PDQ Editorial Boards in maintaining the PDQ summaries can be found on the About This PDQ Summary and PDQ NCI's Comprehensive Cancer Database pages.
Purpose of This Summary
This PDQ cancer information summary for health professionals provides comprehensive, peer-reviewed, evidence-based information about the treatment of AIDS-related lymphoma. It is intended as a resource to inform and assist clinicians who care for cancer patients. It does not provide formal guidelines or recommendations for making health care decisions.
Reviewers and Updates
This summary is reviewed regularly and updated as necessary by the PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board, which is editorially independent of the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The summary reflects an independent review of the literature and does not represent a policy statement of NCI or the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Board members review recently published articles each month to determine whether an article should:
Changes to the summaries are made through a consensus process in which Board members evaluate the strength of the evidence in the published articles and determine how the article should be included in the summary.
The lead reviewers for AIDS-Related Lymphoma Treatment are:
Any comments or questions about the summary content should be submitted to Cancer.gov through the Web site's Contact Form. Do not contact the individual Board Members with questions or comments about the summaries. Board members will not respond to individual inquiries.
Levels of Evidence
Some of the reference citations in this summary are accompanied by a level-of-evidence designation. These designations are intended to help readers assess the strength of the evidence supporting the use of specific interventions or approaches. The PDQ Adult Treatment Editorial Board uses a formal evidence ranking system in developing its level-of-evidence designations.
Permission to Use This Summary
PDQ is a registered trademark. Although the content of PDQ documents can be used freely as text, it cannot be identified as an NCI PDQ cancer information summary unless it is presented in its entirety and is regularly updated. However, an author would be permitted to write a sentence such as "NCI's PDQ cancer information summary about breast cancer prevention states the risks succinctly: [include excerpt from the summary]."
The preferred citation for this PDQ summary is:
National Cancer Institute: PDQ® AIDS-Related Lymphoma Treatment. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. Date last modified <MM/DD/YYYY>. Available at: http://cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/AIDS-related-lymphoma/HealthProfessional. Accessed <MM/DD/YYYY>.
Images in this summary are used with permission of the author(s), artist, and/or publisher for use within the PDQ summaries only. Permission to use images outside the context of PDQ information must be obtained from the owner(s) and cannot be granted by the National Cancer Institute. Information about using the illustrations in this summary, along with many other cancer-related images, is available in Visuals Online, a collection of over 2,000 scientific images.
Based on the strength of the available evidence, treatment options may be described as either "standard" or "under clinical evaluation." These classifications should not be used as a basis for insurance reimbursement determinations. More information on insurance coverage is available on Cancer.gov on the Coping with Cancer: Financial, Insurance, and Legal Information page.
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For more information, U.S. residents may call the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) Cancer Information Service toll-free at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time. A trained Cancer Information Specialist is available to answer your questions.
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The NCI Web site provides online access to information on cancer, clinical trials, and other Web sites and organizations that offer support and resources for cancer patients and their families. For a quick search, use the search box in the upper right corner of each Web page. The results for a wide range of search terms will include a list of "Best Bets," editorially chosen Web pages that are most closely related to the search term entered.
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Last Revised: 2012-08-10
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Home Builders before you check out when it comes to Pinterest, check out these 5 Home Builders utilizing Pinterest to the fullest.
Brookfield homes Toll Brothers Lennar Homes Beazer Homes
You think that Pinterest is all Pink? I say that it is ripe for GREEN$
(just as Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day was for Chick-fil-A!)
Pinterest is Sticky – 89 min average per viewer (Pinterest Users Growth)
12 million active monthly viewers (Pinterest Users Growth)
25% of consumers purchased something
after seeing it on Pinterest (Pinning down the Impact of Pinterest)
Is this enough GREEN information for you to start your own BABY STEPS to the bus with me?
Baby Step #1: Set up an account
1. Go out to www.pinterest.com
2. Select the "Request an Invite"
3. Sign up for the invite by entering your Twitter account email address. Then select the "Request Invitation". Spoiler note - If you don't have a business Twitter page currently, you will need to set one of those up before you sign up for an account. They accept Twitter and Facebook accounts, but currently they won't accept a Facebook Business page login…..So email me if you need help with that!
4. Once you sign up, you will get an email like this:
5. Select the "Explore Pins"
6. This will take you to the same www.pinterest.com page that we started with, but now select the login button.
7. When getting to the login page, select the "Login with Twitter"
8. Enter in the email address that you used to request an invitation and the password. Select the "Remember Me" option and then select "Sign In"
9. That's the completion of Pinterest Baby Steps #1. Next step - Pinterest Baby Step #2 – Terminology!

subset: commoncrawl


text: Wilmington, North Carolina, also known as Port City, is the ideal place for everyone. Located in between Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean, the city is perfect for boating and fishing. If the boating life is not for you there's no need to worry because Wilmington has a lot of other fun and exciting things to do. For the history buffs Wilmington is home to many museums, and for the T.V. lovers the city is also the home of such shows as Dawson's Creek and One Tree Hill.


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Tibetan Singing Bowls Concert
Denver yoga instructor and sound healer Chris Anne Coviello and her husband Jason Coviello will be performing together to bring you this experience. The concert will begin with Jason playing his Hang Drum which is a very rare steel drum that is made by only two people in the world. Some say it sounds like a stringed instrument. Jason's Hang Drum is tuned to the note that vibrationally corresponds to the heart chakra and when he plays the drum, he takes you on a heart-opening journey.
Jason and Chris Anne will then begin playing the singing bowls which are tuned to all the different musical notes that correspond to the different chakras, so they will balance the energy in the body. And since we are made up of mostly water, the vibrational effect will be a full body cellular massage.
Tibetan Singing bowls have been used for thousands of years as instruments of healing. So come relax and close your eyes and drift into an altered state which facilitates the body to heal. Make sure you wear comfy clothes and bring a yoga mat or blanket so that you may lie down and let the bells carry away with them all that no longer serves you. As your chakra's re-align, breathe peace and enter the profound state of physical-mental and emotional well-being. Leave as if you were 10 lbs. lighter, because that is exactly what will happen as the pounds of stress, anxiety and fear melt from your system.
Price: $18, $15 members
Special Instructions: No children under twelve years of age are permitted in this program. Talking, cell phones, and other distractions are not permitted.


