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6354.0.55.001 - Information Paper: Reinstatement of Job Vacancies Survey
The JVS sample was redesigned to accommodate and exploit all of these changes. Because of the improved groupings of businesses for sampling purposes under ANZSIC 2006, the sample size has fallen from around 5,200 to around 5,000 businesses, with no loss to survey accuracy.
The redesigned sample was introduced in the November 2009 survey.
The usual publication format is the presentation of the most recent six quarters of data, for all tables:
For the February 2010 issue, only two quarter's data will be shown in each table, with one set of quarterly percentage change data. For future issues additional lines of data will be added and the publication will eventually be filled out to the usual format.
Time series spreadsheets are expected to be reinstated for the February 2010 issue. The time series spreadsheets will continue to show Australia data back to May 1979 and States and territories data back to November 1983, except for a new industry time series spreadsheet on an ANZSIC 2006 basis which will commence with November 2009 data. Industry time series data on an ANZSIC 1993 basis, from May 1993 to May 2008, will still be accessible from the May 2008 issue of 6354.0.
It is not expected that there will be any changes to the existing series identifiers for the time series spreadsheets, except that there will be new identifiers for the industry time series on an ANZSIC 2006 basis (see Appendix).
For further information on the changes to be introduced or specific information on Job Vacancies please contact Zaneta Georgievski, on (08) 9360 5249.
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Baby Delight Go With Me™ Venture Deluxe Portable Chair – Moss Bud
Travel with ease using the Baby Delight Go With Me Chair in the Moss Bud style. The 5-point removable harness makes your stable baby secure and comfortable as they sit upright in the seat. As baby grows the seat can unvelcro to reveal two leg holes perfect for letting baby stand with support. The chair can then be used through toddler and big-kid ages, either with or without the snack tray. Indoor/outdoor polyester along with the included sun canopy makes this the perfect chair to carry with you for use outdoors, or anywhere indoors.
Product Highlights
- Seats from baby (approx. 3 mos.) to 75 lb. child
- Chair converts to three child growth stages: Sitting, Standing, and Big Kid
- 5 point removable harness keeps baby secure and comfortable
- Removable snack tray and sun canopy
- Indoor/outdoor polyester fabric is resistant to fading, stains, and mold
- Carry bag included
- Dimensions: 24.5″ tall x 23″ wide x 22.75″ deep
- Weight: 4.9lbs
Important Safety Guidelines
- Recommended Weight: up to 75 lbs
- Recommended Age: 3 mos – toddler
*Per ASTM Safety Standards, it is recommended that the chair be used only by children capable of sitting upright unassisted. .
View Venture Assembly Video
View GWM Venture Campground Lifestyle Video
View GWM Pool Side Lifestyle Video
View GWM Beach Lifestyle Video

subset: commoncrawl


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Giffard Triple Sec Liqueur
We have 2 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Summer shipping advisory: Orders placed from now until the fall will be held at no charge for cooler weather unless immediate shipping is requested.


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- Home
- Catholic Life and Religious Education
- Curriculum and Pedagogy
- Pastoral Care and Learning Support
Catholic Schools have a long and proud history in the Australian educational landscape. Originally established by orders of brothers, nuns and priests in the nineteenth century they are now almost entirely staffed and led by lay people.
Catholic Systemic Schools in the Diocese of Wollongong are either Parish Primary Schools or Diocesan Secondary Schools. They are all co-educational schools.
Catholic Schools have a unique character because as well as being places where learning is highly valued, they are places where priority is given to a values-based education in the Catholic Faith. This involves all staff and students proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ to the world. Staff identify strongly with their school and take pride in their work and the school's achievements.
In addition to these schools another seven Independent Congregational High Schools, some of which offer single sex education, also exist.


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Never actually came across any of these as a kid, but found these images on eBay and did a bit more google digging for the images below. Tip of the hat to http://www.comiccovers.com.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
1984 - Marvel Superheroes First Issue Covers FTCC
Posted by Jason Shayer at 12:30 AM
Labels: cards, First Issue Covers, FTCC, Marvel Superhheroes
4 comments:
I had a bunch of these. No idea what I did with them.ReplyDelete
I've got the boxed set but NEVER saw the wrappers before.ReplyDelete
IIRC, the only place I ever saw these was at a comic book seller at the flea market at the local fairgrounds. I bought a couple packs at first, but later opted to just buy the complete set in a box. I've still got it . . . somewhere.ReplyDelete
Thanks for the comments! I threw this up not expecting much response, but I'm surprised how many folks picked this up...ReplyDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Jackie S. Mills offers unparalleled service coupled with professionalism and integrity thats second to none. Why not get started today!
Jackie S. Mills is a licensed Tennessee Real Estate Agent. Some or all of the Listing Displayed on this Site may not belong to Jackie S. Mills. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website is being provided for the consumers' personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties the consumers may be interested in purchasing. This information is updated daily, however, some of these properties may subsequently have sold and may no longer be available. This data is believed to be correct, but interested parties should confirm the data before relying on it in a purchase decision.


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One question I get on a regular basis is how does a Pistol backfield change the way a defense adjusts to the spread. When utilized with even formations (2×2), the Pistol can create hesitation in how a defense traditionally sets up against the spread. If setting the front formationally, a defense can align quickly and efficiently to most formations. For most four-down defenses, the front is set to a TE (Over Front) or away from Trips (Under Front) to allow maximum cover downs. The main issues arise when offenses employ the Pistol from a 2×2 or Doubles formation. Like Ace and Diamond, 10 personnel 2×2 Pistol forces the defense to choose where to set the front by field or boundary. If the offense aligns in the middle of the field (MOF), the defense has to make a choice between right or left. Because of the Pistol's unique backfield alignment, the offense can identify the conflict player and attack, leaving the defense vulnerable.
In traditional "gun" formations the offense has put the back on one side of the formation. Teams can run same-side zones and gap plays (pulling runs), but many utilize the offset running back to read the defensive end or conflict player to that side of the back. There are three main front adjustments for defenses when defending 2×2 gun: 1) set the front to the back (Over), 2) set the front away from the back (Under), or 3) set the front to the field. The later becomes difficult in the MOF. I suggest in my book that a defense should, at the least, set the front to the back to maximize Sam's cover down and deter read side RPOs. Versus a true even set like 2×2 Pistol, this can be impossible to determine if in the MOF.
Versus a 2×2 gun formation, the defense is broken into two parts, the read side (back's side) and the fold side. Against a team the sets their back in the Pistol alignment the offense can easily establish where the conflict player is located and attack. This two-way-go can make it difficult for defensive coordinators to game plan against teams that run Pistol. Establishing front rules against a "gun" team is relatively easy, but to understand how to set the front versus 2×2 Pistol a defensive coordinator must first understand the formation. Continue reading "Defending 10 pers. 2×2 Pistol"


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Don't Touch Your Handgun When Driving on the Highway
A young man in Tennessee is facing criminal charges after he had to be Lifeflighted off the highway for treatment of gunshot wounds. No, he wasn't involved in a road rage shootout. 23-year-old Justin Newberry accidentally shot himself in both legs after his handgun, The Judge, slid out from under his seat while he was driving. Newberry grabbed The Judge by its trigger. Oh, and cops found weed, paraphernalia and fake IDs in the car. Ahh... there's nothing quite like being 23, high as fuck, armed and driving.
As stupid as Newberry is, he's still not as bad as this hot doggin' idiot.


