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ISCSI gets boost from InfiniBand
The speedy InfiniBand protocol has already gained popularity in some bleeding-edge storage systems; a new spec will now standardize connection to iSCSI storage.
According to the InfiniBand Trade Association (IBTA), the open-standards group charged with drafting the specifications for the 10/20 Gbps networking protocol, InfiniBand will be coming soon to a storage environment near you.
The main reason for the IBTA's high hopes came in the form of an announcement on Monday that a specification, known as iSER (iSCSI Extension for RDMA), has been ratified and will become part of the InfiniBand specification for connecting InfiniBand networks to iSCSI storage. RDMA stands for Remote Direct Memory Access, which allows the network adapter to transfer data directly to or from application memory, which is what makes InfiniBand so fast. ISER has also become part of the Linux 2.6.18 kernel and will be included in new versions of both SUSE and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
"The perception of iSCSI has been as a low-end, low-performance protocol," said Asaf Somekh, vice president (VP) of strategic alliances for Voltaire Inc., a switching company that pioneered a FC-to-InfiniBand gateway two years ago. (Somekh also sits on the steering committee for IBTA.) "That's not iSCSI's fault. That's Ethernet's fault."
According to IBTA, companies, including Silicon Graphics Inc. (SGI), Engenio Information Technologies Inc. and FalconStor Software Inc., are currently working on iSER products. Enterprise-focused vendors in switching and connectivity have also entered the market, at least nominally, through acquisition -- Cisco Systems Inc. by buying Topspin Communications Inc. in 2005 and QLogic Corp. with its acquisition of PathScale Inc. in 2006. Also, IBM and LSI Logic Corp.'s Engenio subsidiary already offer FC-InfiniBand "hybrid" storage products.
One protocol for all?
The ultimate goal, according to Len Rosenthal, VP of marketing for QLogic and a marketing representative for IBTA, is to have InfiniBand become a standard protocol in the enterprise data center, using technology like Voltaire's gateway and iSER for iSCSI storage to unite FC, iSCSI and, in some cases, Ethernet under one umbrella.
Now that it's been ratified by IBTA over other RDMA specifications, such as Myrinet or Quadrics, iSER will be included in the OpenFabrics standard, which has just that unification in mind, Rosenthal said.
"We're hoping to see InfiniBand become a more viable alternative to both Ethernet and FC across multiple applications," Rosenthal said.
At the same time, Rosenthal admitted, users aren't just going to unplug their FC systems. For one thing, FC has been around for more than a decade now, while questions still remain for some in the industry as to the reliability of iSCSI storage.
"The big news for now is that there's an alternative, and it's gaining momentum," Rosenthal said.
So far, traction is slow but steady
For now, according to Somekh, the most immediate benefit of iSER is that it doesn't interfere with transporting data at the packet level, as opposed to other iSCSI-to-InfiniBand bridging protocols, such as IPoIB (IP over InfiniBand).
"Now you can take advantage of the speed of RDMA, but move things as one file at the megabyte level rather than fragmenting iSCSI over Ethernet or FCIP," he said.
So far, the IBTA estimates that traction for InfiniBand has been confined to high-performance computing environments, with around 500 end-user sites deploying InfiniBand products in clustering applications. Another limitation on InfiniBand's aspirations to enter the mainstream data center is that it is currently confined mostly to Linux operating systems, although Microsoft has announced its intentions to get into the high-performance computing space, and as of this past June, announced InfiniBand support in its Microsoft Cluster Compute Server (CCS) 2003 product.
"Infiniband is one of those promising technologies that is really exciting, [but] still needs to pass the test of meaningful customer adoption," said Christopher Baer, an account executive with storage services firm Broadleaf Services LLC, himself an iSCSI storage user as well as a storage service provider for EqualLogic Corp. and Riverbed Technology Inc. products.
On the other hand, Baer said, he has seen evidence that iSCSI is "really taking hold in a big way." Baer cited recent developments in the industry, including Microsoft's acquisition of iSCSI target maker String Bean Inc., VMware Inc.'s support for iSCSI in ESX 3.0 and the market penetration of IP SAN products, like EqualLogic's PS Series arrays.
"For customers that do implement Infiniband, it is smart that they be given the ability to port to an iSCSI storage array," Baer said. "In fact, I am sure that these customers would demand that connectivity between the tiers."
"IfiniBand sort of fell by the wayside for a while, but now it's back," said Arun Taneja, founder and senior analyst with the Taneja Group. This is good news, according to Taneja. "Even when it first came out, InfiniBand was the most complete spec I've ever seen. You can kick a spec like this in the teeth all you want, but you can't kill it."Some in the industry have been working on a standard for RDMA with IP for years with nothing to show for it yet, Taneja said -- for now, iSER is filling that gap. "At some point, maybe we'll see it, but for now people have a job to do -- there are certain HPC [high-performance computing] applications that thrive on that functionality."
This article originally appeared on SearchStorage.com.


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The GTA III Era refers to six Grand Theft Auto games, grouped together because they have interlinking characters, locations and storylines. This is also known as the third generation of GTA games released from 2001 to 2006.
Grand Theft Auto III (2001) was set in fictional Liberty City (based on the east coast of America) in 2001. This game brought a third-person view to the series, rather than the traditional top-down view of earlier titles (although the view is still made available as an optional camera angle). Graphics were also updated with a new 3D game engine. While not the first of its kind, the gameplay engine had expanded the explorable world, doing away with a traditional game structure where the player faces a "boss" at the end of the level and moves onto a new level, opting instead for more realistic mission-based approach. Multiplayer was discarded (third party mods were later released, allowing for multiplayer gameplay) but GTA III improved in many other areas such as voice-acting and storyline (before, there was speech only in short animated cutscenes between levels, other communication was simply subtitles running on the bottom of the screen). Pop culture also is cemented into GTA III, drawing many aspects and ideas from popular films and shows such as Scarface, Goodfellas, and The Sopranos.
Grand Theft Auto III sold very well and became the first blockbuster game in the series, setting the precedent for subsequent GTA titles to be very successful. GTA III also attracted heavy criticism for its violence against police and its indifference to innocent bystanders, making future games in the GTA series synonymous with violence. Following the success of GTA III, the rest of the games in the GTA III Era are stand-alone prequels, as all take place before GTA III chronologically.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002), was set in 1986 in Vice City (based on Miami). Influences for the game include movies such as Scarface, Carlito's Way and the TV series Miami Vice. In fact, the entire basic storyline of the game is an homage to Scarface, including the climactic gun-fight in the main character's mansion at the end. GTA Vice City was an improvement on the scale of GTA III, although featured very little in the way of terrain.
Grand Theft Auto Advance (2004), originally intended to be a top-down conversion of GTA III for the Game Boy Advance, it ended up becoming its own completely original adventure, set roughly a year before GTA III. The game was set in Liberty City.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) was set in 1992 in the fictional state of San Andreas (based on California and Nevada) consisting of three cities: Los Santos (Los Angeles), San Fierro (San Francisco), and Las Venturas (Las Vegas). The player is also able to return to Liberty City during one mission. Inspiration came from movies such as Boyz N the Hood and Menace II Society, and early 90s west coast gangsta rap culture and groups such as N.W.A.
GTA San Andreas expanded on previous RPG elements, adding the ability to dress the player's character, exercise, and tattoo him. These elements also have an effect on gameplay as other characters would comment on the player character's physique or clothes. The character could also swim (something missing from previous games).
GTA San Andreas also attracted heavy controversy when it was discovered that a sex minigame that was cut from the game could be enabled (See Hot Coffee). As a result, GTA San Andreas was pulled from a number of retail outlets and was re-rated from "M" (Mature) to "AO" (Adults Only) by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) - the first game in the series to be given an AO rating. Rockstar has since released an edited version of the game for the PC, Xbox, and PlayStation 2, and has reclaimed the "M" rating.
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005), a PlayStation Portable GTA III prequel set in 1998 Liberty City. A PlayStation 2 port was released by Rockstar Games on June 6, 2006.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006), the second PlayStation Portable game, was released on October 31, 2006 and set in 1984 Vice City. A PlayStation 2 port was released by Rockstar on March 6, 2007. And is the final game of GTA III Era.