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Frequently Asked Tax Questions
What is taxation and why does it happen?
Taxation is the basis for how the government is able to operate the country in which they are appointed to do so. It is what pays for...... Read More
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The IRS stands for the Internal Revenue Service and it stands as the official revenue service of the United States Federal Government. They are a...... Read More
What happens if you dont pay your taxes?
If you fail to pay your taxes, or even fail to file them altogether, the consequences could be dire. First and foremost, you receive...... Read More
Do you have to pay taxes?
Taxes are the backbone that allows the government to maintain a stable society and infrastructure. It is the primary source of... ... Read More
What is federal/state income tax?
When you are an employee of a company, perform a service to someone, and/or sell an item to another person you are...... Read More
Can I receive a tax refund greater than what I paid in?
A tax refund is treated like a payment of tax you made during the year. You get the credit, even if you do not owe tax.... Read More
What does tax money get spent on?
Tax money is spent on pretty much everything you see around you. It pays for the public roads and highway systems, public and national...... Read More
How do you calculate taxes?
Taxes work in many different ways, and come in many different forms. There are the federal and state income tax, property tax, estate...... Read More
What percentage of taxes do people pay no matter what there income may be?
This question can be answered in many ways. First and foremost, the percentage of taxes you owe to the IRS every year is determined entirely...... Read More
How can you file taxes online yourself?
Doing your own taxes by yourself is actually easier than most people think, but it does require strict following of instructions or else...... Read More
What tax do wage earners pay to the federal government?
The tax that all wage earners are required to pay to the federal government is the federal income tax. This tax is required by law to...... Read More
What are the different types of taxes?
There are many different types of taxes that we pay on a yearly basis. Although there are really only two big categories: personal and business, there are...... Read More


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I was out at SMP last week and a tag was found in the parking lot by the practice basket. Dude asked if we dropped ours and we didnt so he said he would turn it in. I dont remember which number it was but it was a high one. I think his name was Ryan???
151 to 46 to 5!
Who's Got 1?


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AgMap has just added an event calendar. A business user can post their business events on AgMap. If you alreay have an account and an approved business with AgMap, you may log in to post your business events. If you are an AgMap vistor, you may search and view event calendar for activities around your area.
AgMap is now providing a coupon service. A business user can create and post coupons on AgMap, and send coupons to their customers via email. An approved business is required for users to use this service. If you alreay have an account and an approved business with AgMap, you may log in to use this service now. If you are an AgMap visitor, you may search coupons on AgMap and redeem them from the businesses who posted the coupons.
AgMap image gallery is completely redesigned. Images uploaded to AgMap can be shared by multiple galleries. If images are deleted from gallery/galleries, they may be stored as idle images in AgMap for other uses until you use up your quotas. You can use this function in your account page after you log in.
AgMap let you send emails to your subscribers to promote your businesses and update your customers of your new service and products. Now you can modify your subscribers list by adding or removing subscriber's email addresses. The function is available in your account page. After you sign in your account, under the heading of Your Business Listings, click Add or remove your subscribers link.
AgMap is now nationwide! AgMap provides agricultural businesses throughout the United States an opportunity to promote their products and services. Registration on AgMap requires a $20 annual service fee for businesses outside the state of Pennsylvania. Business located in Pennsylvania may register for FREE. Sign Up Now.
Want to read more about benefits of joining AgMap, please go to Log In page.
We've just added Penn State Cooperative Extension publications to our search engine. Now, you can search for articles from Penn State's ag experts. To start, select "Extension Publications" from the drop down menu above or click on "Publications" in the menu bar.
Our library is still limited at this time, but we're working hard to add more!
We've just added image galleries! Now you can upload photos to be shown on your business and classifieds pages. To start setting up your galleries, go to Your Account and click on "Manage your image galleries".
To see the new image galleries in action, take a look at Montgomery County Cooperative Exension's business page.
Welcome to AgMap 4.0!
We've added quite a few new features, including:
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AgMap's search engine has been revamped to provide quicker and better results, and also will allow you to search our community message boards and news articles.
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Why not give a gift basket this holiday season?


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List identifies the 10 largest in the world
Most people who follow information technology are familiar with the Top 500, which keeps close track of the fastest high-performance systems on the planet. But why should supercomputers get all the glory? Data centers might not push the petaflop boundary or have catchy names such as Jaguar and Kraken, but they play an essential role in any organization's IT infrastructure and the global economy at large.
Data Center Knowledge, a news and information site devoted to this topic, recently filled the void with a list of what it believes are the 10 largest data centers in the world. The list is limited to single-building facilities dedicated to data center use, excluding campuses with multiple buildings and mixed-use buildings, and they range up to 1.1 million square feet. That's 22.9 football fields — not counting the end zones.
Click for full-size image. Source: Data Center Knowledge
About the Author
Kevin McCaney is a former editor of Defense Systems and GCN.
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Giving back to our communities is an integral part of our mission, moral responsibility and a core value of our organization. We also know that vibrant, healthy and safe communities best serves patients, and attracts and retains the highest-quality employees who fulfill and extend our mission.
Each year, many nonprofit community organizations request sponsorship support for goodwill advertising or events, such as dinners, runs/walks, health fairs.
Mayo Clinic Health System will make cash and in-kind donations to support community-based activities that address the health care needs of our patients or improve the general health of those who live in the communities we serve.
While we recognize the contributions of many of these organizations to our communities, as a nonprofit organization, we are not able to support every request. Please review our established guidelines prior to submitting a sponsorship request:


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A man from the heart of Pennsylvania's Amish country faces charges in a drive-by shooting that killed a horse pulling a buggy with five people inside.
Twenty-two-year-old Timothy Antonio Diggs Jr. of Ronks, Lancaster County, was charged Wednesday with reckless endangerment, cruelty to animals and a weapons charge.
Diggs has been behind bars since Dec. 3 on unrelated burglary charges.
Police said an Amish man reported on Nov. 23 that as a car passed his buggy he heard a firecracker noise but continued to his farm, unaware that the noise was a gunshot.
After arriving home, he discovered his horse was shot in the side. It died before a vet arrived.
The people in the buggy -- an Amish couple and their three young children -- weren't hurt.