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Forgot your password?
August 23, 2019, 01:00 AM
Event created by
An Art-making Workshop with Connie Michele Morey
Thursday August 22 | 6 to 9 p.m.Legacy Downtown | 630 Yates St. Lekwungen territory
Join Victoria-based artist Connie Michele Morey in the gallery to create soft sculpture portrait puppets of All the People You Know. In conjunction with Myfanwy Pavelic's portrait exhibition, Mirrored Selves Within and Without, this workshop will use playful techniques to create narrative art that reflects your community within a single portrait puppet. Using storytelling, coloured wool felt, contemporary stitch work and beading, the workshop will innovate traditional portraiture to blur the boundaries between fine art, craft and storytelling. No experience necessary.
All materials provided. Material fee per person $40.
Call/email to register: 250.721.6562 | firstname.lastname@example.com
Learn more about our current exhibitions here.


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Unico American Corporation Issues Statement Regarding Biglari Holdings
Unico American Corporation Issues Statement Regarding Biglari Holdings
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Unico American Corporation (NAS: UNAM) ("Unico," the "Company"), announced today that it has received inquiries and concerns from a number of its shareholders, the media and members of the general public about information contained in the Schedule 13D form filed by Sardar Biglari for Biglari Holdings Inc., with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission earlier this week.
In the interest of continuing its tradition of providing complete, unambiguous and timely disclosure to the public, Unico's management elected to issue this announcement.
Unico's management and its Board of Directors did not receive any tangible or credible proposal or description about "ways of maximizing shareholder value" with respect to Unico from Sardar Biglari, Biglari Holdings Inc., or any representative thereof. Also, Unico's management and its Board of Directors did not share any substantive communication with Sardar Biglari, Biglari Holdings Inc., or any representative thereof.
Except as required by law, Unico's management and its Board of Directors does not engage in substantive private communications that might reasonably be characterized as containing insider information unless it has first established a nondisclosure agreement that is acceptable to it. Unico has not received an acceptable nondisclosure agreement from Sardar Biglari, Biglari Holdings Inc., or any representative thereof.
Headquartered in Woodland Hills, California, Unico is an insurance holding company that underwrites property and casualty insurance through its insurance company subsidiary; provides property, casualty, and health insurance through its agency subsidiaries; and through its other subsidiaries provides insurance premium financing and membership association services. Unico has conducted the majority of its operations through its subsidiary Crusader Insurance Company since 1985. For more information concerning Crusader Insurance Company, please visit Crusader's Web site at www.crusaderinsurance.com.
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Certain statements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking. These statements, which may be identified by forward-looking words or phrases such as "anticipate," "appears," "believe," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," and "would," involve risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Such risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Factors which could cause actual results to differ materially include underwriting actions not being effective, rate increases for coverages not being sufficient, premium rate adequacy relating to competition or regulation, actual versus estimated claim experience, regulatory changes or developments, unforeseen calamities, general market conditions, and the Company's ability to introduce new profitable products.
Unico American Corporation
Lester A. Aaron
Chief Financial Officer
KEYWORDS: United States North America California
The article Unico American Corporation Issues Statement Regarding Biglari Holdings originally appeared on Fool.com.
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Anyway, there are a number of coats of arms with a depiction of Saint Nicholas on them. The two shown here are the arms of the towns of Ergersheim, France (on the left) and of Waal, Germany.
Finally, and my favorite of all of them, are the arms of Sint Niklaas, Belgium (shown here in two variations; the one on the tile comes from the Saint Nicholas Center's website at http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=46). I'm not sure about the turnip. I have to assume it has less to do with Saint Nicholas than it does with the town or region in which Sint Niklaas is located.


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Let's be real peoples. These pics on this site were not taken by myself (unless otherwise noted), so I do not claim ownership of them in any way, shape, form, or fashion. I source when I can. I also put up pics of anyone that I feel like. And I say whatever I damn well please. This is not Oprah or CNN.
So YBF is not here for a Let's Save The Celebrity group help session nor does YBF claim to have factual information. It's gossip. Take it how you wanna. Still got a problem? Find ya cursor on that X in the top right corner of your screen.
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If you believe material on YBF is infringing upon your copyright, please e-mail email@example.com with the following and the infringing material will be removed as soon as possible.
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Please also note that under Section 512(f) of the Copyright Act any person who knowingly materially misrepresents that material or activity is infringing may be subject to liability.
Copyright statement thanks to Micheal K.


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Amid widespread concern yesterday, and calls for silence on the topic by NBC, Richard Engel, NBC's Chief Foreign Correspondent has been freed from his Syrian captors.
Engel and his team were captured last Wednesday and liberated after a firefight that went down at a roadside checkpoint yesterday.
"After being kidnapped and held for five days inside Syria by an unknown group, NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and his production crew members have been freed unharmed. We are pleased to report they are safely out of the country," the network said in a statement.
The captors were unidentified and were not believed to be loyal to the Assad regime.
Engel, 39, along with other employees the network did not identify, disappeared shortly after crossing into northwest Syria from Turkey on Thursday. The network had not been able to contact them until learning that they had been freed on Monday.
With no claim of responsibility or of a coordinated kidnapping, and no ransom demands, many questions remain about the incident that came to an unexpected, but fortunate conclusion at a standard checkpoint. Engel credits the Ahrar al-Sham brigade, a Syrian rebel group, with his release.
It was al-Sham that engaged Engels captors, killing two of them, before an unknown number of others got away. It's interesting that the Ahrar al-Sham, meaning "Free Men of Greater Syria," considered fundamentalist in their Islamic views are allies of the al-Nusra Front.
The latter group was recently labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, but remains the "most aggressive and successful arm of the rebel force." Both groups themselves are said to be responsible for abductions of their own, performed largely against opposing Sh'ite forces and civilians.
A highly respected foreign correspondent, Engel is one of the only Western journalists to cover the entire Iraq War. He published the experience in a widely praised book titled, "War Journal: My Five Years In Iraq." Fluent in Arabic, Engel accessed parts of Iraq unlike anyone else. Even George W. Bush called him to the White House for a private briefing and the resulting book is one of the definitive works from that conflict.
From yesterday:
Turkish media is reporting that veteran journalist Richard Engel, NBC's chief foreign correspondent and Middle East bureau chief, and his Turkish colleague Aziz Akyavaş are currently missing in Syria.
Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reports that Engel and Akyavaş haven't been in contact with NBC News since Thursday morning.
John Cook of Gawker reports that NBC has been "asking every reporter who inquires about the pair to participate in a news blackout," but the Turkish reports have already been referenced by journalists and others thousands of times on Twitter.
Prominent investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill argues that NBC's news blackout should be respected, although the news has been picked up by outlets including The Daily Mail, The Houston Chronicle, and The Atlantic Wire:
There are processes going on that other media are not privy to and you should respect that. It could mean life/death for the missing journo— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) December 17, 2012
The desire to get a "scoop" should be put in check when there are very good reasons--namely the lives of our colleagues-- to stay quiet— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) December 17, 2012
There are cases where the families/employers ask for coverage. There are actual strategies at play and that should be respected.— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) December 17, 2012
Turkish news channel NTV notes that Turkish journalists who have been arrested and detained in Syria do not have any information about the journalists' whereabouts.
[UPDATE 4:50 p.m.] John Cook at Gawker has published a response to readers wondering why Gawker decided to publish their post against NBC News' wishes:
The rationale for the blackout was offered in off-the-record conversations, so I can't present their argument here. But I will say this: No one told me anything that indicated a specific, or even general, threat to Engel's safety. No one said, "If you report this, then we know, or suspect, that X, Y, or Z may happen." It was infinitely more vague and general than that.
As I wrote in the post, when the New York Times maintained a blackout about David Rohde, the rationale was clear: I was directly told that the Times had reason to believe that the people who had Rohde would harm him if news got out. There was nothing approaching that level of specificity or argumentation here. I would not have written a post if someone had told me that there was a reasonable or even remote suspicion that anything specific would happen if I wrote the post.
Also: There was in practice no blackout. Xinhua and Breitbart had published English language accounts. There were probably like 100 posts to Twitter per minute about him. This was a situation where the information was freely available on the internet, and in the region—these are large Turkish outlets reporting this information. It was out.
SEE ALSO: How The Syrian Conflict Is Going To End
Veteran Journalist Says The Media Is Totally Misreporting What's Happening In Syria
There Isn't A Ruler In The World Who Wants To Use Chemical Weapons