subset: commoncrawl


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Yuna Kim's Classics Albums Inducted Into Universal Music's Hall of Fame[By Min Nam of Herald Biz l 2014.07.03]Yuna Kim's classics albums released by Universal Music are making headlines again after surpassing the 100,000 mark in sales.Known to have a fine taste in music selections for her figure skating programs, Kim's music pieces have always attracted as much attention as her figure skating programs themselves. These musical selections have been compiled and released into 4 different albums as of date: Fairy on the Ice (2008), Fairy on the Ice (2009), The Queen on Ice (2011), and The Queen on Ice: The Classics Best Album (2014).These albums have been long adored by fans, containing the music selections for some of Kim's signature figure skating programs, including "The Lark Ascending" by Vaughan Williams and "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint Saens, along with some of Kim's personal favorites. Her first album in particular, Fairy on the Ice (2008), scored a platinum hit within the first month of its release. Kim has also released a few singles over the years, including a duet with R&B singer Lena Park ("Dream of Winter") and the two classical pieces from her 2014 Olympic programs, Stephen Sondheim's "Send in the Clowns" and Astor Piazolla's "Adios Nonino."In regards to her albums reaching a combined sales of 100,000, Kim said, "I never even imagined these albums would be such a hit. I received so much love and support during my figure skating career, but for my fans to love even just the music for my programs, that's incredible and I'm very grateful. I want to thank all my fans who have supported me over the years."
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In her latest post, Sarah Palin reminds us that our military is what keeps us free, what keeps is safe. Sarah also reminds us that America is the greatest nation on earth, because of the American people.
US Troops Must be Second to None
Can't wait to meet our troops – and all those who love the U.S. Armed Forces – today at Ft. Bragg. Read my book's dedication page. The book is for these Patriots who fight for freedom. They deserve our support and our government's unwavering commitment to equipping them for victory.
The book tour is beyond all expectations. This feels like the time when a team comes together, gearing up before a major competition to show unity and supply strength and encouragement to each team member equally, regardless of the team member's role or title.
On this tour I hear the grave concerns Americans have for our children's future. I also feel the hope so many of you want to cling to – hope for those on Capitol Hill to see the light, hope for politicians to be humble enough to acknowledge that growing the federal government isn't the answer to our economic challenges, hope that it won't take another terrorist strike to wake us up to continued threats by those who hate America and our allies.
At every stop on this tour I see Americans coming together to say, "Enough. We love our country too much to just sit down and shut up while politicians take us for a ride. We shall be heard."
We see a united team.
Now, I want to give you more hope: We are Americans. Anything is possible in America. Anyone can make a positive difference. You don't need a title or a political position or a pedigree. We can take our country back from those who think growing national debt will grow prosperity for us, the little guys. We can take it back from those who think shrinking military power will make the homeland safer for us, the little guys.
We can take it back because we're fired up, and we're all about telling our government to listen to us, trust us, get back on our side… or politicians: you're fired.
Plunging our country deeper and deeper in debt; borrowing billions from foreign countries; relying on foreign nations to supply us with energy; talking about sanctions against dangerous regimes but not following through; hesitating to surge aggressively to stop terrorist strongholds from growing; allowing government to take over health care, banks, the auto industry, and who knows what else they've got up their sleeves… it's all too much and we've had enough.
Ronald Reagan knew it took a united team to right the wrongs of Washington. He told his team in essence, "Gentlemen and Ladies, I hate inflation; I hate taxes; I hate terrorists. Do something about it."
America, you're doing something about it! Thank you for standing up and speaking out. Thank you for holding on to hope, for loving America so passionately and supporting our troops who fight for freedom. Keep the faith!
– Sarah Palin
PS: Please continue to follow the tour's progress by following me on Twitter at SarahPalinUSA. Enjoy the photos below!
Sarah also posted quite a few photos from her book tour stops in Ohio, as well as her dinner with Reverend Billy Graham. You can check them out here.
Here's a short video Of Sarah arriving at Ft Bragg. Some 4500 showed up to spend some time with America's hottest author:


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Conveniently located just off Interstate 40 Business near downtown, our spacious Winston-Salem office accommodates more than 70 Realtors® in a flexible, modular-design space featuring the latest wireless technology and conference areas. We offer clients a full array of services including mortgage, insurance, relocation, title, home warranty and home services.
Community Profile
Winston-Salem is centrally located in the Piedmont Triad region, about 100 miles from Raleigh and 80 miles from Charlotte. The city was built on a rich heritage of tobacco farming and manufacturing, the influences of which can still be seen today.
The 21-story Art Deco style R.J. Reynolds Building in downtown is known for being the prototype for the larger Empire State Building in New York City. The Reynolda Historic District, part of an estate developed by the R.J. Reynolds family, serves as an educational, cultural and community complex. Buildings that once served as dairy barns, cattle sheds and blacksmith shops now house stores, restaurants and offices.
Winston-Salem's economy has diversified to include the health care, education and social services sectors. Among the schools that call Winston-Salem home: Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem State University, Salem College, Forsyth Tech Community College and UNC School of the Arts. Winston-Salem is easily accessible by Interstate 40 and U.S. 421. Piedmont Triad International Airport is 25 miles to the east.
In recent years, Winston-Salem has ranked high on various magazine lists of best places for relocating or retiring. A variety of home styles are available, as are shopping and dining options and other amenities.


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Romney begins fall campaign with economic pledge
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Mitt Romney is making the first stop of his fall campaign for the White House a visit to hurricane-damaged Louisiana, hoping to convince Americans he is not just the right man to fix the economy but an all-around leader for the nation. President Barack Obama, for his part, served notice that he will use his powers of incumbency to make Romney's mission hard.
Fresh from the Republican National Convention, Romney scheduled a visit to Lafitte, outside New Orleans, where he was joining Gov. Bobby Jindal on a scheduled tour of storm damage.
At a farewell rally as he left Tampa, Romney made no mention of the storm and kept his focus squarely on the economy. The GOP nominee said he and running mate Paul Ryan "understand how the economy works, we understand how Washington works. We will reach across the aisle and find good people who like us, want to make sure this country deals with its challenges. We'll get America on track again."
Ryan, warming up the crowd for Romney, told supporters: "Coming out of Tampa, we have given our fellow countrymen a very clear choice." He offered Romney as "a man for the moment" and cast the election as a choice between a failed presidency and a stagnant economy, and fresh leadership that will turn the economy around. Ryan also asked for prayers for those affected the hurricane and by an earthquake in the Philippines.
From there, Romney plunged into the fall whirlwind -- first stop Louisiana -- on a new campaign plane painted with the slogan "Believe in America." Ryan split off for the battleground state of Virginia.
Hurricane Isaac, later downgraded to a tropical storm, left a wake of misery in Louisiana, with dozens of neighborhoods under deep flood waters and more than 800,000 people without power. While New Orleans was spared major damage, the storm walloped surrounding suburbs, topping smaller levees with days of rain and forcing more than 4,000 from their homes.
Romney heads into the campaign's final 67 days with his primary focus on jobs and the economy, and depicting Obama as a well-meaning but inept man who must be replaced.
"America has been patient," Romney said in his speech to the nation Thursday night. "Americans have supported this president in good faith. But today, the time has come to turn the page."
His wife made the rounds of Friday morning talk shows to offer her husband as the solution to the country's economic problems, and predicted that argument would hold sway with women who haven't voted Republican in the past.
Ann Romney said women tell her: "It's time for the grown-up to come, the man that's going to take this very seriously and the future of our children very, very seriously. I very much believe this is going to be an economic election, and I think a lot of women may be voting this cycle around in a different way than they usually are, and that is thinking about the economy."
Obama, who will hold his own convention next week, headed for a Texas military base exactly two years after declaring the end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq, the war that haunts the last Republican president. This, as Democrats prepare to gather in Charlotte, N.C., for Obama's convention.
Where Romney gave a shout-out to members of the military during his rally, Obama was able to flex the powers of the presidency. He signed an executive order to improve access to mental health services for veterans, service members and military families.
White House press secretary Jay Carney said Obama's visit Friday to Fort Bliss would highlight administration efforts to support U.S. service members and their families, both in Iraq and Afghanistan. Those efforts include attempts to combat what Carney called "unseen wounds" of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, including post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.
Obama's campaign issued a morning-after critique of Romney's speech that faulted the GOP nominee for skipping over failings in his record on job-creation as Massachusetts governor and for not being up-front with voters about details of his economic plans that Obama says would reduce taxes for the wealthy and increase burdens on the middle class.
"Thursday was Mitt Romney's big night to tell America his plans for moving forward, yet he chose not to," the Obama campaign's web video says.
Romney capped a high-energy night closing to the convention with a spirited and unusually personal speech infused with his family life, touching on his Mormon faith and recounting his youth. The cheers were loud and frequent, surely music to the ears of a candidate who struggled throughout the bruising primary season and beyond to bury doubts among many in his party that he was the authentic conservative in the field.
"Now is the time to restore the promise of America," Romney declared to a nation struggling with unemployment and the slowest economic recovery in decades.
Polls suggest a to-the-wire campaign finish. The two men will spend the next 10 weeks in a handful of competitive states, none more important than Florida and Ohio, and meet in October for one-on-one debates where the stakes could hardly be any higher.
The campaign themes are mostly set. Romney depicts the president as a once-inspiring but disappointing figure who doesn't understand job-creation or ordinary Americans' frustrations. Democrats portray Romney as a man shifting ever rightward in the absence of core convictions, and a wealthy plutocrat who can't relate to the middle class.
Hanging over the campaign is a big number: the nation's 8.3 percent unemployment rate. It is Obama's biggest impediment to a second term. Republicans seem to be banking on the notion that it will bring Obama down if Romney simply presents himself as a competent alternative.
Strikingly absent from Romney's campaign, including the three-day convention in Tampa, were detailed explanations of how he would tame deficit spending while also cutting taxes and expanding the armed forces. He seems to be asking voters to trust his ability to create jobs and to make tough, unpopular decisions later.
Democrats hope their convention in Charlotte will, at a minimum, neutralize any GOP bounce out of Tampa. In the lead-up to his convention, Obama planned to campaign this weekend in Ohio, Colorado and Iowa.
Romney scrapped a planned trip to Virginia on Friday to go to Louisiana. He will campaign in Ohio on Saturday before taking a couple of days to rest while Democrats start their quadrennial show.
Obama narrowly won North Carolina in 2008 and scheduled his 2012 convention there in hopes of repeating the unexpected feat. Romney's path to victory is severely complicated unless he puts the state back in the GOP column.
Associated Press writers Kasie Hunt, Steve Peoples, Philip Elliott, Beth Fouhy, Thomas Beaumont and Julie Mazziotta in Tampa, Fla., and Jennifer Agiesta and Cal Woodward in Washington contributed to this report.