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Welcome to Flashbox Photo Booth! We are here to provide the best possible open air photo booth rental to you and your guests. With our fun, modern, and easy to use photo booth, we're sure that it will take your event to the next level. Booking is fast, easy, and can all be done online for your convenience. All the photos seen throughout our site were taken with our booth so you can get a sense of the quality we provide at each and every party.
Flashbox is the latest technology in portable photo booth systems. From its sleek, open concept design to its professional studio lighting, Flashbox will fit right in to any event without looking clunky and old like traditional photo booths. Instant prints, high-quality photos, and hours of fun are just a few things that we offer with every event. With our numerous customizable options available we will go above and beyond to make Flashbox Photo Booth an extension of your event and an unforgettable experience.
Check out Our Booth, visit our Pricing Page to build your own package, and feel free to Contact Us, with any questions or to secure your date. We look forward to hearing from you!
Photo Booth Rental Thornton
Photo Booth Rentals: A Source of Entertainment for Special Events
Have you decided to throw a special event? Whether you are celebrating a loved one's birthday or an anniversary, you want to put a lot of effort into the planning process because you want things to turn out perfectly. Keeping people entertained at the event is important. If they are not having a good time, they may want to leave early instead of sticking around to dance, have food and simply enjoy a good time with others.
Are you planning on having the booth set up outside? You might be wondering if that's even possible, and it is, yet with some restrictions. You are going to be the person that provides power to the photo booth. So, you're going to need to have it set up close to a power outlet, or you can run an extension cord or use a generator. It's up to you, but if you don't have a long extension cor or a generator, this is going to limit where the photo booth can be set up outside.
Some people have not given the photo booth a try because they think it is too complicated for people to use, but that is not the case at all. There is no need to be intimidated by the equipment because it is simple and easy enough for anyone to use. Various props are provided by the company, allowing your guests to put on a bunch of different things and truly get into character. Some of the different props offered often include silly glasses, hats, leis and headbands. Our cheap and affordable wedding booths are perfect for corporate events and parties in Thornton, CO
Flashbox photo booth rentals are available in many major cities across the states of Texas, Arizona and Colorado. You might be stunned when you see that the equipment is quite slim and looks more like a photographer's studio camera than a photo booth. The equipment is also very easy to use, and it includes a touchscreen for selecting photo options. You can choose to do black and white photos instead of color photos if you like.
Wedding Photo Booth Thornton Colorado
you need to offer options. People who have been to different wedding receptions and parties before may have already experience the photo booth and absolutely love it.
You may have already decided on some different types of entertainment for the event, including performances from local bands, but have you thought about renting out a photo booth? The photo booths are such a necessity at today's special events. People cannot seem to get enough of snapping the perfect pictures with their friends while having a blast. If you want to make sure your guests have a great time, you should look into renting one of the photo booths for the duration of the event.
Your guests can stand in front of the camera with their props and then have photos taken with just a press of a button. It only takes a minute or two for everyone to take the pictures and then print them out, saving copies for themselves to put into albums or to share with other people. In fact, it is so easy that teenagers and even some children can easily take pictures of themselves with their friends and family.
You can expect high quality photos, which is what you want with a photo booth rental. Don't rent the dinosaur machines from another company when you have these as a better option. You can view examples of photos online, and you can ask all the questions you need to when you call Flashbox Photo Booth Rentals about making a reservation in Thornton Colorado.
What is your reason for throwing this kind of event? Most likely, you want people to have a genuinely good time with you and everyone else in attendance. And, if you want everyone to have a good time.
After renting out the space for your party and figuring out what kinds of food you will serve to everyone, start figuring out what you are going to do for entertainment. Make sure you do not forget to rent out a photo booth. The company will bring the booth to your event so you do not have to travel to get any of the equipment on your own. By the end of the night, each person who came to the party will have a ton of photos to remind them of such a great night they had with some amazing people in Thornton Colorado.


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VIDEO: Eminem Opens Up About Past Drug Abuse: "I Would Have Died"
Jun 29, 2013 7:07 PM EDT
Eminem is opening up about his past drug abuse for one of the first times in a new documentary. "I don't know at what point exactly it started to be a problem. I just remember liking it more and more," the rapper also known by his real name, Marshall… Read more


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In Honor of Geek Pride Day – My Own Geeky Origins
Today, May 25, is Geek Pride Day. So get on out there and celebrate your own ferocious nerdiness my fellow geeks!
Ars Technica, one of the smartest tech news blogs out there, had a geek origins post today in which the Ars staff wrote about "the experiences that turned us into the savvy, nerdy people we have become." Inspired by their fun stories, here is my own geek origin story, such as it is. Enjoy this random collection of geeky anecdotes spread out over my brief geeky life.
First Computer Experience
As a kid, I grew up with some of the earliest computers in school, but definitely not at home. We would take typing tests in the 3rd grade on Macintoshes with a little cat that you raced across the screen. I think that's why I type so fast now. I'm still racing that virtual cat.
Early Days of Gaming
The first computer I used at home was a Tandy my dad had discarded from his business. In 6th grade I played a lot of Planetfall on it, which was one of the earlier science fiction computer games, text only of course, and it ran off of a 5 1/4″ floppy disk. I loved that it was interactive, and that there was a choose-your-own-adventure kind of storyline unfolding like magic from a computer. I remember typing naughty words into the command line to see what would happen, and the game yelling at me. Ah, childhood. Now I type naughty words into my computer and nobody yells back. Planetfall led to a long line of PC games: Zork, Myst, Diablo, American McGee's Alice…on and on.
OMG, the Interwebs!
During the last month of my senior year of high school, the computer science teacher excitedly gathered a group of us geeky kids (it was all the Literary Magazine kids, if I recall correctly) and took us into his office to show us this magical new thing called "the internet." He was so pumped when he got connected to the BBC website. I still remember all of us sitting on the ground around his desk, trying to get close enough to see the screen, and him turning around and saying "Check it out! We're connected to England right now!" That feelingof amazement and incredulity at a concept so seemingly preposterous is something I recapture every time I try a new groundbreaking technology.
Uhh, Email?
I'd been enrolled in college at the University of Illinois for about a month in 1995 when a friend said "I sent you a few emails and you haven't emailed me back." I still remember my moment of blankness and mental panic as I finally stammered "Uh, I have an email address?" Apparently all students got them, but I didn't get the postal letter telling me about mine. Yes, a postal letter telling you about an email address. Once he showed me how to log in, though, I got super excited and started emailing everyone I could find in the student address book as well as my friends across the country at Stanford. That seemed so cool and futuristic.
Fun with College Boyfriends
My college boyfriend taught me a lot about computers. No thanks to him for breaking my heart, but I still owe him big for upping my geek quotient. He was a computer science major, and I remember late nights helping him build a computer from scratch, debug C code, and diagram a network. All that was a good balance to my English major workload of reading and writing non-stop. He also introduced me to MUDs (multi-user dungeons), early online games that were (*gasp*) text only if you young'uns can believe that. I played BatMUD like a madwoman for years, and thus was introduced to people living all over the world and the idea of a truly international net. I can still remember my shortcut commands for various in-game tasks, like "mm bunny" for "attack bunny with a magic missile." Don't ask me why they made bunnies the enemy, or why bunnies left gold and other items after you killed them. I always pictured them with little bunny fanny packs.
Webmaster by Default
I worked for the University of Illinois Undergraduate Library while in Library School and one day my boss (the truly kick ass David Ward, still at U of I) told me I was the webmaster for the library's Question Board (a type of "ask us anything" Q&A website). So, I figured it out. I was taking the sole web design class offered by the library science school (we weren't allowed to cross-enroll in the computer science classes). And thus I learned HTML the best way — by just doing it. It's how I tackled all other coding languages from that point on (jump in, flail about, and hope for the best). David also obtained super cool status for implementing one of the first ever chat reference programs at a library, something that we graduate assistants got to staff and which was my introduction to live online communication. If David hadn't given me that web project or encouraged us to provide live online reference, I know for a fact I wouldn't be doing what I do today.
Librarians Encouraging Librarians
I'd been a librarian for less than two years in late 2003, and I saw a conference presentation from Aaron Schmidt and Michael Stephens about this amazing new thing called blogging. I went up to talk to them after the session was over and I remember gushing like a fan girl about how cool this all was and how amazing they were. And then I remember Michael saying "You sound like you have something to say. You should start a blog." A month later I started Librarian in Black.
My Geeky Thank Yous
So, thank you, little cat typing game, for making me type faster.
Thank you, Dad, for bringing home a computer with a game.
Thank you, high school computer science teacher, for showing me the internet in its early days and for sharing your sense of wonder with us.
Thank you, random college friend, for having the patience to show me how to use email (and patience was indeed required).
Thank you, college boyfriend, for being really smart and teaching me stuff and helping me avoid being PKed in BatMud.
Thank you, David Ward, for being an awesome librarian who encouraged his library school graduate assistants to do groundbreaking things.
And thank you, Aaron and Michael, for taking the time to talk to a newbie and encouraging me to have a voice.
Without these people and experiences, I wouldn't be the geek I am today.