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The Wall
I was looking for a different angle to capture the Alamo from when on a photowalk at #ImagingUSA in San Antonio earlier this week. This majestic oak caught my eye with it's limbs sweepeing out across the garrison wall at the Alamo.. Makes me wonder if it was alive when the Battle of the Alamo was fought over 180 years ago. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)
Crockett Hotel
Happy 181st Birthday Texas! I wonder if Davy ever thought he'd have a hotel behind the Alamo? Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)
Boo Hotel
I wonder if they'll keep the light on for you? Certainly not my first choice of accommodations if I was just passing through. One of the derelict buildings that make up the Manor Ghost Town. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)
Light the Way
One of the shots I made during our March visit to Mission Concepcion in San Antonio. I just liked the play of different light on the scene. The candlelight lamp was barely enough to light the room and I could imagine what it was like in the room in the days before electricity when a small candle would be your only light. The afternoon sun bounced off the white walls and back into the room providing additional lighting. Nice that the missions in San Antonio are now recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Exploring them on this nice Spring day was a great way to spend an afternoon. Photo by Steve Coyle Photography (www.stevecoylephotography.com)
Texas Independence
Celebrating Texas Independence Day! The Goliad Massacre played a huge role in Texas' fight for independence from Mexico in 1836. This is the sight of the mass grave for Colonel Fannin and his troops that gave rise to the shout "Remember Goliad". You can read more about this important part of Texas history at https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/qeg02.
Bahia Sunset
Happy New Year! Inside the walls at Presidio La Bahia as the sun is setting. We visited this site a couple of years ago during Christmas and I posted a black and white version of the shot I took at that time. Thought I'd start of 2015 in color with another shot of the Presidio. For more information on the Presidio and it's history, check out their website at http://www.presidiolabahia.org.
The Quarters
I was outside the Quarters at Presidio La Bahia in Goliad taking photos of the exterior when a lady asked me if I'd like to photograph the inside. They were staying there the night and had not moved their things in yet. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity to have a look inside.
I made this shot inside the living room of the Quarters. Per the Presidio's website, after the restoration of Presidio La Bahia in the mid-1960's, the area now known as The Quarters was used by priests as housing. The Quarters is part of what used to be the officer's quarters, along the west wall of the presidio. For more information on the Quarters and how you can book your own stay in these historic accommodations, check out their website at http://www.presidiolabahia.org/quarters.htm.
Sunset Cross
To me, Sundays are a good time to reflect and be thankful for what we have. We passed this graveyard on our walk in Georgetown on Thanksgiving Day. My wife noted that the graves with crosses were sites they had identified had someone buried there, but the grave marker that was there (if there ever was one) had eroded away. Reminds me that life is not forever and neither are our attempts to mark our last resting places.
Baptizing Christ
Good Sunday morning to you! This was one of the statues we saw inside St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Montana. I really liked how the light coming in through the windows of the church seemed to make this statue glow. Seemed to be fitting for the scene it was depicting.
Sunday Schooling
Another historic church from Medina County for your Sunday morning enjoyment. Young in comparison with churches in other parts of the world, but old for the area this church is in, the historic New Fountain United Methodist Church in New Fountain, Texas is over 150 years old. The original structure in the left side of this shot was built by German immigrants in the 1870s and has over 400 members in it's congregation today. Complete information on the church can be found at http://www.newfountainumc.org/AboutUs1176136.
Quihi Century
When I went out to capture the sunflower shot I posted a few days ago, I decided to take advantage of the evening light and run over to Quihi to capture a shot of this historic church. The Quihi Bethlehem Lutheran Church building is celebrating it's 100th anniversary this year and the historical marker in front of the building provides the following info about the congregation and building. "BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH The Rev Christian Oefinger, serving as pastor of the Castroville Lutheran Church, led in founding this congregation in March 1852. The first church building was dedicated in 1854, coincidental with a synod convention held in Castroville. Bethlehem Lutheran Church hosted synod meetings in 1869, 1875, and 1894. The present brick structure, dedicated in 1914, was built largely by parishioners, St John's Lutheran Church of New Fountain. Founded in the late 1850s by the Rev A. Kitterer and served by Bethlehem's pastors, merged with the congregation in 1949."
Independence Dog-Trot
Last spring we made a road trip to check out the wildflowers in Washington County. On our outing we ventured by Independence where I captured this shot of one of the early homes in Independence. It's also right next to the original location of Baylor University, which is what I'm guessing the gentleman on the front porch is looking at. Sure would like to be on that porch now. :-)
Breezy Lincoln
Inside the breezeway in one of the museums in Lincoln, New Mexico. For more on this shot, check out my blog at http://www.stevecoylephotography.com/Blog/Exploring-the-World.
Texas Capitol
The state capitol in Austin, Texas on a late fall afternoon.
Veteran's Memorial
Happy Veteran's Day! This is the monument that was put up in Cedar Park Veteran's Memorial Park to honor all those that have served. The skies were perfect to really add drama to nice memorial.
It's been a dozen years since the events of 9/11 changed the world. Taking time to remember those who have given so much for our freedom.
Stonewall's Trinity
The Trinity Lutheran Church congregation traces its history to 1902, when it was organized in the Albert schoolhouse. A sanctuary built here in 1902 was replaced in 1904 and this structure was erected in 1928. Worship services were conducted in the German language until 1950. A fine example of the Gothic revival style of architecture, the church features fine details in its arched window and door openings, Gothic steeple, and original pressed metal siding. Recorded Texas Histoic Landmark - 1989 -historical marker
Llano County Courthouse
Llano County Courthouse in the spring.
The Austonian, Austin's tallest building, with SIX Lounge, the bar created in honor of Lance Armstrong's 6th Tour de France victory, in it's shadow.
Even Darth needs a coffee pick me up at Halcyon before a long night on the back of a pedicab.
HDRtist HDR - http://www.ohanaware.com/hdrtist/
Days Gone By
Looking across San Francisco at St. Ignatius Church. I took this shot several years ago on a trip to the Bay Area. Decided to have a little fun with it and give it an older feel of days gone by. You can read more about the church at http://stignatiussf.org.
Early morning looking across one of the reflecting pools at Jefferson Memorial with the cherry blossoms beginning to bloom.