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Elvis Presley – A Boy From Tupelo: The Complete 1953-1955 Recordings
June 9, 2017
We're proud to announce that on Friday July 28, Sony Legacy will be releasing the most comprehensive early Elvis library ever assembled.
'Elvis Presley – A Boy From Tupelo: The Complete 1953-1955 Recordings' is a 3CD deluxe box set featuring every known Sun Records master, outtake, live performance, radio session, self-financed acetates and a newly discovered, never before-released recording.
That recording is 'I Forgot To Remember To Forget', live from the Louisiana Hayride, Shreveport, Louisiana, October 29, 1955.
Also included is a 120-page, illustrated travelogue chronicling the genesis of Elvis' early career via facts, anecdotes, memorabilia and many rare photos. The timeline stars on Independence Day 1954, less than 24 hours before Elvis' first professional recording session, and ends in December 1955, when he leaves Sun Records to record for RCA.
Also released on Julu 28 is 'A Boy From Tupelo: The Sun Masters', a single disc 12″ vinyl package recorded with producer Sam Phillips, guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black during Elvis' first incredible year as a professional recording artist (July 1954-July 1955).
This collection includes Elvis' complete single A and B-sides for Sun Records, plus additional songs recorded at Sun Studio and released on his landmark self-titled debut album in 1956.
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Elvis – 'The Best Of The '68 Comeback Special' – Out Now
As a whole host of stars prepare to honour The King in the 'Elvis All-Star Tribute', we're proud to announce the companion album, 'The Best Of The '68 Comeback Special', out now.Read more
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Elvis Presley – '68 Comeback Special (50th Anniversary Edition)' – OUT NOW
On December 3rd, 1968 Elvis Presley performed live for the first time in seven years. Broadcast on NBC, it would become known as the '68 Comeback Special' and one of the most vital live performances of all time. Half a century later, we're proud to present the '50th Anniversary Edition', available now.Read more
Elvis Presley – 'Where No One Stands Alone' – OUT NOW
The new album, featuring a brand new duet with Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley, and 13 other inspirational performances from gospel legends who performed with the King, out now.Read more
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It's fifty years since the comeback to end them all – the Elvis Presley '68 Comeback Special – and we're celebrating with special film screenings across the UK and Ireland. Read on….Read more
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'Christmas With Elvis Presley & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra'
As Christmas approaches we're proud to present the brand new album 'Christmas With Elvis Presley & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra', as The King meets The Strings for the finest of festive fanfares.Read more
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This month, we join the world in celebrating the life and music of Elvis Presley. The King is our Artist of the Month.Read more
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Win Bob Dylan, AC/DC or Elvis Presley Book Sets
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The newest member of the family is here - wooooo!!! My sister gave birth a week ago to this beautiful new girl, my new niece, Hannah. Doesn't she just melt your heart?
She arrived a little early, so early that the doctor didn't have time to get to the hospital and a nurse had to deliver her. Woah. But I am SO glad she's finally here! I already love her to pieces.
While nothing this summer will top the arrival of Hannah, Ryan and I have been trying to soak up the CA summer by getting to the beach more. Here we are at Santa Monica beach in the evening awaiting the sunset.
Here is the said sunset.
And tonight I tried a new pickle recipe - pickled fennel with orange zest. I got the recipe from my friend, Jo. She has an awesome blog all about knitting and eating, check it out. I love fennel and I can't wait to see how this turns out!
In other summer news, Ryan is job hunting like no one's business. I think he applied to almost 50 jobs yesterday, no joke. So if you live in LA and happen to own a thriving company, please hire my husband.
Happy August!


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Kerry aims to revive Mideast talks
Evoking the U.S. shuttle diplomacy of decades past, Secretary of State John Kerry is making his third trip to the Middle East in a span of just two weeks in a fresh bid to restart long-stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Though expectations are low for any breakthrough on Kerry's trip, which begins Saturday, his meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders represent some of the Obama administration's most sustained efforts at engagement in a part of the world that has frustrated American administrations for the past six decades.
Story Continued Below
"His diplomacy will be based on what he hears from the parties," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Wednesday. Kerry, she said, will be making clear that both sides have to want to get back to the negotiating table "and that they've also got to recognize, both parties, that compromises and sacrifices are going to have to be made if we're going to be able to help."
( PHOTOS: John Kerry's first overseas trip as secretary)
Kerry is going at a precarious time. Overnight and into Wednesday, Israel and Gaza militants engaged in the heaviest fighting since a cease-fire was declared in November. The militants fired several rockets into southern Israel, and Israel responded with its first airstrike in Gaza since the fighting subsided. No injuries were reported on either side.
But late Wednesday, Israeli forces shot and killed a teenage Palestinian protester during a clash in the West Bank.
Kerry had planned to leave Monday for talks in London and then South Korea, China and Japan. But officials said he moved up his departure to Saturday for a first stop in Turkey, where he'll seek to build on recent efforts by that nation and Israel to repair ties and coordinate on stemming violence in Syria. Kerry then travels to Jerusalem and to Ramallah in the West Bank, which he visited with Obama last month before returning to Israel a second time.
U.S. officials say Kerry is primarily interested in gauging what the Israelis and the Palestinians are willing to do to restart direct negotiations that have been mostly frozen for the past 4 1/2 years. He'll meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Trying to avoid raising expectations unrealistically, Nuland said Kerry's trip isn't the start of a new era of shuttle diplomacy, a concept that got its start with Secretary of State Henry Kissinger during his regular travels back-and-forth to end the 1973 Mideast War and secure peace between Israel and some of its neighbors. Similar efforts took place under later secretaries James A. Baker III, Warren Christopher and Condoleezza Rice.
But it undeniably marks a shift after President Barack Obama largely kept the Arab-Israeli conflict at arm's length during his first term. Despite publicly challenging Israel to halt settlement construction in disputed territory and becoming the first U.S. president to publicly endorse Israel's pre-1967 borders as the basis of a two-state solution, Obama and Kerry's predecessor, Hillary Rodham Clinton, presented no grand peace plan and failed to produce any sustained, high-level diplomacy between the Israelis and the Palestinians.