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Explore Our Hotel
Welcome to the Holiday Inn Express & Suites- Kilgore, TX. Outstanding service and amenities have made us one of IHG's quality excellence award winning hotels. Designed for the most distinguished traveler our hotel boasts complementary high speed fiber-optic wireless Internet for fast browsing along with a delicious, refreshed hot breakfast bar every morning. It's our goal to provide a stress-free visit for you and your guests so join us for a Managers Reception held every Mon-Wed from 5pm-7pm which includes beer, wine, snacks, and hors d'oeuvres. Rest gracefully on plush bedding with our new king and queen size pillows along with 42" flat screen TV with extensive HD programming. Guests can utilize our complimentary Business Center, Fitness Center, and laundry facilities 24hrs a day. Our hotel is centrally located next to many prominent companies such as Halliburton and Baker Hughes, host your next corporate meeting in our fully equipped 1650 sq ft of meeting space. We are only a few miles from Kilgore College, historic downtown, Lone Star Speedway, and a short drive to Lear Park sports complex. Let us make life simple and organized during your next family reunion or wedding with our room and meeting room packages. Children and adults alike can take advantage of our beautiful indoor pool and hot tub for a relaxing end to a day of travel. Don't forget to ask about our company negotiated rates. Our hotel does have a "no open carry" on premises handgun rule 30.07.
- Rollaway Bed/Cot Available
- Crib Available
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Separate Hanging Closet
- In-Room Heating and A/C Controls
- Extra Bedding Available
Bathroom/Personal Care
- Private Bathroom
- Bathroom Amenities Available
- Hair Dryer
- Bathtub
- Separate/Walk-in Shower
- Separate Vanity Area
In-Room Features
- Mini Refrigerator
- Microwave
- Coffee Maker
- Tea Maker
- Flat-screen TV
- DVD Player
- Work Desk with Lamp
- Desk-level Electrical Outlet
- Free Local Calls
- Cable/Satellite
- Premium Channels
- Video Games Available
- Stereo/Radio
- Direct-dial Phone
- Two-line Phone
- Phone with Voicemail
- Separate Phone Bills for Separate Lines
- Complimentary Morning Newspaper
Added Value
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Oversized Bath Towels
- Complimentary Coffee/Tea Supplies
- Complimentary Bottled Water
- Full Breakfast Included
- Breakfast Buffet Included
- Continental Breakfast Included
- Complimentary Coffee in Lobby
- Kids Eat Free
Business Services
- 1 Meeting Room(s) Available
- On-Site Business Center
- Printer
- Copier
- Office supplies available
Internet Access
- Free High-Speed Internet in all Rooms
- Wireless Internet service is free for all IHG® Rewards Club members
Entertainment & Recreation
- Indoor Pool
- Heated Indoor Pool
- Indoor Whirlpool
- Indoor Pool Hours of Operation: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
Strench and core training includes free weights in 5lb increments up to 50lbs. Bench with Medicine Balls. Elliptical machine, Treadmill and bicycle.
Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM to 11:55 PM
Fitness Center Type: LIMITED
Fitness Center Equipment:
- Treadmill
- Elliptical Machines
- Stationary Bicycle
Housekeeping & Laundry
- Daily Housekeeping
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
- Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Added Value
- Wake Up Calls
- Storage Space Available
- ATM/Cash Machine
- Ice Machine
Hotel Details
3308 Us Highway 259 North
Kilgore, Texas 75662
United States
Check In: 3:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Check-in Age: 21
Parking + -
- Complimentary Self Parking Available
Accessibility + -
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Exercise Facility
- Business Center
- Pool
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 1
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Room
- Exercise Facility
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Ramp Access
- Portable Bathtub Seats
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel
Pet Policy + -
- Service Animals Allowed
- No pets allowed unless they are a service animals.
Facility + -
- Number of Floors: 3
- Total Number of Rooms: 66
- Number of Suites: 36
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 60
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 4
- Connecting Rooms Available
Credit Cards + -
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover


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The Department of Athletics is a member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA), the nation's premier National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II conference. The university is permitted to offer athletically-based financial aid to the diverse contingent of 350 student-athletes and 1,500 recruits that it works with each year. The CCAA is comprised of Cal. Poly. Pomona, Cal. State Bakersfield, Cal. State Dominguez Hills, Cal. State Los Angeles, Cal. State San Bernardino, Cal. State Stanislaus, Chico State, Grand Canyon University (AZ), Sonoma State, U.C. Davis, and U.C. San Diego.
Mission: Intercollegiate athletics is an integral component of the academic experience at San Francisco State University. The specific mission is to provide a broad-based athletics program that fosters the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development of diverse and highly skilled student-athletes. Intercollegiate athletics are an important part of the heritage and vitality of the university and provide an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students to share experiences and by doing so, enhance the cohesiveness of campus life. The department's efforts to accomplish this mission reflects the university's quest for excellence.
The SFSU athletics program is an important aspect of the total educational program--professional, personal, and intellectual enrichment. Coaches and staff are concerned with the academic work of each student-athlete. Their goal is to see that SFSU student-athletes graduate from the university with their chosen degree and to become a contributing factor in the community.
The athletic program consists of sixteen (16) NCAA Division II teams, seven (7) for men and nine (9) for women. The NCAA sanctioned sports include:
|Cross Country
|Cross Country
|Track & Field (outdoor)
|Track & Field (indoor/outdoor)
Athletic facilities used by intercollegiate athletic teams include: Cox Stadium (men's and women's soccer, men's and women's track and field), Main Gymnasium (men's and women's basketball, women's volleyball, wrestling), Maloney Field (baseball), Stephenson Field (softball), the main pool (men's and women's swimming), and tennis courts (tennis). Also, the Gator Conditioning Center is a fitness-related facility utilized by all student-athletes.
Features of the athletics program include:
For more information about SFSU Athletics, please call (415) 338-2218.
The Intramural/Recreational Sports Program under the supervision of the Department of Kinesiology provides an opportunity for students to participate in sport activities in a structured and competitive setting and on an informal, "freeplay," drop-in basis. The goal of the Intramural/Recreational Sports staff is to encourage fair play, equality in participation, fun, and enjoyment in a safe environment.
Intramural leagues, tournaments, and special events are offered in the Fall and Spring semesters. A variety of men's, women's, and coed sports are offered including: basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, swimming, bowling, ultimate frisbee, water polo, softball, badminton, tennis, and flag football. Through their involvement in the program as officials, supervisors, and players, students have an opportunity to meet new people, to develop leadership skills, and keep fit in a fun environment.
For those not interested in organized events, the Kinesiology facilities are available at the noon hour and certain evening hours for student and faculty/staff recreational use. For more information about IM/REC, call (415) 338-3363. Faculty and staff fitness and wellness needs are served by the Health Start program, call (415) 338-7874.