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Arnold Schwarzenegger: I'll Be Back Taxes
The United States government might have a bigger budget to work with -- if one bodybuilding governor would pay the back taxes it appears he never got around to paying.
According to documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Arnold Schwarzenegger owes the IRS $39,047 from 2004 and $40,016 from 2005.
In total the Guv owes $79,064.00 ... and as we all know, he's definitely not saving the money for rainy day traffic violations.
An official at the L.A. County Recorder's Office tells TMZ their system shows the lien is still active.
Arnold's rep released the following statement: "No one, including the IRS, has notified the governor of any issues whatsoever with his taxes. We are contacting the IRS to determine if the document in question, which appears to be a penalty for missing info and not for unpaid taxes, is legitimate and if there is any discrepancy to resolve."


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Don't wait any longer to immerse yourself in the lively atmosphere of a city, stroll through its streets or visit the most typical neighborhoods by our famous tandem.
By staying at Golden Tulip, you can discover local gastronomy in our restaurant, while having a cozy night in our comfortable and multi-functional room, and being delighted by the playful Golden Tulip spirit: letterhead becomes a tulip origami, or an umbrella becomes an excuse for an undercover stint, much more is to be discovered by yourself. If you wish to go out, our local experts in the hotel will give you all the best addresses of the city and make your weekend a memorable stay. Because at Golden Tulip, it's Playtime, Anytime! Book your weekend and enjoy a 15% discount on your accommodation, breakfast included. Offer valid under conditions*.
* All year long, book at least one day in advance via our website and take advantage of our weekend offer: - 15% discount on your stay, accommodation and breakfast included. Offer valid for a reservation of 2 consecutive nights on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at Golden Tulip hotels in the Middle East and on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays at participating Golden Tulip hotels in the rest of the world, subject to availability of dates and rooms allocated at the discretion of the establishment to this offer. Online prepayment is required. Non-changeable, non-cancellable, non-cumulative offer, reserved for individual guests only. The terms and conditions of the Book & Stay rate and the Hotel's General Terms and Conditions are communicated to the customer at the time of consulting the offers. The customer should contact the selected hotel to consult its terms and conditions regarding the stay.


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Video circulates of girl being raped in S.Africa
Apr 18, 2012, 4:03 PM
Associated Press
JOHANNESBURG (AP) – When a 17-year-old girl said to have the mental capacity of a 5-year-old was reported missing four weeks ago in the sprawling South African township of Soweto, police distributed her photo and asked neighborhood residents for help.
Then a video emerged of seven men and boys raping the girl. Within a day of media alerting them to the video, police said, they on Wednesday found the girl in a house across Soweto from her home. Eight men and boys were arrested on charges of kidnapping and rape.
The women's league of the governing African National Congress said the video, apparently recorded on a cell phone, was widely circulated on the Internet and via cell phones. The league said it again raises questions about South Africans' attitudes toward rape and women in a country with horrifyingly high rape statistics.
"When does it become acceptable amongst a group of peers to rape a girl and laugh about it? It just makes one sick to the stomach," the league said in a statement Wednesday.
The league commended a mother who saw the video clip on her child's mobile phone and ensured it came to the attention of the police, and urged other parents to monitor what their children are doing with new technology and new media.
Police spokesman Kay Makhubela said soon after learning of the video Tuesday, police, with help from people in Soweto, arrested seven men who appeared in the video. Some of the suspects identified the girl's possible location in sprawling Soweto, and police moved through that neighborhood Wednesday, announcing on loudspeakers that they planned to search every home.
The eighth suspect then surrendered and the girl was found in his home, Makhubela said. He described her as quiet and apparently traumatized, and said she was taken first to counselors and then to a hospital.
Makhubela said anyone found to have passed along the video could face criminal charges.
According to the most recent police statistics, more than 66,000 rapes and other sexual offenses were reported in South Africa in the year ending in early 2011. Experts say many rapes go unreported because the victims are ashamed or afraid, or because they believe police will not act.
The state news agency BuaNews quoted South Africa's minister for women's affairs, Lulu Xingwana, as calling the gang rape "despicable." Xingwana added that with the wide distribution of the video of the attack, the victim "is now subjected to a second assault on her dignity."
(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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Each day seems to bring a new video from the hacktivist collective Anonymous threatening some spectacular attack, then everyone freaks out. This week, Anonymous is threatening to disrupt the Iowa Caucuses. After a month of fake Anonymous scares, we call bullshit.
An Anonymous-branded video was recently uploaded to YouTube. In it, a spooky computer voice declares its contempt for the American political process: "Both parties are desecrating the American democracy and committing crimes against humanity on behalf of the American people." It calls on Anonymous members to shut down the Iowa Caucuses in December in protest.
The Des Moines register warns:
An anarchist-style movement that has caught the attention of the FBI and taken credit for hacking into military and corporate websites has now claimed responsibility for creating a video that urges its supporters to shut down the Iowa caucuses.
Sounds scary! But so did Anonymous' recent, much-hyped threats against Facebook, Fox News and the Zetas drug cartel. None of those amounted to anything, and it's almost certain the Iowa Caucuses threat won't either.
Just skiming the facts shows some red flags; The guy who uploaded the video is an Occupy Iowa participant and claims he "found this DVD outside my tent....with a note…" Uh, OK. Then Morpheus appeared and offered him a choice between chugging a red or a blue Pabst. And, not to get too nerdy, but the video references "OpESR," an old, failed Anonymous operation.
Apparently all it takes these days to spark a media hacking frenzy is a copy of iMovie, a voice synthesizer and a painfully overblown prose style. Slap up the Anonymous logo (or better yet, one of the pre-made videos of a masked Anonymous figure speaking) select a dramatic soundtrack—that creepy song from Requiem from a Dream is a favorite—and spout off something about how a hot issue of the day has "angered" Anonymous so prepare to meet your doom, We are Legion, Tunisia, Egypt blah, blah, blah.
Create a YouTube account, publish the video, then wait for some hapless journalist to see it and call the authorities for a comment. If the target is high profile enough, the authorities will always say they're aware of it, or will look into it, because saying, "Hey, it's just a YouTube video—hundreds are uploaded every second, so chill out," would make them seem out of touch. The journalist will then call the target of the YouTube video and get some quote about how they're "preparing" for the attack. Story finished. Headline: "Anonymous Threatens X." 1,000,000 unique visitors, please!
(See the giant misunderstanding that was Anonymous' plan to "kill" Facebook for a textbook case of an overeager media creating a threat out of nothing.)
And yet, almost none of these reporters actually talk to Anonymous members, or seriously consider the plausibility of Anonymous' claims. Anyone can be Anonymous, but that doesn't mean Anonymous actually listens to what anyone puts in a random YouTube video.
To illustrate the absurdity of taking Anonymous threats seriously just because they are made in a video on YouTube, consider the threats "Anonymous" has posted Youtube in the past week alone. Threats against:
"We have been watching you. You have been harassing a girl and annoying her and you know who that person is. She does not like what you are doing and we anonymous certainly do not like it."
Tinychat.com continues to allow and host rooms in which underage persons engage themselves in sexually explicit manner on webcam. Tinychat's support team has failed to take the appropriate actions necessary therefore allowing this unacceptable behavior to continue.
(Unclear, it's all in Spanish.)
The inhumanity and brutality the NYPD has shown will not be let be free. This is our warning. Let the people protest without shame or threat.
Recently gamers have been forming groups or clans to take us down. I laugh at that… You are 12 year-old pathetic losers who love the world as it is because you have not seen the real world.
And many, many more. If I made an Anonymous video, it would be ordering all Anonymous members to upload as many videos as possible and overwhelm the media, forcing them to stop reporting every flight of fancy a 22-year-old plugs into iMovie between Call of Duty binges as a serious threat.