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Treatment of in-Stent Restenosis by Paclitaxel Coated PTCA Balloons (PACCOCATH – ISR II)
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00409981
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : December 12, 2006
Last Update Posted : December 12, 2006
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Coronary Restenosis
|Device: paclitaxel coated balloon catheter (device with drug)
|Phase 1 Phase 2
Background: Drug-eluting stents have shown promising anti-restenotic effects in clinical trials. It may be preferable, however, to avoid the stent-in-stent approach in treating in-stent restenosis (ISR). In prior animal trials, we demonstrated a highly significant reduction of neointimal formation by drug-eluting balloon catheters (DEB). The aim of the PACCOCATH ISR study is to investigate the novel DEB in the treatment of ISR.
Methods and results: The PACCOCATH ISR study is a randomized, double-blind German multicenter trial on the efficacy and tolerance of the DEB in coronary ISR. Patients are randomized to rePTCA of ISR either using the coated PTCA balloon (3 µg paclitaxel/mm² balloon surface) or a non-coated balloon of the same type (n=56 patients). Balloon inflation time is 60 seconds in both cases. Major inclusion criteria are an ISR in a coronary artery with a diameter stenosis of at least 70%, < 30 mm length, and a vessel diameter of 2.5 to 3.5 mm. The primary endpoint is late lumen loss after 6 months (independent angiographic core lab). Secondary endpoints are binary restenosis rate and major adverse cardiac events.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Enrollment :
|56 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Treatment of in-Stent Restenosis by Paclitaxel Coated PTCA Balloons (PACCOCATH – ISR II)
|Study Start Date :
|July 2004
|Study Completion Date :
|June 2006
- angiographic late lumen loss
- binary restenosis rate; major adverse cardiac events
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age > 18 years
- Clinical evidence of stable or unstable angina or a positive functional study
- Single, restenotic lesion in a stented coronary artery (allowed are multiple lesions but only the target lesion is amenable for percutaneous intervention, i.e. no 'staged' procedures involving non-target lesions)
- Diameter stenosis > 70% (visual estimate)
- Stented segment length < 30 mm
- Vessel diameter => 2.5 mm
- Female patients can enter this study if they are post-menopausal for at least two years or have undergone hysterectomy or sterilization
- Signed patient informed consent form
- Patients and treating physicians agree that the patient will return for all required post procedure follow-up assessments as defined in the clinical protocol
Exclusion Criteria:
- Left ventricular ejection fraction of < 30%
- Target lesion/vessel with any of the following characteristics: Clear angiographic calcification in the target lesion or greater than mild calcification in the proximal vessel (minimally radiopaque densities that are discrete and non-linear). Visible thrombus proximal to the lesion.
- Known hypersensitivity or contraindication to aspirin, heparin, clopidogrel, abciximab, paclitaxel, or a sensitivity to contrast media which cannot be adequately pre-medicated.
- Other medical illness (i.e. cancer, liver disease or congestive heart failure) that may require cytostatic or radiation therapy causing the subject to be non-compliant with the protocol, confound the data interpretation or is associated with limited life-expectancy (i.e., less than two years).
- Severe chronic renal insufficiency.
- Significant gastrointestinal (GI) bleed within the past six months. History of bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy or will refuse blood transfusions.
- Extensive peripheral vascular disease that precludes safe 6 French sheath insertion and/or requires additional anti-platelet and/or anti-coagulation treatment.
- Participating in another device or drug study within the last 6 months
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00409981
|Klinik fuer Innere Medizin III, Universitaetsklinikum des Saarlandes
|Homburg / Saar, Saarland, Germany, 66421
|Kardiologie, Campus Mitte, Charite
|Berlin, Germany, 10117
|Kardiologie, Campus Virchow-Klinikum, Charite
|Berlin, Germany, 13353
|Medizinische Universitätsklinik III, Abt. Kardiologie und Angiologie
|Freiburg, Germany, 79106
|I. Medizinische Klinik, Universitaetsklinikum
|Mannheim, Germany, 68167
|Principal Investigator:
|Bruno Scheller, MD
|University of Saarland, Germany
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00409981 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
BMT - Pac 2
|First Posted:
|December 12, 2006 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|December 12, 2006
|Last Verified:
|December 2006
in stent restenosis
paclitaxel coated balloon catheter
drug eluting balloon
Coronary Restenosis
Coronary Stenosis
Coronary Disease
Myocardial Ischemia
Heart Diseases
Cardiovascular Diseases
Vascular Diseases
Albumin-Bound Paclitaxel
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic
Antineoplastic Agents
Tubulin Modulators
Antimitotic Agents
Mitosis Modulators
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action