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Let's see, I've uploaded three lessons so far which means I have five more to go. This tutorial was drawn live yesterday with all of my Dragoart buddies. Next, I will be showing you "how to draw chibi Hulk", step by step. He is the muscular, green, strong machine that has a short temper and a will to live. I have an awesome regular lesson on the Hulk, and to incorporate the two to look the same in a sense. Even though drawing chibi Hulk may look a bot complex to draw, he really isn't. In reality, drawing any type of chibi character is simple. If you have a love for anime, and you like drawing chibi, you will adore learning "how to draw chibi anime". As a matter of fact, whenever you draw an anime or manga character in chibi form, you are actually drawing chibi anime. Anything and everything can be turned into chibi form. The Incredible Hulk is one of the more popular Marvel Comics characters that has been created. Hulk, Spiderman, the X-Men, and Iron Man are some of the heroes that Marvel gained popularity for. Maybe I will do more lessons of these pop culture stars. I mean, who wouldn't want to draw heroes in chibi form, isn't that when they look both cool, and cute? I think I have said all I can. I will let you get busy with this tutorial on "how to draw chibi Hulk", step by step. When I come back, I will bring some awesome lessons with me. Two of the tutorials where drawn a few days ago, which is why I have so many to submit today. Have fun people, and remember to always add your own personal touches with each drawing to try and make it unique. Peace!
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest! Register Now!


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Over the past week, a cover letter from an overly ambitious junior at New York University circulated around Wall Street.
The letter, which read with perhaps a tad too much hubris, came at a time when summer recruiting is at its peak and anxiety among the nation's junior class is high.
Below, the full cover letter submitted to NYU, redacted where necessary.
But one quick note on all the side laughter: Remember that not all of those e-mails were sarcastic. Finding a capable, energetic — hell, sprightly — summer, who is willing to work Saturdays and Sundays, makes for a great analyst.
In fact, many of the Business Insider commenters suggest HR departments already line up this recruit for an interview.


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Artist description:
a fast dragon sketch.. im always open to criticism.
Flash Draw Created Apr 18, 2012 460 x 640px Unless noted Copyright 2012 Ediz.
We encourage you to submit a comment and let the artist know what you think of this drawing. Please log in or join to post a comment.
Post a comment
I still can't get over your mouse skills. XD Really awesome pic - the colors, shading, and scale details are cool!
HOLY COW! :D I love dragon drawings, the texture you used is awesome, same with the colors, great draw, 5h and faves. Can't wait to see more drawings from you! :)
Good Drawing 5h
INCREDIBLE!!!!! Awesome drawing! 5/5


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Hi Beth
To be honest i am wondering the same thing myself i have an almost 16month old son and am due to start stimming in 2 or 3 days and am wondering how i will manage ds during the tww and potentially longer hopefully longer i had bad Ohss when pregnant with DS and was barely able to breath let alone walk and am wondering how i will manage ds when he wants to be picked up. I know my mum will help out for as long as i need but she can't be here all hours. Hour old is your dd