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Colleen Hennessey Medium Bowl no. 264
A medium serving bowl glazed in lightly freckled milky white. Wonderful as an individual noodle bowl, or for use as a serving or salad dish.
Each one of Colleen Hennessey's bowls is simple, functional, and full of understated character. Her rustic-minimal style is inspired by the convergence of her background in sculpture with her passion for growing and cooking food. We keep mismatched stacks of these one-of-a-kind bowls in our cupboards at home where they beautifully welcome everything from brothy ramens and grain-based salads to seasonal stews.
These bowls are oven-safe. Please wash by hand.
Hand-thrown in California.
8 3/4 inches wide
no. 264


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social spaces
and sophisticated details, the Faculty Club is both understated and chic at the same time. We managed to find a lighting solution that is both multifunctional and energy efficient, which radiates purity, whilst also being easy on the eye. This is all thanks to the excellent collaboration with Philips."
- Harm Timmermans, partner Shift architecture urbanism, Rotterdam
The University of Tilburg wanted to bring people together. In June 2011, it opened the Faculty club, a place where members of the university community can meet. To create the right atmosphere in the 80-seat restaurant, reception rooms and meeting rooms, modern lighting was needed.
If the Faculty Club was going to become a popular meeting place, it would need an inviting ambience. The university considered several restaurant lighting options before deciding on a 100% LED solution. It was important that the lights could adapt to different occasions at the venue, and the dimming options of LED would make this possible.
LuxSpace downlights were installed in the entrances and toilets, providing a warm welcome to guests. Their glare-free performance provides clear visibility, and a comforting atmosphere. StyliD spotlights were placed around the venue to create enchanting lighting effects. For general illumination, Dayzone luminaires were chosen. Their daylight-like performance creates the perfect ambience for visitors to socialize and relax in.
The new restaurant and meeting room lighting has transformed the Faculty club. The lights perfectly complement the style of the venue, giving it an understated yet luxurious quality.
Thanks to the long life cycle of LED, the restaurant lighting at the Faculty club won't require maintenance for several years.


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The U.S. Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory on Monday completed the deployment of a 20-petaflop supercomputer called Titan, which the lab hopes will give the U.S. an edge over China and Japan in the race to build the world's fastest computers.
The supercomputer, deployed at ORNL facilities in Tennessee, is capable of processing 20,000 trillion calculations per second. The supercomputer is more than 10 times faster than its predecessor called Jaguar, which was deployed in 2009 and was considered the world's fastest supercomputer in June 2010 until it was dethroned a few months later by a Chinese supercomputer called Tianhe-1A at the National Supercomputer Center in Tianjin.
[ Keep up on the day's tech news headlines with InfoWorld's Today's Headlines: Wrap Up newsletter. ]
Titan's deployment comes just a few weeks ahead of the release of the Top500, which lists the 500 fastest supercomputers in the world. The fastest supercomputer in the Top500 list released in June this year was Sequoia, an IBM BlueGene/Q system deployed by the U.S. DOE at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California.
"American competitiveness is very important from a global security and national security perspective," said Jeffrey Nichols, associate laboratory director for the computing and computational sciences directorate at ORNL, in an interview. "It's absolutely important that we are competitive in this high-tech field so the science solutions we are solving are competitive and put us on the leading edge of where we need to be in solving these problems."
Countries such as Japan and China are swiftly scaling their computing capabilities with supercomputers in the top five, Nichols said. But the U.S. makes more effective use of available computing power to solve some of the top science problems in the country, Nichols said.
"If you look at Oak Ridge and what we bring to the table is that we have application developers that can use these machines at scale. China cannot. They have an economic development model that says we'll put this hardware on the floor and people can come in and pay for using the machine in order to do their scientific research," Nichols said.
ORNL welcomes proposals from scientists and 40 projects are selected every year to use computing facilities in the lab. The proposals are selected on merit by scientific experts, but also by ensuring the applications are scalable so resources are not wasted. Scientists using Titan don't have to pay for usage.
More computing power boosts knowledge discovery, and helps in more realistic simulation and experiments, Nichols said, adding that Titan will help the U.S. in research areas like biosciences, climate, energy and space.
For example, ORNL conducts research on neutron sciences, which includes the building of combustion engines that deliver lower emissions and higher efficiency. Those experiments are related to the country's economy, environment and national security, and faster supercomputers like Titan are advancing research quicker in that area, Nichols said.
Titan is a Cray XK7 supercomputer, which pairs 18,688 Advanced Micro Devices 16-core Opteron 6274 CPUs with 18,688 Nvidia Tesla K20 GPUs (graphics processing units). Graphics processors provide faster execution of some scientific and math applications, while CPUs are better for serial processing. By harnessing the joint computing power of CPUs and GPUs, supercomputers are able to provide results in the most power-efficient way, said Steve Scott, chief technology officer of the Tesla product line at Nvidia.
Titan is built into 200 server cabinets, which is the same size as Jaguar. ORNL upgraded by moving to 16-core CPUs and the latest graphics processors, which are faster and more power efficient. Titan has 700TB of memory.
Titan consumes about 9 megawatts of power and the energy costs for running the supercomputer could add up to $10 million a year, Nichols said. The DOE is willing to absorb the cost because it knows that a sophisticated research program is needed, Nichols said.
The next milestone for supercomputers is to reach exaflop performance, which is about 1,000 petaflops, by 2018. ORNL upgrades the supercomputer at a three to four year clip, and Nichols expects a major upgrade to Titan in 2016. He also hopes an exaflop system will be in place at ORNL by 2020, though he added nothing was certain.
"We have to think about making the case for the 2020 exascale machine or 2016 machine. We have to start talking to vendors about those machines," Nichols said.
Agam Shah covers PCs, tablets, servers, chips and semiconductors for IDG News Service. Follow Agam on Twitter at @agamsh. Agam's email address is firstname.lastname@example.com.