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Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Disabled? Handicapped? Mixed Emotions...
Posted by Crafty Mom at 8:29 PM 0 comments Links to this post
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Summer of Color 2013
Posted by Crafty Mom at 10:08 AM 7 comments Links to this post
Monday, April 29, 2013
Puppy Love {Introducing Barkley the Goldendoodle}
Posted by Crafty Mom at 9:55 AM 8 comments Links to this post
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Emerging from under my rock...
I'm feeling like I should rename this blog "Medical issues take over a Crafty Mom's Life". I'm emerging from under my rock and doing a little more creating. I've been going through a lot lately, both physically and emotionally. Grab a cup or glass of your favorite drink and I'll update you on my medical stuff and then I'll update you on some fun artsy stuff.
I'm having severe, chronic pain and incredible fatigue. This has been going on for months (at it's worst). During my childhood, I had significant foot and leg pain and limited ability to stand or walk for extended lengths of time. I would tire easily when shopping. I was always at the end of the line on field trips working hard to keep up with my classmates. As I grew, I developed very high arches and "hammertoes" which means my toes all curled under. I have no idea how I worked as a cashier as a teenager, because I was in such incredible pain from standing and I would come home and literally collapse.
When I was about 11, I saw an orthopedic surgeon at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. He quickly determined I would need surgery to correct my high arches, curled toes and misaligned heels. I had 3 separate surgeries at age 12, 15 and 17 to correct all of this. Each time, the surgeries were done on both feet simultaneously.Since my first surgery, I've worn custom orthotic inserts to help support my arches and alleviate pain.
Ultimately, I learned over time, the surgeon believed I had classic symptoms of Charcot- Marie -Tooth Disease (CMT). This is a genetic neuro-muscular disease that often presents with the symptoms I described. In the last 10 yrs there has been research done to identify the genes related to CMT. I've gone through my life under the assumption that I have this disease and that I've just never been formally diagnosed.
The good news is, eventually in my 20's I began feeling reduced pain and symptoms. I became more active than I've ever been and became an avid hiker. While I still appeared to become more fatigued than my hiking mates, and took longer to recover, my CMT was practically a non-issue for me. That is, until about a year and half to 2 years ago.
I began twisting my ankle frequently. Nothing serious, and I would generally recover within a few hours or a day. My ankle would just turn over every now and then while I walked, resulting in a limp when injured. This began happening more frequently and became quite painful. I finally saw my primary doctor for this about a yr ago and as a result I had my inserts updated in hopes to resolve the issue. Well, it didn't. I began having a steady increase in symptoms over the next yr or so and I've experienced an aggressive progression in the last 6 months to a year. Recently, I've realized my body is misaligned in general. I have one leg longer than the other, my knee caps don't line up and their misalignment can't be explained by the differing lengths of my legs. As a result of this, I've been having back pain and hip pain. My right foot also points outward toward 2:00 if using a clock face as a guide. My right knee is somehow involved in all of this and I'm having knee pain. My 3 biggest issues at present are significant ankle pain, incredible nerve pain in both legs and feet, and horrible fatigue and poor endurance.
For the last few months, I've been feeling totally completely spent by 3:00 in the afternoon. As I've mentioned before, I'm a hospice social worker and I work from home doing charting and phone calls and then I visit my patients and their families in their homes. My health has been so poor recently that I've only been able to do the bare minimum work-wise, and this leaves me completely exhausted by 3:00pm and lying on the couch until bedtime. If I'm lucky I can catch a nap, and then it all continues the next day. This is a completely drastic change from who I was 2 or 3 years ago. I used to be very high energy, hardly able to sit still. I finally reached my breaking point last week. I had an appointment with a neurologist to pursue an actual diagnosis of CMT and get an appropriate treatment plan so I can function. He isn't convinced I have CMT and I have some follow up tests scheduled. While in his office, we realized I have muscle atrophy (muscle loss) in my right leg, which can certainly be contributing to my leg fatigue. So much so, that it's visible by just looking at it. In the meantime, my primary doctor has put me out on medical leave because I can't continue the way I have been. I just don't have the stamina and endurance to make it through the day and keep up with my workload. She's increased my medication for nerve pain, and hopefully the time off work will help me adjust to the side effects of dizziness and drowsiness.
Each day this week I've been feeling better and better. The scary thing is, I know I'm feeling better because I don't have the physical and emotional demands of work. I'm not exactly sure where that leaves me, but I'm trying to just take one day at a time while exploring my options. I'm nowhere near being 100% and pain, fatigue and limited endurance still play a major role in my days, but I'm better than I was a week ago.
Anyway, this has all taken it's toll on me physically and emotionally. CMT is a progressive disease, but somehow, when I was doing so well in my 20's, I guess I didn't think it was going to get any worse for me. Ironically, one of my best friend's has CMT and her CMT is very progressed. She is on disability because of her chronic pain and weakness and how it impacts her ability to function and complete simple tasks. In the late stages of the disease, the hands are affected and hand dexterity is greatly diminished. There are times in the last 2 years that I've looked at her and watched the progression of this horrible disease and thought "Is that my future?". Right now, I don't really know what the cause of all my symptoms is, and it's quite possible I have more than one condition or disease at play. I've had a work up for Rheumatoid Arthritis and although I've tested negative on bloodwork before, I've been referred to a rheumatologist. I also had the bloodwork repeated this week and am awaiting the results.
So...what's getting me through all of this? Aside from my wonderfully supportive husband and friends, ART! I've finally decided to force myself to create everyday because I KNOW how therapeutic art is for me. I KNOW art is my happy place. I used to feel so at peace and invigorated when I went hiking. I haven't laced up my hiking boots in almost 2 years. But I can still pick up a paintbrush and I can still go wild in my art journal. Yes, I need to take frequent breaks because I can't sit or stand for any significant amount of time. But, in mixed media art, I create so many layers that often breaks are needed to help the layers dry, or to figure out where to go next with my creation.
Posted by Crafty Mom at 1:42 PM 1 comments Links to this post
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Getting a diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder
So, while we're certainly thankful for all of these strengths, the result is that for her, SPD is a stand-alone diagnosis. When I compiled a list of Taylor's behaviors, and provided the completed SPD checklist from The Out of Sync Child to our pediatrician, I asked for a referral for an OT eval and we were seen at a local PT clinic. I live in an area where geriatrics is the main focus of health care and services, due to our population. While the OT we saw validated our concerns and agrees Taylor had many behaviors consistent with SPD, she recognized her own limitations in knowledge about SPD and referred us to another clinic for on-going OT. The referral for on-going OT was denied by our health insurance, going back to the reason that SPD is not recognized in the DSM.
I also think it's worth noting here, that the OT that completed the initial eval started going down the road of ADHD. SPD is often misdiagnosed as ADHD. Yes, Taylor is hyperactive (although I *really* hate that word!), and yes, Taylor has trouble focusing, BUT...her hyperactivity is related to her *need* for sensory input. She moves constantly as an attempt to fulfill her need for sensory stimulation. And, she can focus just fine as long as she's moving or chewing on something. In fact, she has almost no problems at school. She's able to get input in ways that are not disruptive to her class, her teachers adore her, and she's above grade level in every area. Her teachers completely scoffed at the idea that it was suggested she has ADHD.
Knowing that we desperately needed more guidance in managing Taylor's behaviors, we decided to pay out of pocket for OT at the recommended clinic. The OT we saw, came highly recommended by a dear friend who has a son with autism. During our first meeting with our OT, it became very clear how experienced and knowledgeable she is. I felt hopeful and relieved, but also a little sad, because it made all of this more real and valid. Mostly, though, I was grateful we found someone who was finally going to help us.
Prior to our appointment, I wrote a detailed report of Taylor's relevant medical history (food allergies, asthma, multiple episodes of pneumonia, chronic ear infections as an infant, the fact that she was born with the cord around her neck - which is listed as one of the factors with kids with SPD). I also wrote about our biggest behavioral challenges, and what we've put in place at home.
Our OT began our session by giving us a tour of the clinic. We ended in the "imagination room" where Taylor played with trains and cars while hubby and I talked with the OT. She began by going through a sensory profile with us. This was a multiple page scale that asked questions about how Taylor responds in certain situations. By the time we reached the 4th question, we were having a vivid dialog about our challenges and our OT had realized that we've already put a lot of things in place to help Taylor cope. For example, one of the questions was related to if Taylor is able to behave appropriately while eating out. I explained she is, as long as I bring a bag full of appropriate toys to occupy her. Left to her own devices, she'll crawl under the table, talk excessively and interrupt, and not have the patience to sit at the table. And, let's not forget about the fact that she almost never actually eats the food she is served. The food either tastes "yucky", doesn't look "good", is just plain "gross", isn't the same as the same item that I make at home or that she's served at school.
During our discussion, we were very aware that Taylor was listening to every word that was said. I'll be completely and wholeheartedly honest, here, in hopes to validate what you may be feeling reading this, if you have a child who regularly challenges you beyond what you feel you can manage. A lot of our conversation revolved around my husband feeling like a referee between Taylor and I. While John and I have a very united front in our parenting, Taylor responds much better to his direction and discipline than she does to me. Through this very candid discussion (while attempting to be discreet so as to not offend Taylor or impact her self-esteem), it became obvious to our OT how exhausting and unpleasant it was for me to be alone with Taylor. Everything was a battle. Our OT said the words for me in a completely empathetic and validating way, that I didn't "like" my child. This brought tears to my eyes. Tears because, she was absolutely right. Tears because how awful does that sound? Tears because I remember when she was about a yr old, someone commenting on how obvious it was that I really "liked" my kid and what a great relationship we had. I cried because we had lost that. I cried because despite all of my education and experience as a social worker, I felt totally lost at how to parent my own child. I believe that God doesn't give us anymore than we can handle, but I was really feeling like God had overestimated my abilities and strength.
During that session, our OT gave us a lot of hope. She validated my parenting style, but also pointed to its weaknesses when it comes to raising a very strong-willed child with sensory issues. There were so many light bulb moments during that hour, I can't even begin to share it all. But I want you to know, that now, just a few months later, I can say that I like my child again, and I enjoy spending time with her. I no longer dread the weekends. Yes, there are still a lot of days that are exhausting, and she still has sensory struggles, but I'm able to control my reactions to her behavior and be more empathetic and help her through these challenges.
Posted by Crafty Mom at 11:25 AM 20 comments Links to this post
Journey toward a diagnosis - Sensory Processing Disorder.
*This is another entry into our Journey with Sensory Processing Disorder. I actually wrote this after Taylor's initial consult with a pediatric neurologist in May 7th, 2012. I'm just getting around to posting it now.*
Today, we took another step in our journey toward a diagnosis of Sensory Processing Disorder. We've had two sessions with our OT and she's convinced based on my report of Taylor's behaviors and observing Taylor in our home for two hours in which Taylor showed her true sensational colors, that Taylor does, indeed, have Sensory Processing Disorder. Specifically, she believes Taylor has Sensory Modulation disorder with primarily sensory seeking behaviors. As I mentioned before, SPD is a neurological disorder. Back when we were first faced with road blocks of getting OT covered by our insurance, I discovered it would be helpful for us to see a neurologist and get an actual diagnosis of a neurological disorder. Currently, SPD would fall under neurological disorder NOS (not otherwise specified) since SPD is not in the current DSM. So, today we saw a pediatric neurologist through Loma Linda Children's hospital.
In preparing for Taylor's appointments, I learned long ago, that our appts are the most productive, when I write a summary of problems I'm seeing and questions I have, along with my goals for the appt. We had Taylor's birthday party yesterday and planning for that, combined with some other unexpected stress, left me with little time to devote to prepare a written summary for today's appointment. So today, I wasn't as prepared as I usually am. The doc began by questioning the symptoms I reported verbally. He questioned how this is different than any other child. Of course, Taylor wasn't helping our case given she was sitting contently silent, and fairly still, beside me. Of course she had a very mellow day because she got lots of stimulation yesterday at her party. Suddenly I felt defensive, but I also realized I wasn't reporting my concerns well enough to paint a true picture of my daughter and our daily struggles.
I handed the very nice doctor the report I had written a few months ago for our OT. Once he looked over that list of 12 bullet points of persistent problematic behaviors which are classic SPD behaviors, as well as my completed checklist for the Out Of Sync Child, he stated a full neurological assessment is warranted so we truly know what we're dealing with and how best to help her. The neurologist agrees Taylor has "issues" and wants her seen in his pediatric neurological assessment program. Through this program, she will receive approx 26hrs of testing and observation/evaluation. This testing will be broken into 3-4 hour sessions over several months. At the end of it all, we will have a better idea of Taylor's strengths, and areas to focus on in treatment.
Ultimately, I'm hoping through this program we will reach a diagnosis and from that work on a treatment program. Most importantly, I want to ensure she gets the right strategies in place so she can continue to succeed in school. She'll be going into 1st grade in public school in the fall. Currently, she's in a private kindergarten class in a preschool where she's been since the age of 2. There are maybe 100 kids total in the school. There are 15 students in her class, 1 teacher and 1 full-time teacher's aid. When she heads to public school, she'll be in a class of 30+ students with one teacher, and she'll be expected to sit and focus for 6hrs as opposed to the current 3 hrs. Her recess time will be shorter and she won't be able to have the level of intense activity on the playground that gets currently. At her current school, she often hangs upside down on the monkey bars for long periods of time. I don't understand the science behind it, but I know that hanging upside down helps people with SPD "organize" their nervous system. According to our OT, public schools in our area don't allow kids to hang upside down on the monkey bars. Yep. Seriously. I'm sure she'll figure out other ways to get the input she needs, but that's just one of the many hurdles I see us needing to jump as she transitions to public school.
The neurologist made it clear that he doesn't feel she has "severe" SPD. I agree. I also feel like we're miles ahead on our journey since the first time we met our OT. Heck, a year ago, I didn't even realize the extent of Taylor's sensory seeking behaviors. They were pretty well managed because she was getting enough appropriate input at school. It wasn't until she moved to the kindergarten classroom last June that I realized what a sensational kid she is and how critical it is that she receive appropriate stimulation in the appropriate amount.
So, all in all, it was a productive appt.
Posted by Crafty Mom at 11:21 AM 2 comments Links to this post
Labels: Sensory Processing Disorder
Monday, August 27, 2012
First Day of First Grade
Posted by Crafty Mom at 8:25 PM 5 comments Links to this post


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Corn and wheat were higher while soybeans closed lower. December Chicago Wheat led the way settling 17 cents higher at $8.94. December corn closed 3 ¼ cents higher at $7.44 ¼ and January soybeans 8 ½ cents lower at $15.07.
Now that the election is over the markets are readjusting for the outcome. Equities were hit hard today with the Dow Jones trading as much as 350 points lower on the day. Crude oil was trading 4.50 lower on the day at one point! Grains detached themselves from the outsides and started the day rallying off the lows.
Ethanol production was higher and ethanol stocks were down much more than expected. This was positive for corn prices and added to the support. With the report out on Friday we aren't expecting any major position changes on Thursday besides the DB and Goldman Rolls.
US wheat prices have become more competitive in the world market as supply concerns are mounting. Wheat was the strongest grain contract today and has helped corn prices stay afloat. Friday's USDA report should give the market a little more direction in the wheat market. Next wheat resistance level for December is $9.09.
Wheat chart
Corn bounced off its support level again. We are still expecting corn to remain range bound for now. The January reports will be the next major indicator for trend change when we get an actual count of supply.
Corn chart
Soybeans briefly broke the $15.00 level again early in the session. The gap from the 4th of July is at $14.74 ¼. The market still may try to fill that level which I have indicated on the chart below. The bulls are liquidating over concerns of higher production on Friday's report. In our opinion the demand is still strong enough to keep soybeans supported even with a national average yield of 38.7.
Soybean chart
Best Regards,
Trading commodity futures and options involves substantial risk of loss and may not be suitable for all investors. You should carefully consider whether trading is suitable for you in light of your circumstances, knowledge and financial resources. The market information contained in this message has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but is not guaranteed as to its accuracy or completeness. Market information may not be consistent with current or future market positions of EHedger LLC, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees or agents.