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At the Nuremberg war crimes tribunal in 1946, Nazi leaders like Goering, von Ribbentrop, Jodl and Streicher were sentenced to death by hanging for "Crimes against Peace: namely, planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression, or a war in violation of international treaties, agreements or assurances, or participation in a Common Plan or Conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the foregoing." (Article 6, Charter of the International Military Tribunal, August 8, 1945
It is remarkable, but now indisputable, that the current leaders of Britain and the United States are responsible for just such a conspiracy.
Carne Ross, a key Foreign Office diplomat responsible for liaising with UN inspectors in Iraq, said last week that British government claims about Iraq's weapons programme had been "totally implausible". Ross told the Guardian:
"I'd read the intelligence on WMD for four and a half years, and there's no way that it could sustain the case that the government was presenting. All of my colleagues knew that, too. There was a very good alternative to war that was never properly pursued, which was to close down Saddam's sources of illegal revenue." (Richard Norton-Taylor, 'WMD claims were "totally implausible",' The Guardian, June 20, 2005)
But an alternative to war was never an option for the Bush-Blair alliance. On May 1, the Sunday Times published a leaked Downing Street memo that hammered the final nails in the coffin of Tony Blair's credibility. The document - minutes of a highly confidential meeting dated July 23, 2002 - was written eight months before the invasion began. John Scarlett, chairman of the joint intelligence committee (JIC), opened proceedings by summarising the intelligence and latest JIC assessment:
"Saddam's regime was tough and based on extreme fear. The only way to overthrow it was likely to be by massive military action." (Michael Smith, 'Blair planned Iraq war from start,' Sunday Times, May 1, 2005)
As Scarlett's initial statement makes clear, it was understood by everyone present that the issue at hand was how best to overthrow Saddam Hussein, not how to neutralise the supposed threat from any weapons of mass destruction. Indeed little mention was made of WMD.
The memo then records the words of Sir Richard Dearlove, the head of the British intelligence service MI6, who commented on his recent visit to Washington where he had held talks with George Tenet, director of the CIA:
"There was a perceptible shift in attitude. Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam, through military action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the policy. The NSC [US National Security Council] had no patience with the UN route, and no enthusiasm for publishing material on the Iraqi regime's record. There was little discussion in Washington of the aftermath after military action." (ibid)
This recognition of the inevitability of war is reiterated in comments made in the meeting by foreign secretary Jack Straw:
"It seemed clear that Bush had made up his mind to take military action, even if the timing was not yet decided. But the case was thin. Saddam was not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran." (ibid)
But in the absence of a threat - even to Iraq's neighbours, much less to the West - how could war possibly be justified? Straw explained:
"We should work up a plan for an ultimatum to Saddam to allow back in the UN weapons inspectors. This would also help with the legal justification for the use of force." (ibid)
A further leaked Cabinet Office briefing paper from the same day clarifies that since regime change was illegal under international law it was "necessary to create the conditions" that would help provide legitimacy for war.
Writing in the Sunday Times, Michael Smith notes that the briefing paper asserts the only way the allies could justify military action was "to place Saddam Hussein in a position where he ignored or rejected a United Nations ultimatum ordering him to co-operate with the weapons inspectors". But the briefing paper warns this would be difficult.
"It is just possible that an ultimatum could be cast in terms which Saddam would reject," the document says. But if he accepted it and did not attack the allies, they would be "most unlikely" to obtain the legal justification they needed. (Smith, 'Ministers were told of need for Gulf war "excuse",' Sunday Times, June 12, 2005)
Notice the point is not that it was "just possible" than an ultimatum could be cast in terms which Saddam would +accept+ - an outcome that might have allowed a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The aspiration was to cast an ultimatum that Saddam would +reject+, so providing an excuse for war. The goal, clearly, was to lay a trap for a war of aggression and conquest, not to negotiate for peace and security through disarmament. After all, if disarmament had been the concern, an ultimatum would have been superfluous - Saddam was "not threatening his neighbours, and his WMD capability was less than that of Libya, North Korea or Iran".
Smith accurately comments: "The suggestions that the allies use the UN to justify war contradicts claims by Blair and Bush, repeated during their Washington summit last week, that they turned to the UN in order to avoid having to go to war." (ibid)
But this was merely Plan A of a two-part plan to make war possible. There was also Plan B.
As part of the "attempt to provoke Saddam Hussein into giving the allies an excuse for war," Smith writes, Britain and America increased bombing raids on Iraq, dropping twice as many bombs in the second half of 2002 as they did during the whole of 2001. (Smith, 'RAF bombing raids tried to goad Saddam into war,' Sunday Times, May 29, 2005)
By October, with the UN vote still two weeks away, RAF aircraft were dropping 64% of bombs falling on the southern no-fly zone.
This aggressive targeting of Iraqi defences contradicted Foreign Office legal advice appended to the leaked July 23, 2002 briefing paper, which states that allied aircraft were only "entitled to use force in self-defence where such a use of force is a necessary and proportionate response to actual or imminent attack from Iraqi ground systems". (ibid)
The attacks, in other words, were illegal acts of state terror. Last week, Smith summarised the two-part plan to generate an excuse for war in an article in the Los Angeles Times:
"British officials hoped the ultimatum [for Iraq to readmit UN weapons inspectors] could be framed in words that would be so unacceptable to Hussein that he would reject it outright. But they were far from certain this would work, so there was also a Plan B... Put simply, US aircraft patrolling the southern no-fly zone were dropping a lot more bombs in the hope of provoking a reaction that would give the allies an excuse to carry out a full-scale bombing campaign, an air war, the first stage of the conflict." (Michael Smith, 'The real news in the Downing Street memos,' Los Angeles Times, June 23, 2005)
The staggering deceit and criminality of the current British leadership is apparent when we compare the above with their public statements. Despite clearly plotting to ensure a violent outcome at least as early as July 2002, Jack Straw told BBC Radio 4's Today programme in January 2003:
"What's important for people to understand is that war is not inevitable." ('War with Iraq not inevitable - Straw,' January 6, 2003, 12:19 GMT; http://news.bbc.co.uk/1
Responding to comments made by an unnamed government source suggesting that the prospect of conflict had receded from a 60:40 likelihood of conflict to a 60:40 likelihood of peace, Straw commented: "I think that's a reasonably accurate description." (ibid)
This was Jonathan Freedland's take on Straw in the Guardian:
"To dump Straw would look especially perverse after Sunday's leaked memo revealed not only that Downing Street had set its heart on regime change back in 2002 - as opponents of the war always charged - but also that Straw played a Colin Powell role in those internal deliberations, warning that the case against Iraq was 'thin'. To make him the fall guy would look unfair..." (Freedland, 'Campaign 05: It won't be the names that matter,' The Guardian, May 3, 2005)
In his May 1 article, Smith had rightly rejected exactly this benign interpretation:
"Despite voicing concerns, Straw was +not+ standing in the way of war. It was he who suggested a solution: they should force Saddam into a corner where he would give them a clear reason for war." (Smith, Sunday Times, May 1, op. cit, our emphasis)
That was obvious to Smith; it is obvious to us. How curious that it was not also obvious to Freedland. Straw was in fact proposing a conspiracy to lure Saddam into actions that would help 'legitimise' a US-UK war of aggression.
In the July 23, 2002 memo, the attorney general, Lord Goldsmith, warned that the desire for regime change was not a legal base for military action. Tony Blair responded that "it would make a big difference politically and legally if Saddam refused to allow in the UN inspectors".
Blair's comment was made in the context of Straw's points about the lack of a threat and the need for an ultimatum, and of the briefing paper arguing it was "just possible" that "an ultimatum could be cast in terms which Saddam would reject". Blair, then, was also willing to use UN inspectors, not to disarm Iraq, but to provoke Saddam's refusal to cooperate, so providing an excuse for war.
Blair's criminality in launching a war of aggression, and in lying to Parliament and to the British people, is therefore not in doubt. On November 8, 2002, Blair said:
"Iraq now has a 'final opportunity' to comply with its international and legal obligations by giving up once and for all its weapons of mass destruction... If it does not, then the consequences are clear." (Cited, Panorama, Iraq - Tony & the Truth, BBC 1, 10.15PM, March 20, 2005; http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/
The "final opportunity" was a fraud, an endgame in a plot to provide an excuse for war. The consequences, completely regardless of Saddam's response, were already clear.
In February 2003, Blair said:
"If we go to war it will not be because we want to, but because we have to in order to disarm Saddam." (David Cracknell and Sarah Baxter, 'Allies set date for Iraq war,' Sunday Times, February 23, 2003)
As late as February 15, 2003 - just one month before the war began on March 20 - Blair told the Labour Party's spring conference in Glasgow:
"I hope, even now, Iraq can be disarmed peacefully, with or without Saddam." ('Blair speech - key quotes,' February 15, 2003, 12:38 GMT; http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2765763.stm)
But Blair had been plotting to secure a violent outcome since at least July 2002. With these words, Blair was deliberately deceiving the British public.
The evidence of a conspiracy to lure and goad Saddam into providing an excuse for war is amply corroborated by other sources. Sir Christopher Meyer, the British ambassador to the United States, wrote in a March 18, 2002 memo:
"We backed regime change, but the plan had to be clever and failure was not an option. It would be a tough sell for us domestically." (Cited, Panorama, op. cit)
John Ware reported on the BBC's Panorama programme in March that this "clever" plan involved getting the UN Security Council to pass a tough new disarmament resolution. Was it intended to achieve peace or provide a trigger for war? Meyer could not be clearer:
"The US could go it alone if it wanted. But if it wanted to act with partners there had to be strategy for building support for military action. I then went through the need to wrong foot Saddam on the inspectors." (ibid)
As we have seen, the 'wrong footing' involved Saddam being provoked into rejecting the ultimatum - a desired outcome that was considered "just possible".
Richard Haass, director of policy planning, State Department 2001-2003, also confirms that war had long been the intended outcome:
"... the first time I came away persuaded that a war was ninety nine percent likely was in early July of 2002 during one of my regular sessions with Condoleezza Rice, then the national security advisor... I was uneasy about it, thought that it raised questions to me at least whether it was worth it... and when I began to raise these concerns, Condi's reaction was essentially, save your breath, hold your fire 'This decision's pretty much been made, this is where the President is.'" (Cited, Panorama, ibid)
Part 2 will follow shortly.