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How to Wear It
Signet bag in Italian leather
Get free shipping always with J.Crew Passport
Size & Fit
- 6 1/4" H x 8 1/2" W x 3" D.
- 24" handle drop.
- Removable, adjustable strap.
Product Details
Your new favorite bag (emphasis on the word "your"). Our Signet bag features luxurious Italian leather with custom-developed hardware, plus a colorful leather key fob for a little extra flair. More ways to make it your own? Our customizable bag tags and coin purses, sold separately, or a monogram featuring your initials or something fun. See what we're carrying in ours.
- Monogram options: The bag itself can be embossed (select "front") or the solid-color leather bag tags (select "side tab").
- Please note that printed bag tags cannot be embossed—and that this service is only available for US customers.
- Italian leather.
- Import.
- Item G7315.


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The Free Lance began on 27 January 1885 published by the Free Lance Newspaper and Job Printing Company, John W. Woltz, managing editor. John Woltz died in 1893 and was replaced by W. Seymour White. In 1896 the Free Lance was enlarged to six pages. In 1926 the Free Lance and the Daily Star were merged into the Free Lance Star, whose publication continues today.
The index was prepared by Robert Hodge. The twice-weekly (until 1893), four-page, six-column (or more at later dates) issues were scanned for items deemed of value to the LOCAL historian and genealogist. The index begins in 1885. Each entry consists of essentially four parts: Name, Reason for being, Publication date, and Page/Column numbers. Bob Hodge did not record the page and column numbers before 1897. Names included in lists (schools, fair awards, socials) were not indexed after 1896, but notations identify where these lists may be found. County columns were not indexed for all names, only for deaths and marriages. These contain 'news notes' about residents' activities. Although Robert Hodge indicates that he indexed 1896, the paper copy could not be located, and that year is not presently included in this index. Bob stopped his index of The Free Lance with 10 May 1900. He stopped in 1900 because The Free Lance and The Daily Star papers were then owned and operated by the same firm. Robert indexed The Daily Star, up through 1926. However, by chance, The Daily Star does not survive for 1901 so there has always been a one year gap in the coverage of activities reported in the Fredericksburg press during 1901. In the Fall of 2007 Melissa K. Leggett, a senior in the Historic Preservation Department with support from the Knight Family Scholarship for Historic Preservation undertook the task of indexing The Free Lance for the year of 1901. Melissa worked diligently at the project and by her graduation in May 2008 had indexed eleven months of the newspaper. In the academic year 2008-2009 Melissa Ford, a student aide in the Historic Preservation Department, helped me complete the index of those issues through December 1901. The electronic version was created by the Center for Historic Preservation at Mary Washington College by scan ning a copy of the text and then modifying the format to fit a table. Comments, or corrections to this index should be sent to Gary Stanton at Mary Washington College. firstname.lastname@example.com
To Search The Free Lance 1885-1900 please mash this button.
If you prefer, or if you have difficulty accessing this database you can right-click the download button and bring the data to your machine as a tab-delimited text file and open the file in your spread sheet program. Be certain to set your fields to text before you open this file in Microsoft Excel or it will assume all dates are twentieth century. download
URL http://resources.umwhisp.org/Fredericksburg/newspapers/frla.htm
Last Update: 14 May 2009
Name: Gary Stanton, Dept of Historic Preservation
Email: email@example.com


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PHP MapScript Home | Docs | Support | Bugs | CVS | Downloads
The PHP MapScript module is a PHP dynamically
loadable module that makes MapServer's
MapScript functions and classes available in a PHP environment.
The PHP module was developed by DM Solutions Group
and is currently maintained by Mapgears.
Download Now!
PHP MapScript has reached a stable state but is constantly under development.
Starting with MapServer version 3.3.011, it is included in the regular MapServer
distribution that can be downloaded from the
MapServer web site.
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Profile specific web.config transforms and transform previewAugust 19, 2012 17:18 Comments [2]
When we released VS2010 we add support for web.config (XDT) transforms during publish/package. Note: From now on I'll only use the word publish from now on but the full content relates to packaging as well. In the original implementation when you published your web project the web.config file would be transformed by the file web.{Configuration}.config, where {Configuration} is the project build configuration. For example Debug, or Release. If you publish on Release and there exists a web.release.config we will take your web.config and transform it with web.release.config before publishing.
Cascading web.config transformations
In VS 2012 (as well as the publishing updates for VS2010 through the Azure SDK) now support the concept of publish specific transforms. You can also now specify the project configuration used for a profile when publishing on the publish dialog.
In this case I have created a profile named Production and set the Configuration to Release. When I publish this project the following transformations will be applied (if the files exist) in this order.
- web.release.config
- web.production.config
I think that we got this wrong when we initially implemented the support. We should have created profile specific transforms instead of ones based on build config, but having these cascading transforms are still pretty useful. For example I may want to remove the attribute debug="true" from the compilation element and then inside of the profile specific transform we would override appSettings/WCF endpoints/logging config/etc for that environment.
In VS there is a right-click option on web.config for Add Config Transform, but we were not able to update the functionality of that to automatically create profile specific transforms. Don't worry it will be released soon with our first set of updates for web tooling. For now you will need to create a new file with the correct name and add it to your project. Note: if you want it to show up nested under web.config you'll need to add the metadata
web.config transform preview
Previously the only way to test the functionality for these transformation was to actually publish or package the web project. This gets old pretty quick. In order to simplify creating these transforms we have introduced the Preview Transform menu option. This is the coolest feature in VS 2012 (OK I'm a bit biased, but still its the coolest).
In my web.release.config I have left the default contents, which just removes the debug attribute. Here is what I see when I select this on web.release.config for my project.
You can see that in the image above we can see that the debug flag was indeed removed as expected.
In my web.production.config I have a transform which simply updates the email app setting value. Here is the really cool part when I preview the transform for web.production.config the previewer will look into the profile and determine the build configuration which has been configured, and it will ensure that transform is applied before the profile specific one. For example take a look at the result for web.production.config.
In the image above you can see the note that web.release.config was applied first followed by web.production.config. In the result we can see that web.release.config removed the debug flag and that web.production.config updated the email address value.
We also do a little bit to help out in case there are errors in either the web.config or a transform. You can see errors in the Output Window and double click it to go directly to where the error exists.
Note: Scott Hanselman has a 5 minute video showing this and other updates.
Another note: If you need to transform any file besides web.config during publish then install my extension SlowCheetah.
Sayed Ibrahim Hashimi | @SayedIHashimi
Comment Section
- how do you choose to run web.release.config and then web.production.config transform ? Is there any UI to do so ? where ? ...
- The second question has nothing to do about transforms, but is more related to publishing : is there any way to add a publish method : What I would like to do :
a. build the application with the release config
b. run aspnet_compile on the application built
c. package the whole app in a zip (not a web deploy package)
In our project for example we use different "Debug" configurations to test various deployment scenarios. I'm thinking of "Debug", "DebugWithSSL", "AzureEmulator", "Azure", ...
Comments are closed.