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Main Event
Rousimar Palhares (186) VS Nate Marquardt (186)
Charles Oliveira (154) VS Efrain Escudero (159*)
Gleison Tibau (154) VS Jim Miller (155.5)
Cole Miller (156) VS Ross Pearson (156)
John Gunderson (156) VS Yves Edwards (155)
Kyle Kingsbury (206) VS Jared Hamman (205)
David Branch (186) VS Tomasz Drwal (185.5)
Rafael Natal (186) VS Rich Attonito (185)
David Mitchell (170.5) VS TJ Waldburger (171)
Forrest Petz (170) VS Brian Foster (170.5)
*Escudero failed to make weight – he will be fined 20% of his purse, which will go to Oliveira.
UFC Fight Night Weigh In Results
Below are the official weigh-in results for Wednesday's UFC Fight Night event. UFC Fight Night, which is headlined by the middleweight bout between Nate Marquardt and Rousimar Palhares, airs on Spike TV from the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas beginning at 8pm ET / PT.
Saturday, December 14


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Obama to Lay Out College Cost Ideas on Bus Tour
EDGARTOWN, Mass. (AP) - President Barack Obama will hit the road next week to lay out his plan for reducing college costs.
The White House says Obama will embark on a 2-day bus tour next week, stopping in Buffalo, Syracuse and Binghamton in New York. He'll also visit northeastern Pennsylvania.
White House spokesman Josh Earnest says Obama will explain his ideas for reducing costs and improving value.
The tour extends Obama's recent effort to refocus on economic issues ahead of looming fiscal fights with Congress. He's discussed infrastructure and housing in other cities.
Obama has said he's planning an aggressive strategy on costs so Americans can get training needed for the rapidly changing economy. A first step came last week when Obama signed a bipartisan bill to restore lower student loan interest rates.


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The SmartPak Supplement Wizard is the key to unlocking the secrets of a healthier horse. Your task is simple: just answer a few questions about your horse and his diet. Your success is assured: this recommendation tool will guide you to the best supplement plan for your horse.
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Please Note: The Supplement Wizard is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. In addition, the Supplement Wizard is not intended to be used for horses less than 2 years of age, or for mares that are pregnant, lactating or intended for breeding. If you have concerns about your horse's health, we highly recommend consulting your veterinarian.
SmartPak Equine™ is the premier online provider of horse supplies and equine supplements.
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This post is to be used in conjunction with our live SAP Training class where the instructor has discussed the business importance of product hierarchy and how it is used. This post only describes product hierarchy from the technical perspective. For full fledged understanding, please visit our SAP SD Training class online. This post is also useful for students undergoing SAP MM Training as well.
Product hierarchy is based on the database structure PRODHS. It is 18 characters in length and the standard breakdown is as shown below.
If you wanted to customize this structure you would have to change the PRODHS structure which is outside of the scope of this post and is done by an SAP ABAP consultant. However, if you choose to add new hierarchies based on the already existing structure of ( 5 , 5 and 8 characters ) , you can do the following.
Step No. 1 : Go to [ spro -> IMG -> Logistics General -> Material Master -> Settings for Key Fields -> Data Relevant to Sales and Distribution -> Define Product Hierarchies ]
Step No. 2 – Click on Maintain Product Hierarchy.
Step No. 3 – You can create your own product hierarchies at any level you like.
For example, the following are the standard hierarchies available as part of the standard SAP IDES System.
If you want to add one more to it, say "Welding Services", you can do so by going to Step 3. above in the SAP Screen and add
You can see the added SAP product hierarchy if you re-open the material again or wish to create a new one.
Exercise : A company has chosen to offer welding services as a separate product line and wishes to add that to the product hierarchy. Create a new product hierarchy as follows. If they already exist ( have been created by other SAP Training students ) please create your own , by substituting XXX for your own number.
00XXX Welding Services
00XXX Gas Welding
0000XXXX Aceylne Welding
0000XXXX Ethylene Welding
00XXX Arc Welding
0000XXXX Spark Welding
00XXX Electric Welding
0000XXXX A/C Welding
0000XXXX D/C Welding


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Railroad Days
Saturday, September 21 and Sunday, September 22, 2019
Come ride our vintage passenger and freight trains on the former Illinois Central and Illinois Terminal main lines.
- One of the trains will feature the Museum's restored steam locomotive 401.
- Ride freight and passenger trains from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
- Use the Caboose Hop between the Nelson's Crossing depot and the yard to visit the shops and view additional exhibits.
- Ride a motorcar down our tracks and experience the rails just like maintenance workers of the past.
- Expanded children's area, including Hodge Pedal Car rides.
- The Museum's gift shop is open throughout the event for all your souvenir needs. Our concession area serves delicious meals for adults and kids, chips, cold drinks and more.
Gates open at 9 a.m. each day. Trains run continuously from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The last train departures are around 4 p.m. each day.
ALL-DAY TICKETS – ride as many times as you want! Children under 2 ride FREE with paying adult or senior.
You must have a ticket to access the Museum grounds. This event takes place rain or shine. All ticket sales are final.
All-Day Tickets
|Adults and Seniors
|Children (2 through 12)
|Children (under 2)
|Free (with adult fare)