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Friday 11th January 2013
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Wall Street advanced as better-than-expected exports data from China underpinned hope the world's second largest economy will help propel growth elsewhere.
China's overseas shipments jumped 14.1 percent from a year earlier last month. That compared with the 5 percent median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey of 40 economists. And the US replaced the EU last year as China's largest export market.
The latest data on the US economy were promising. Though claims for unemployment benefits unexpectedly rose last week, up 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 371,000, the trend of cautious recovery remains in place. The prior week's figures were revised to 367,000 from an initially reported 372,000.
The four-week moving average for new claims, a less volatile measure than the weekly figures, rose to 365,750 last week from 359,000.
"Jobless claims data continue to suggest steady but modest US employment gains," Robert Kavcic, a senior economist at BMO Capital Markets in Toronto, told Reuters.
Separately, US wholesale inventories climbed more than predicted in November, up 0.6 percent, while sales increased by 2.3 percent, the most since March 2011.
In afternoon trading in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.24 percent, while the Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 0.30 percent to 1,465.34. The Nasdaq Composite Index edged 0.03 percent lower.
The S&P 500 is technically at the level of resistance, near 1,465 to 1,467, Randy Frederick, managing director of active trading and derivatives at Charles Schwab, told Reuters.
"A solid breakthrough above the level would be the start of a next leg higher, but it looks like it is going to be difficult to break above that level for now," Frederick said.
Shares of Ford gained, last up 2.5 percent, after record profit margins prompted the car maker to double its dividend to 10 cents per share.
Shares of Tiffany, however, sank, last down 4.5 percent, after the company predicted that earnings for the year through January 31 will be at the lower end of its forecast because of weak sales.
In Europe, the Stoxx 600 Index ended the day with a 0.3 percent decline from the previous close. France's CAC 40 dropped 0.4 percent and Germany's DAX slid 0.2 percent, while the UK's FTSE 100 was steady.
As anticipated by most economists, policymakers at the European Central Bank decided to keep the key interest rate at a record low 0.75 percent, as did those at the Bank of England, holding its benchmark rate at a record low 0.5 percent.
There is light at the end of the tunnel, though, for the euro zone's economic hardships.
"The economic weakness in the euro area is expected to extend into 2013," according to ECB President Mario Draghi at a news conference in Frankfurt today.
"Later, in 2013, economic activity should gradually recover," Draghi said. "In particular, our accommodative monetary policy stance, together with significantly proved financial market confidence and reduced fragmentation, should work its way through the economy, and global demand should strengthen."
Meanwhile, Spain managed to draw solid demand for its debt auction today. It sold a combined 5.8 billion euros of securities, surpassing its target of 5 billion euros.
"The auction went very well and the size was also higher than the market was expecting," Mohit Kumar, the head of European interest-rate strategy at Deutsche Bank in London, told Bloomberg. "German bonds are falling as Draghi is being on the constructive side. That is paring down market expectations of an ECB rate cut in the near future."
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Upside to budget conference delay?
For years, House Republicans have clamored for a budget from the Senate. Now that they've got one, they're not sure what to do next.
Thus far, they've been mostly happy to let senators fight among themselves on whether to go to conference, even while Democrats in both chambers accuse them of obstruction.
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But inaction may not be such a bad thing for House Republicans. Going to conference to match the House and Senate-passed budgets — or making any movement on the budget right now — could open up a schism in the caucus on spending that for months leadership has managed to keep mostly at bay.
Some members see this as an opportunity to make a deal that makes permanent real budget cuts. There's a contingent that either doesn't want to make a deal with Senate Democrats or would prefer to wait until the debt ceiling is closer and they presumably have more leverage. And some would just toss the House-passed plan and start over.
Republicans agree on the talking points: The Senate budget doesn't come into balance in 10 years; it doesn't address out of control spending; and the chasm between the two proposals is too great to bridge.
"It is regular order for the House and Senate budget chairs to reach agreement on a framework before beginning a formal conference. That is obviously tough when the Senate passed a budget that includes a trillion-dollar tax hike and still never ever balances — but we'll keep working," Michael Steel, spokesman for House Speaker John Boehner, wrote in an email when asked to comment on the progress of the budget and disagreement within the caucus.
Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) would just chuck out the whole budget process.
"We have to have a real budget that recognizes that we're broke as a nation; we're headed to an economic collapse and deal with it in an appropriate way," Broun said. "I don't think a conference would be helpful at all because neither budget faces the reality of our dire economic condition we face as a nation."
He sees no plan coming from leadership to deal with the budget moving forward.
"It's absolutely frustrating for me," Broun said.
Senate Republicans such as Mike Lee of Utah or Ted Cruz of Texas have helped hold up a conference by insisting that parties agree not to use a budget deal to raise the debt ceiling, and that's something House conservatives agree with.
"Leadership got what they wanted, and usually that ends up in a conference committee," said Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.). "It still [has] to do with the debt ceiling, and with or without a conference, that's where the battle will be."
Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R-S.C.) also wants to see the debt ceiling handled first, before any budget talks.
"I share the same concern that Ted Cruz has; I'm probably not as vocal and fired up as he is," Mulvaney said. "We need to have a debt ceiling debate, discussion and vote. We don't need to use smoke and mirrors buried in the budget process to bypass that process."
Another potential problem for the House GOP: If the budget spent more than 20 days languishing in conference, it would give any member the chance to file "motions to instruct," a procedural move that can be used to force uncomfortable political votes. Most of the public fretting from Republicans involves Democrats having the ability to take over the floor, but it would also open up an opportunity for the most conservative members in the House to offer their amendments.


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Tustin from its earliest days has been known as a place of beauty with specimen trees and colorful plantings, but many local gardeners are unaware that the beautiful floribunda and hybrid tea roses such as Brigadoon, Pride 'N' Joy and Sweet Inspiration in their gardens were developed right here in Tustin by world famous rose hybridizer, William A. Warriner.
Warriner was often called "the No.1 rose breeder in the United States."
Tustin became involved after Jackson & Perkins – a nearly 80-year-old rose propagation company in Newark known for its award-winning roses named for famous people – was acquired by Harry and David, the world's largest mail order fruit business in 1966. An umbrella organization, Bear Creek Corp., was then formed over both companies.
Harry and David moved the Jackson & Perkins rose hybridizing facility to Tustin and hired William A. Warriner to continue the hybridizing work of Gene Boerner who had died. Warriner introduced the prize-winning hybrids Gay Princess, Gene Boerner and First Prize in the next three years. He later won 19 All-America awards for his rose introductions while working on J&P hybrids.
His hybridizing accomplishments were outstanding. In his job as overseer of some 100,000 seedlings in the Jackson & Perkins research facility in Irvine, where he developed new rose strains, he became the only rose hybridizer in the 40-year-old All-American Rose Society to win All- American honors for three new breeds, Love, Honor and Cherish, in one year, 1980.
Sheer Bliss took seven years to breed and is one of the 12 champion roses that he developed over two decades. He not only produced more roses that won All-American honors than any other hybridizer, he developed more varieties than any of his contemporaries. He held the patent for all-time favorites such as Color Magic, Pristine, America, Heirloom and Red Masterpiece.
George Rose, executive director at the time of Iowa-based All-American Rose Selections Inc., which tests and gives awards for new roses, once said, "Warriner is a very modest man, "but there's no doubt that he's the No. 1 rose breeder in the United States."
In his last years with the company Warriner developed a group of rose varieties that can be used as potted plants to compete with chrysanthemums and African violets.
He retired as director of Jackson & Perkins research after working with the company for 25 years and developing 150 varieties of roses. His creations have continued to gain prestige since his retirement. He died in 1991 at age 69.