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Please let me know if you want to go with us to the roller derby on February 2. I need to know tomorrow So I can order tickets. Just call the shop 317-638-1833.
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In-Store Retreat
What IS the In-Store Retreat?
The In-Store Retreat is a weekend of meeting up with old friends and making new ones while working on your latest yarn project without the distraction of home and work.
For a fee of $25 for the entire weekend, you get a discount on all yarn in the store, as well as 7-10 free patterns, a cool shop bag and a chance to win one of the many door prizes we give away throughout the weekend.
Feel free to join us all weekend or just for an hour or two. We look forward to seeing you over the weekend!
What is an Over-Nighter?
An over-nighter is a night we set aside for our favorite yarn projects. Over-nighters start at 7:30PM and go on through the evening until the last person goes home. For $20 we provide pizza and drinks. You bring a snack and your latest project to work on. Sometimes we work on a service project, so be sure to check the blog before you join us. Can't wait to see you at our next over-nighter!


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Founded in 1964, Isothermal Community College serves Rutherford and Polk counties in the beautiful foothills of western North Carolina. Isothermal, named for the region's steady climate, is a comprehensive, two-year public institution and is a part of the North Carolina Community College System. Isothermal's core purpose is to improve life through learning.
The main campus is on 181 acres in Spindale. The Rutherford campus, perched on the shore of an 11-acre lake, is home to The Foundation Performing Arts and Conference Center, the area's premier venue for the arts and other special events. The college also owns and operates WNCW 88.7, an award-winning public radio station that can be heard in parts of five different states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia.
The Polk Center is in Columbus and opened in the fall of 1989. The Polk Center offers GED, massage therapy, equine studies, and driving safety classes on a regular basis as well as a variety of continuing education classes. In August 2013, Isothermal Community College opened the Rutherfordton Learning Center (RLC) to provide administrative and instructional spaces for the Associate Degree Nursing and Practical Nurse Education programs. Continuing Education programs, including Certified Nursing Assistant, were already operating at the RLC. It is located in downtown Rutherfordton, approximately four miles from the main campus and near the regional hospital. In May 2013, the Honorable Walter Dalton, former Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina, was appointed President by the college's Board of Trustees. The preceding president was Dr. Myra Johnson who served as in that capacity for six years. Johnson, served a Isothermal for 23 years most recently as vice president of Academic and Student Affairs. She replaced Dr. Willard L. Lewis, III, who retired from the post in 2007 after 21 years at the college. During Johnson's presidency, the college acquired approximately 39 acres of property, contiguous to its existing borders. Most of this property was purchased by the Isothermal Community College Foundation and donated to the college, while one parcel was given to the college by the Rutherford County Board of Commissioners.
In January 2008, the doors were opened on the new Willard L. Lewis, III, Lifelong Learning Center. The two-story building of approximately 24,000 square feet houses classrooms, office space, high-tech distance learning facilities and the Rutherford Early College High School. The center will ultimately host many of the collaborative efforts for higher learning Isothermal has with Western Carolina, Gardner-Webb and Appalachian State universities. Recently, the College partnered with Polk County Schools to support the Polk County Early College.
Interest in a community college for Rutherford and Polk counties began even before a statewide community college system was established. In 1963, the General Assembly passed Chapter 115A, General Statutes of North Carolina, establishing the Department of Community Colleges, and shortly thereafter the Rutherford County Commissioners appointed a committee to study and promote plans for a community college in the county. The preliminary report, submitted in March 1964, recommended that the proposed college serve Rutherford and Polk counties, that a site south of Spindale be chosen, and that the college be financed by a bond issue and a special tax levy. On Sept. 5, 1964, Rutherford County citizens voted by a margin of more than 16 to 1 in favor of a $500,000 bond issue for construction of the college, to be matched by state funds, and a property tax increase to pay the county's portion of the operating costs. The college was chartered on Oct. 1, 1964, by the State Board of Education. The first meeting of the Board of Trustees was held on Nov. 17, and on Nov. 23 the Board approved the name "Isothermal Community College.'' Fred J. Eason was chosen by the Board as the College's first president on Dec. 22. On July 1, 1965, the Industrial Education Center, which had been operating since 1962 as an extension of Gaston Technical Institute, became the vocational and technical division of Isothermal Community College. The College thus began operation with 66 students, some of whom received the first diplomas issued by Isothermal in exercises that August. August 1965 also marked the culmination of a fundraising drive by Rutherford and Polk citizens and businesses for the purchase of land for the Rutherford campus.
Until the new campus was ready, the vocational-technical, college transfer (begun in Sept. 1966) and adult education divisions were scattered in a number of temporary locations in Avondale, Spindale and Caroleen. College transfer and vocational-technical education each had about 100 students. The adult education program was boosted by the creation of the High School Diploma program in May 1967. That same year, Isothermal's Polk County program began with continuing education courses in Tryon. The first three buildings on the Rutherford campus (Administration, Library and Continuing Education) opened on April 8, 1968, and the College's first full-fledged graduation exercises were held on Aug. 30. The lake and initial landscaping of the campus were completed by April 27, 1969, when the College's charter was presented. By that time, 554 full-time students were enrolled. On Jan. 11, 1970, the College was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Expansion continued with the opening of a new Occupational Education Building in 1972. A satellite program for Polk County was approved in September 1974, and in November 1974 Rutherford County voters passed a $1.8 million bond issue for additional construction on the Rutherford campus. This enabled construction of a new vocational building with electronics facilities which opened in September 1978, and the student center/ physical education building which opened in the spring of 1979. Both buildings were dedicated on October 21, 1979. President Eason retired effective June 30, 1978, and the Board of Trustees selected Dr. Ben E. Fountain, Jr. as his successor. Dr. Dillard L. Morrow served as acting president until Dr. Fountain could assume his duties in September.
With help from local business and industry, the Individualized Instruction Center opened in the fall of 1979, and the marble marker at the entrance to the campus was completed in November 1979. Generous support was also evident in the creation of the Robert W. Eaves Outstanding Teacher Award, established in 1982 by the widow of the noted Rutherford County educator. The Polk County Campus also progressed, with the initiation of an independent study program and college transfer courses in 1976, and attainment of classroom space in the old Jervey-Palmer Building in Tryon. A permanent site for the campus became available in October 1982 when the Polk County Commissioners granted the college 10 1/2 acres near St. Luke's Hospital. This new site was dedicated on July 25, 1983. Construction of the new facility was completed in the fall of 1989.
Dr. Willard L. Lewis, III was appointed President on June 9, 1986 following the retirement of Dr. Fountain (1985) and the interim service of Dr. G. Herman Porter. Under the leadership of Dr. Lewis, further expansion of the Rutherford campus included the completion of the High Tech Center (1988) which housed drafting, broadcasting, advertising/graphic design and electronics engineering. A second major building program resulted in The Foundation Performing Arts and Conference Center. This 61,216 square-foot facility opened in November of 1999 with a performance by the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra.
Beginning in the 1990's and continuing to date, in conjunction with a reexamination of mission and philosophy, the college has pursued a transformation in culture from the teaching paradigm to the learning paradigm. In seeking ways to improve learning, the college dedicates resources in support of cooperative learning in the classroom as part of an ongoing commitment to the development of a learning centered environment.
Policy Number: 102-01-00
Adopted: April 1965
Amended: May 1984; November 1986; November 1989; July 1993; February 10, 2004; August 2005; February 16, 2010; November 1, 2014