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2005 INFINITI Q45 Reviews and Ratings
Sedan 4D Premium
Expert Reviews
The Infiniti Q45 features new styling and more luxury equipment for 2005. It looks more aggressive than before, with new front and rear fascia, a restyled hood and grille, a new headlight design with integrated fog lights, a restyled rear deck, new LED tail lights, and new chrome trim.
Everything about the Q45 is smooth and easy. It's balanced well for driving on twisting roads and it's very stable at high speeds. Yet the ride is smooth, even on bumpy roads. Its powerful V8 engine delivers excellent performance and makes a wonderful growl. The Q45 uses rear-wheel drive, like a BMW or Mercedes-Benz, for better handling. The five-speed automatic transmission has been re-calibrated on 2005 models for smoother acceleration and more responsive downshifts. The active damping suspension, previously optional, is standard on all 2005 models.
Infiniti may not have the heritage of BMW or Mercedes, but it offers first-class appointments and craftsmanship. A DVD-based navigation system is now standard. A new system tightens the seatbelts during emergency braking, helping to optimize the position of the driver for emergency maneuvers and crash protection.
The Infiniti Q45 is a rear-wheel-drive sedan powered by a 4.5-liter twin-cam V8. This all-aluminum engine produces a very healthy 340 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. The only available transmission is a five-speed automatic with a manual shift mode.
Q45 comes in one trim level ($55,900), and it includes everything you'd expect in a flagship luxury car, plus a long list of high-end electronics. Active safety features are among them: electronic stability control (VDC), traction control (TCS), anti-lock brakes (ABS), electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), along with the electronically controlled active damping suspension. Also standard: tire pressure monitors, xenon high-intensity discharge headlights, DVD-based navigation, voice control for the climate control system, an eight-speaker, 300-watt Bose stereo with six-disc CD changer, heated front seats. The Q comes with P225/55VR17 all-season tires on titanium-finish cast aluminum wheels with a full-size spare tire. All interior surfaces are covered in rich textured materials, including soft leather and, for 2005, a darker shade of genuine bird's eye maple wood.
Options are few: The Premium Package ($5,800) adds climate-controlled front seats, power reclining rear seats with seat heaters, rear-seat audio and climate controls, perforated leather seat inserts, Intelligent Cruise Control with Preview Braking, XM or Sirius satellite radio, rear sunshades (power for the backlight, manual for the rear-door windows), and new 18-inch, seven-spoke alloy wheels wearing 245/45VR18 all-season performance tires. Opt for the Premium Package with Chrome Wheels ($6,800), and you get all of the above plus seven-spoke chrome-plated wheels. The only other options are a set of 17-inch run-flat tires ($400), satellite radio as a stand-alone feature ($400), and some port-installed accessories.
The Infiniti Q45 has presence, with styling that says big luxury. Grille, hood, and front and rear fascia are new for 2005, lending the Q45 a more assertive, if not downright aggressive, demeanor.
The headlights are new, with integrated fog lamps and larger bulbs for high beams. The headlamps incorporate a revised version of the Q45's trademark circle of seven xenon low beams that look like a Gatling gun. The aggressive appearance of the headlamps suggests the ability to turn night into day. Infiniti claims they are among the world's most powerful; its low beams are bright and have a dispersion pattern designed for long-range illumination in a narrow beam as well as wide-angle illumination in the foreground. The pattern of the low beams is designed to reduce glare to oncoming drivers by cutting the beam sharply on the left side. A switch on the dash allows the driver to adjust the height of the beams, a feature we liked.
Overall, the front view of the Q presents a handsome shape, a sweep, as if the lines were poured on. There's very little chrome. The wide-mouthed grille is fully but sparsely filled by four broad, horizontal slats with a bright Infiniti emblem in the center. Hungry-looking air intakes dominate the lower bumper.
In profile, the Q45's long wheelbase and relatively short overhangs suggest solidity and efficiency at the same time. Its drag coefficient is among the lowest of any production car we know, at just 0.30. The roof seems to have more rake when viewed from the rear.
The 2005 Q45 has a new rear bumper, deck lid, and LED taillights, the latter reminding us of the lights on the smaller G35, all accented by new fine-line chrome trim. The exterior modifications bring a new sense of power and athleticism to the Q, along with a stronger family resemblance to our other Infiniti performance vehicles.
The Q45's plush interior is swathed in Italian leather and bird's eye burl maple, a darker wood than last year's trim. Our 2005 Q45 came in Graphite leather with sort of a reverse piping in silver on the seats. It was quite nice, though no one seems able to do black interiors as well as the Germans, so we prefer the tasteful Latte on this car. An interesting choice is the sporty Firebrick.
Lots of glass, including the big sunroof, brightens the cabin by day. Cool, functional, white-on-black electroluminescent gauges come out at night. Two slightly retro touches add richness for 2005: white faces for the gauges, and genuine metal knobs for accessory controls.
The seats are new for 2005, and have been contoured for a sportier feel. We found them quite comfortable. The driver gets 10-way power adjustments, including lumbar, great for long freeway trips. Eight-way power helps the front-seat passenger get comfortable. Both have a memory function.
The climate-controlled seats (included in the Premium package) have a low-profile fan in the bottom to draw in cabin air. A thermoelectric device in the seat back heats or cools the air before sending it out through distribution channels in the seating surface. Controls for the seat heaters are on the inboard side of the seat bottoms. We found the seat fans nice for running errands on a particularly hot Southern California day; they'd be an even bigger relief on steamy summer days in the South, East Coast or Midwest.
Big plush armrests and two sizes of concealed cup holders complement the firm seats. Infiniti is better than the Germans at cup holders. There's a hatch under the center armrest for flat things, below which lies another, deeper compartment.
The center dash is dominated by the navigation system with a seven-inch LCD screen and climate and audio controls. Infiniti put a lot of effort into making its navigation system more useful. Among its features is a three-dimensional bird's-eye view, like looking down at an illustration of the ground from a hang glider. Like most navigation systems, it offers a choice of routes: shortest time, shortest distance, it can even point you to the nearest ferry, should you prefer to travel by sea. It will also tell you the location of the nearest ATM, hotel, restaurant or rest area. When running low on gas, it will ask you if you want it to find the nearest gas station, a feature we've found useful. A Previous button next to the toggle used to control some of the mapping functions gets you back to the previous screen, a very good feature.
Shift into reverse and the screen displays what's behind the car, eyed by a tiny camera over the license plate. Unlike the video on shuttle buses, it's in living color. The backup lights aren't bright enough for the camera to work at night, and in the sunshine it's hard to see the screen. Still, this gadget can be useful for spotting children on tricycles, short posts and other objects you want to avoid.
The climate controls use the screen as well and we found this to be fussy at times. To lower the fan speed, for example, you must press the Auto A/C button, then look at the screen to determine which of six buttons to press to lower the fan speed. Adjusting the temperature is easy: Simply turn a big knob on the left. Fortunately, there is an Off button to shut the climate control off.
The stereo rocks. Operating it requires a little familiarization, however. The volume control is the big Audio knob on the right (rather than on the traditional left). Tuning stations is accomplished by a toggle in the center. Other functions demand pressing the big Audio button, then pressing the appropriate buttons indicated on the screen. (The map reappears after a few moments of inactivity.) Audio controls on the left side of the steering wheel help here.
The new satellite radio systems can be great companions on long trips, delivering high-quality sound nearly everywhere. Not having to change stations on a cross-country trip has distinct advantages. We enjoy being able to keep up on current events, especially when traveling, by listening to FoxNews and CNN. Finding AM/FM stations is easy with RDS (radio data system), which clearly identifies programming on the radio's display.
The climate control, stereo, and some navigation functions also respond to voice commands. Press a button on the steering wheel, wait for the beep, tell the dashboard what you want, and a woman's voice replies in the perfectly efficient tone of a super-secretary: "Climate control temper-a-ture, six-tee seven degrees."
You can program all sorts of things to set themselves when you get in or out. The steering column lifts, the driver's seat adjusts, interior lights illuminate. Also handy is the tire-pressure monitor.
The back seats are roomy and very comfortable. Back-seat passengers are provided with their own center console, plush armrests with cup holders, separate climate controls and sunshades. The Premium Package includes a power sunshade for the rear windscreen and manually pull-down sunshades for the side windows.
Trunk space measures 13.6 cubic feet, a bit small when compared with the 17.5 cubic feet in the Lexus LS 430.
Everything about the 2005 Infiniti Q45 is smooth and easy. The ride quality is smooth and sophisticated. The suspension levels out the bumps really well on a straight road. Unlike many European cars, there's no jostling or head toss here, even on bumpy roads. The speed-sensitive power-steering feels very light.
Its handling is responsive. This car feels long and is indeed a couple of inches longer than a Lexus LS 430. Though it handles well, we had little doubt of its size when driving quickly on winding roads. Still, it's easy to control when the tires squeal, and when you pitch this big baby it stays with you.
The active damping suspension (standard) can be set in Sport mode, but we couldn't feel much difference between the Normal and Sport modes when the driving was sporty. Normal mode was firm enough to be good in the twisties. But we did feel a big difference over sharp bumps. You don't want to be in Sport mode over potholes or at slow speeds. So we couldn't find much use for Sport. If Normal were softer, then having two modes would be more useful.
Run-flat tires (17-inch only) are available ($400). Nissan says they can run 50 miles at 55 mph after a puncture. They might significantly change the feel of the ride, making it harsher, but this is speculation as we have not tried them out. Run-flat tires have very stiff sidewalls, but tire makers continue to improve the ride quality. The most responsive handling comes from the Premium version with its 18-inch wheels and tires.
The engine and transmission are very responsive. The Q's V8 engine provides lots of power: 340 horsepower. That compares with 290 horsepower from a Lexus LS 430. The 4.5-liter V8 feels particularly strong starting at 3000 rpm. The mid-range response is great, with a whopping 333 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. Its full-throttle upshifts at about 6500 rpm are exciting. A final-drive ratio of 3.13:1 adds to the Q45's lively character. The 32-valve, four-cam engine makes a wonderful growl, which you can mostly hear only with the window down. This is, after all, a luxury car.
Shifting is silky smooth. The five-speed automatic transmission was very responsive, so we preferred to leave it in Drive. However, it does offer a manual mode: From Drive, push the wood-trimmed shift lever into a separate gate to the right, then move it fore or aft to change gears. The shifter engages with a satisfying click. The system is programmed to override the wishes of the driver when those wishes don't compute, however.
The four-wheel anti-lock vented disc brakes are big, over 11 inches front and rear. The system includes electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), which balances front and rear brake force depending on the load. Passengers and cargo upset the brake balance in any car, as does the forward shifting of weight as the car stops, and EBD is designed to correct this, stopping the car quicker and more controllably. There's also Brake Assist, which reduces pedal effort under hard braking. Infiniti uses a simple mechanical system that reduces pedal pressure during panic stops when ABS is activated, unlike the German electronic systems that take over your brake pedal, presuming to know better than you what you want your car to do. Infiniti says that during testing of its system, stopping distances were reduced by more than 10 percent, which can make the difference between hitting and stopping before hitting the rear bumper in front of you.
Vehicle Dynamic Control reduces power and applies the brakes at individual wheels when traction is lost at any wheel. We pushed the Q45 until the VDC corrected us, which it did subtly on a hard, sharp curve with loose gravel over pavement; we would have slid a few feet, but VDC caught the car. There's also a traction control system, which we liked better than the Mercedes-Benz system because it doesn't cut the throttle so radically or for so long.
Intelligent Cruise Control (included in the Premium package) will maintain a set distance between your Q45 and the car ahead of you, slowing your car down when the car ahead slows down. Look ma, no feet. And if you close on the car ahead too quickly, the Preview Braking feature pre-pressurizes the Brake Assist system, optimizing brake response when you do finally wake up and step on the pedal. It works very well, but we recommend that you still pay attention to your driving.
The 2005 Infiniti Q45 is a superb performance luxury sedan, with awesome horsepower, unique styling, quality appointments, and a long list of clever conveniences. It's sportier than the Lexus LS 430 and it's bigger and sportier than a Mercedes E-Class. The Q45 is smooth and sophisticated and a terrific companion out on the open road.
New Car Test Drive editor Mitch McCullough is based in Los Angeles; Sam Moses contributed to this report.