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Georgia's own guide to great gardening and landscaping. A State-by-State Gardening Publication
by Garry V. McDonald
Despite their many problems, I still like roses. However, I do insist on having at least a modicum of fragrance and substance. Therein lies the problem. With the exception of a few enlightened rose breeders, the bulk of roses originating over the past several decades have focused on the flower form and color at the expense of fragrance. The newer landscape roses go a long way in their disease resistance and increased flower number, but can lack fragrance and produce flowers with no style; a blaze of eye-searing color perhaps, but in the end not very satisfying. For those of us who think a rose should smell like a rose, it often means seeking out the older, fragrant roses. >> read article
History of the Rose
by Martin Stone, Ph.D.
Roses are more than prickly garden plants with exquisite flowers. They are much more than roots and leaves, stems and petals. They are the ultimate symbol of beauty, displaying perfection and romance. But beyond this, they are metaphors of society and us throughout history, as well as today. >> read article
Celebrate With a Bouquet
by Melinda Myers
The holiday of love is just around the corner, and the most popular presents are bouquets of tulips, roses, and other cut flowers. Throw in a bottle of Champagne or a lovely dinner, and the evening will be yours. >> read article
Antique Roses Never Went Out of Fashion
by Linda Kimmel
What is an antique rose? Sometimes antique roses are called heirloom, heritage, vintage or old garden roses. Whatever your preference of terminology, they are a wonderful class of roses whose date of introduction precedes 1867. They are extremely fragrant, grow without chemicals, and are adaptable in a wide variety of growing conditions. They can create a mood of romance, or nostalgia, stirring up sentimental memories of your grandmother's yard with sprawling roses on the fence or trellis. >> read article
Recipe for Organic Soil Conditioner that Roses Love
by Linda Kimmel
Place the ingredients into a large bin, small wagon or wheel barrow. Since this job can create considerable dust, protect yourself with a dust mask and work in a well-ventilated area. Use a small shovel to mix the ingredients well. Use about 2 cups of the mixture around mature rose bushes, and 1 cup around miniature roses or smaller shrubs. Apply this mix twice a year, once in the early spring (March-April) and again late summer (July-August). A large plastic drinking cup from a fast food restaurant makes a great scoop. Work the organic mix into the topsoil and water well. All of your plants, flowers and turf will love this organic soil conditioner. Share any leftovers with other garden plants, or save the leftovers in a plastic bucket with an air-tight lid for later use. >> read article
Climbing Roses
Unbeatable Color and Beauty
by Dia Bettencourt
Climbing roses create a color impact like no other plant can. When these beauties are in full flower, the colors and fragrances are staggering. It is no wonder that climbing roses rank among the most popular of all of the vining type plants available today. >> read article
The Rudiments Of Roses
Don't Shy Away From Growing Roses!
by Lea Brit
Truly there are varieties available for even the most timid or inexperienced gardeners. All roses require some attention, but numerous types are more self sufficient, thriving for years with minimal care. >> read article
Rose Black Spot
by Stephen Vann, Ph.D
Rose black spot is perhaps the most devastating disease of roses in the South. This disease is caused by a fungus (Diplocarpon rosae) that attacks the foliage of many rose varieties in home landscapes. Many dedicated rose growers battle black spot year after year. The disease can flare up virtually anytime of the year when the leaves remain wet for a period of six or more hours at a time. Frequent rainfall with cloudy days or periods of high humidity can result in disease onset. >> read article


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Office market stumbling, but players see signs of hope
Available office space in Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, Newtown and Ridgefield shows strong improvement
The southwestern Connecticut office market followed up a strong first quarter with a mixed bag of results during the second quarter, though northern Fairfield County showed some impressive results.
The overall vacancy rate dropped to 16.3 percent during the quarter, 0.2 percentage points lower than the rate recorded in the prior year and quarter, according to RHYS Commercial, a Stamford commercial real estate firm.
Across the submarkets, northern Fairfield County saw another strong quarter, with the vacancy level dropping by 0.6 percentage points over the quarter and 1.9 percentage points over the year to finish the quarter with a vacancy rate of 16.4 percent.
Southern Fairfield County had the highest vacancy rate across the county at 19.7 percent, slightly higher than the previous quarter but unchanged on a yearly basis.
The central submarket's vacancy rate also increased quarter to quarter, but dropped year-over-year to 14 percent.
Long-term optimism
The eastern submarket saw the strongest improvement in a quarterly basis, dropping by 1.2 percentage points to finish at 12 percent.
The improved levels in some areas gave Eric Griffin, director of research and financial analysis, reason for long-term optimism.
"Down the road, I think things are improving, and I think availability rates will be going down the rest of the year," Griffin said. "There are more potential tenants looking for space."
The availability rate typically represents space that will be available in a market within the next 12 months.
Available space within the northern submarket (Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, Newtown and Ridgefield) saw the strongest quarterly and yearly improvement, with 2.4 percent less space available than the previous quarter and 7.8 percent less than the previous year, according to RHYS.
The average rental rate across the county was $34.16 in the quarter, 2.1 percent more than a year ago.
Activity at the Matrix
The Matrix, the office building and the former headquarters of Union Carbide, has seen an uptick in leasing in the first half of 2014, welcoming Mack Ro Mack into 12,500 square feet and the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference into 4,500 square feet.
"That's an awesome lease. It will be their new regional headquarters," said Aaron Smiles, director of operations for Matrix Realty Group, owner of the 1.3 million-square-foot complex off Old Ridgebury Road. "NewOak Capital, is expanding into a 9,000-square-foot space. There's more positive certainty about the economic climate and more deals as a result."
The asking rent at Matrix, which is 75 percent occupied, is $24.50 per square foot, plus electricity.
"Most of our deals are at full asking price," Smiles said. "We're not giving anything away. They like us because we have all the amenities and 22 conference centers."
The office market throughout the Danbury area is starting to pick up, added Jeff Ryer, principal in Ryer Associates, a Danbury commercial real estate brokerage.
"We're seeing more absorption. We're starting to fill stuff. We're not seeing contraction," he said, adding that most new tenants are small businesses from outside the area. "One guy we're working with now is with a company in Texas."
Defecting from Greenwich
Ryer said he recently has worked with individuals who left financial services firms in the Greenwich-Stamford area and have decided to open their own office in the region.
Based on his recent experience, he is optimistic about the prospects of the office market in the county.
"I've been pretty much bullish. Things are in a slight improvement," Ryer said.
Mick Consalvo, vice president of Tower Realty, a commercial real estate brokerage firm in Brookfield, had a more reserved view of the office marketplace in the region.
"Our office market has been very weak. You have some good activity at Lee Farm and Matrix," he said, adding that other smaller office properties have not been as fortunate.
Some businesses are taking advantage of building owners offering low rents and moving within the region, Consalvo said.
"I'm working with a start-up, but it's small -- 1,500 square feet," he said. "There's a great opportunity for tenants, and landlords are being aggressive."
Some businesses are seeing an opportunity to move up from "rough space" to Class A office space, according to Consalvo.
Landlords will not see a marked improvement in occupancy levels until companies require their employees to spend more time in the office, he said.
"There's so much telecommuting," Consalvo said. "We need some businesses saying that they want face time with their employees."


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Onyx Woman Leadership Photos 2018
October 15, 2018 by Leave a Comment
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