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|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
Dear Colleagues, We are writing to invite you to submit your papers to the ICDM 2010 (http://datamining.it.uts.edu.au/icdm10/) workshop on "Biological Data Mining and its Applications in Healthcare" (http://www1.i2r.a-star.edu.sg/~xlli/BioDM.html), which will be held in Sydney Australia on December 14 2010. ICDM, the IEEE International Conference on Data Mining, is one of the premier conferences in the field of Data Mining. By co-locating with ICDM 2010, we hope the workshop will bring better awareness of interesting and challenging biological and medical problems that inspire new data mining solutions, and attract the participation of researchers in the areas of data mining and machine learning who are interested in the real-world applications of data mining in computational biology and healthcare. 1. Introduction Scientists in biology and healthcare are facing a growing flood of biological and clinical data that they need to digest in their research. However, their ability to generate large amounts of biological and clinical data may soon surpass their capacity to analyze and make sense of the data generated in a timely fashion. As scientists begin to translate their genomic research from bench to bedside, meaningful observations and discoveries will have to be drawn from diverse data such as DNA microarrays, protein sequences, protein-protein interactions, biological pathways, bio-images, electronic medical records, and biomedical literature. Data mining is well positioned to help the biologists and clinicians draw meaningful observations and discoveries from the vast array of biomedical data that are now available for analysis. However, there are challenges to be addressed. For example, the algorithms need to be able to handle a high level of noise and incompleteness in the data (e.g. protein interactions have high false positive and false negative rates), process computationally intensive tasks effectively (e.g. large scale interaction graph mining), address privacy issues (e.g. patients medical records), and integrate multiple heterogeneous data sources. The mission of this workshop is to disseminate the latest research challenges, results, and practice of novel data mining approaches in biology and healthcare. We seek submissions of cross-disciplinary research works using data mining and machine learning techniques (data cleansing, data integration, data selection, data transformation, knowledge representation, association mining, clustering, classification, semi-supervised learning, regression, graph mining, text mining, outlier detections, and visualization) to address the challenging issues in biological and clinical data analysis. In addition to bioinformatics applications for computational biology problems, we also seek submissions that describe applications of data mining techniques in healthcare (e.g. disease diagnosis & prognostics, drug targets identification, biological markers detection, bio-image analysis, disease pathway analysis, and medical data mining). We especially welcome submissions that highlight new data mining problems and algorithms that are inspired by the emerging trend of translational research in post-genome computational biology and healthcare. 2. The topics of interest The topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following: * Biological and clinical data cleansing, integration and management * Computational evolutionary biology and comparative genomics * Genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic data mining * Biological network mining, pathway discovery and simulation * Disease gene prediction and bio-marker detection * Computational drug discovery * Semantic web and ontologies for biomedical applications * Bio- and medical text mining * Bio- and medical image mining * Machine learning and statistics in healthcare * Privacy-preserving medical data mining 3. Important Dates July 23, 2010: Due date for paper submission September 20, 2010: Notification of paper acceptance October 11, 2010: Camera-ready versions of accepted papers December 14, 2010: Workshop 4. Submissions Paper submissions are limited to a maximum of 10 pages in the IEEE 2-column format, which is the same as the camera-ready format (see the IEEE Computer Society Press Proceedings Author Guidelines). All papers will be reviewed by the Program Committee based on technical quality, relevance to data mining, originality, significance, and clarity. A double blind reviewing process will be adopted. Authors should therefore avoid using identifying information in the text of the paper. You are strongly encouraged to print and double check your PDF file before its submission, especially if your paper contains Asian/European language symbols (such as Chinese/Korean characters or English letters with European fonts). All papers should be submitted through the ICDM Workshop Submission Site (http://wi-lab.com/cyberchair/icdm10/scripts/ws_submit.php) by click the link "Biological Data Mining and its Applications in Healthcare". Selected papers will be invited to submit journal versions to the International Journal of Knowledge Discovery in Bioinformatics. 5. PC members Zhang Aidong, State University of New York at Buffalo (UB), USA Tatsuya Akutsu, Kyoto University, Japan Jonathan Arthur, The University of Sydney, Australia Vladimir Bajic, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia Christopher Baker, University of New Brunswick, Canada Jin Chen, Michigan State University, USA James Cimino, National Library of Medicine, USA Phoebe Chen, La Trobe University, Australia Honnian Chua, Harvard University, USA Juan Cui, University of Georgia, USA Yang Dai, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA Xiaoxu Han, Eastern Michigan University, USA David Hansen, Australian e-Health Research Centre, Australia Wen-Lian Hsu, Academia Sinica, Taiwan Jimmy Huang, York University, Canada Raphael Isokpehi, Jackson State University, USA Haiquan Li, University of Chicago, USA Ming Li, University of Waterloo, Canada Asif Javed, IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, USA Igor Jurisica, University of Toronto, Canada Daisuke Kihara, Purdue University, USA Shonali Krishnaswamy, Monash University, Australia Chee Keong Kwoh, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Hiroshi Mamitsuka, Kyoto University, Japan George Perry, University of Texas at San Antonio, USA Mark A. Ragan, The University of Queensland, Australia Sean Mooney, Indiana University, USA Raul Rabadan, Columbia University, USA Jianhua Ruan, University of Texas at San Antonio, USA Indra Neil Sarkar, University of Vermont, USA Ambuj K Singh, University of California at Santa Barbara, USA Narayanaswamy Srinivasan, Indian Institute of Science, India Alfonso Valencia, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, Spain Zeeshan Syed, University of Michigan, USA Jason T.L. Wang, New Jersey Institute of Technology, USA Philip S. Yu, University of Illinois at Chicago, USA We look forward to your submissions. In addition, we will greatly appreciate it if you can distribute the Call for Papers to your colleagues, students and other community members and encourage them to contribute to the workshop. Thank you! Sincerely, Workshop Co-Chairs Xiao-Li Li and See-Kiong Ng Institute for Infocomm Research disclaimer: "This email is confidential and may be privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify us immediately. Please do not copy or use it for any purpose, or disclose its contents to any other person. Thank you."


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Happy Brew Year (2019)
Another year down! Cheers to 2019 and all the delicious beer adventures to come! What're you looking forward to trying most?
Tue, 01 Jan 2019 02:42:31 +0000
Hop Trash IPA


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Why we still give
Yes, that was none other than Maggie Gallagher herself – the take-no-prisoners founder of the National Organization for Marriage – quoted last week as admitting that her side had lost its fight to stop the scourge of marriage equality. Her troops, she wrote, "are in shock … awed by the powers now shutting down the debate and by our ineffectualness at responding to these developments."
It can't but be a great day when Maggie Gallagher concedes defeat. Like Anita Bryant and Phyllis Schlafly and Lou Sheldon and Frank Shubert, she'll now fade into a footnote – if that – in the histories of the LGBT movement.
But hold that champagne …
It might be tempting to see Gallagher's lament as another sign that the LGBT movement has, after decades of struggle, landed on a kind of glide path to equality, freedom, and justice. Can we just start taking it a little easier? Let history take its course?
Quite simply, no. We can't hang up our marching shoes. We can't lay back. And we can't put away our wallets. Not while LGBT people in more than half the United States have no legal protection against basic discrimination. Not while 40% of homeless kids identify as LGBT. Not while thousands of LGBT elders have to go back in the closet to get services and transgender people can't find housing or jobs.
Most of us know we'd be fools to wrap ourselves in a kind of smug cloak of inevitability. We know that Roe v Wade not only didn't fully secure women's reproductive rights, but those rights have been steadily chopped away in the 40 years since. We know that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 didn't end racial discrimination. And we know that'll be true with LGBT rights as well.
… we've all still got roles to play
One other thing that most of us know: equality, freedom, and dignity don't come for free. Literally. Winning them costs money. Yes, of course, there needs to be much more than just money; we need courage and passion and good leaders and smart strategies, to name just a few.
But money's needed for all of those. Money is like the water that simply has to flow if a farmer's crops are going to grow.
All of us have roles to play. On May 15, every LGBT person and our allies has an exciting and novel opportunity to power our movement simply by giving. May 15 will be the second annual Give OUT Day, a single day on which thousands upon thousands of LGBT people will contribute to groups they care about. In its debut year in 2013, Give OUT Day raised more than $600,000 for nearly 400 organizations across the country. More than 600 have registered this year.
Find out all about it at www.giveoutday.org. Find a group you care about. Give to a nonprofit you've never heard of. Give to a queer youth organization, or an elders nonprofit or one helping victims of anti-LGBT violence or a cultural group. Or give to an organization that once helped you.
The important thing is to give. Tell your friends to give. Tell your co-workers. Spread the word. Together, we make not just a difference, but a movement.