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A Cup of DiversityDonate Now
Issue 250
Sep/Oct 2008
Indigenous Intelligence: Diverse Solutions for the 21st Century
A Cup of Diversity
by Selena Ahmed
Cover: Surma man - Ethiopia Photograph: Angela Fisher & Carol Beckwith/Africanceremonies.com
Learning from the farmers of forest tea-gardens.
Harvesting in a forest tea-garden PHOTOGRAPH: SELENA AHMED
THE ROUTE TO Li Fa Rong's teagardens in the tropical montane forests of Yunnan begins with several long bus rides, including a seventeen hour ride in a sleeper car, and a full day trek along paths that have become inundated because of the rainy season. These forests in Southwest China are the epicenter of diversity for the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), and the home of Li Fa Rong, whom I call Lao Da or 'big boss', the chief of an Akha village.
On this journey, I bring Lao Da some tea from a famous tea mountain. He inquisitively observes the tealeaves. He has never been to this mountain and does not know where I brought the tealeaves from, yet he can describe with great certainty the conditions in which the tea was grown. "It is from old tall tea trees growing on red soil with other trees that provide shade and block the wind, including some fruit trees. Some of the tealeaves are from a tea plant variety whose flowers bloom late. This tea is very sweet. There must be a stream nearby. It tastes good," amazingly, his description is remarkably accurate.
Lao Da has developed his sharp perception and knowledge of tea through his daily management of teagardens and from a knowledge base that has been transmitted through generations of people. Like Lao Daand other Akha, several cultural groups in Yunnan have a long history of managing tea in traditional forest gardens. While wandering through these spaces it is sometimes difficult to decipher the managed teagarden from the forests that surround them. But ancient tea plants flourish in these tea agro-forestry systems. In these gardens, tea-producing trees are dripping with stunning orchids and covered in moss. Deep in the shady forests, the tea trees may grow up to fifteen metres tall. Lao Da especially values the tea plants where orchids grow, as he believes these epiphytes delicately aromatise tea.
I have been privileged to drink tea from Lao Da's garden on many occasions during my research on the biocultural diversity of tea production systems. These experiences and investigations have provided insight on how human interactions with tea systems have altered processes in diverse ways, including enhancement and conservation on the one hand and loss of biological diversity on the other. Originating from forests in and around southwestern China, tea is the most consumed beverage globally after water. Today the use of tea is integrated with diverse ritualistic, social and health practices of numerous cultures. However, as a consequence of tea's popularity, the intensification of its production in tea-growing countries has resulted in negative impacts to ecosystems. To satisfy global demand, most of the tea consumed around the world grows in monoculture plantations designed for high-productivity and uniformity of product. Typically, clones of selected tea plants are cultivated in compact rows and pruned to tabletop shrubs for ease of harvesting. In many instances, these systems require significant chemical input and were created by clear-cutting natural forests that sustain biodiversity.
THE DESIRE FOR efficiency has distanced us from the sources of so many foods we consume, and tea is no different. We need to reflect on the tealeaves in our cups and how they are grown. One promising solution to the ecosystem threats posed by intensive monoculture lies in the traditional tea management practices of farmers in Yunnan in Southwestern China.
In the tea production systems and villages of Yunnan, there is a significant overlap found between biological and cultural diversity. Communities that have greater knowledge of tea resources and related diverse practices also have teagardens that support greater ecological and genetic diversity. Some of Yunnan's forest teagardens are particularly notable for the creation of biodiversity at the genetic level. Farmers such as Lao Da recognise individual tea plants and classify them along multiple dimensions. They enhance the genetic composition of tea in their gardens through intimate management and selection practices, introducing seedlings with desired properties from wild tea populations and other areas. This variation has served to buffer stress factors without the need for chemical inputs.
Unfortunately, forest teagardens are not isolated from the forces undermining traditional forms of resource management. There continues to be a need to build local capacity through collaborative efforts with tea-growing communities in order to promote traditional tea management. One such initiative in Lao Da's village is the development of an illustrated manual and video on 'best-practices' of tea growing that foster biodiversity and reinforce traditional management practices. These materials will be distributed to tea-growing communities through outreach workshops and to regional land management organisations.
There is a lot to learn from farmers of traditional forest teagardens. Lao Da tells me, "The perfect cup of tea comes from the dance between tealeaves sourced from different tea plants that each have distinct characteristics." This is a cup steeped in diversity.


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Welcome to the Bolivian Quaker Education Fund's Web site.
Bolivia, the poorest nation in South America, has the highest proportion of indigenous people. These people were oppressed in Bolivia for centuries, and still have only a fraction of the economic means and political power of those of European extraction.
Bolivian Quakers
Bolivia's 30,000 indigenous Friends constitute the third largest Quaker population in the world. Isolated and impoverished, they are eager for fellowship with Friends in the UK and USA, as well as for support.
Bolivian Quaker Education
Schooling for indigenous Bolivians was systematically supressed until 1952, so even Quaker schools were clandestine at first.
Today the challenge has changed. Public schools have improved so rapidly that the Quaker schools founded by Bolivian Friends must scramble so that their unique values are not lost for lack of updated equipment, facilities, and services. Education is a high priority for Bolivian Quakers and many young Quakers who lack resources have both the desire and the qualification for higher education.
Bolivian Quaker Education Fund
These facts define the current challenge. The Bolivian Quaker Education Fund and its programs, both developed with Bolivian Quakers, respond to these AmerIndian aspirations.
We invite you to review the origins of our work in Bolivia, to learn about BQEF and its mission, to look at what BQEF programs are doing in Bolivia, and to help ensure the future of the services and programs we provide in the Bolivian Friends community.


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Beginning Soft Circuits
"Beginning Soft Circuits" gives you the complete step-by-step instructions for 19 different projects to light up your clothes. Learn to make your own sparkling tutu, a turn signal bike jacket, light up leggings and more! All projects come from Instructables.com, are written by our creative community, and contain pictures for each step so you can easily make these yourself.
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Researchers in High Energy Physics (HEP) live for that moment when they can observe results, interpret data, and raise new questions. When it arrives, after a lifetime of planning, funding, and building an experiment, they set aside emotional attachment and let the data speak.
Since 1991, virtually all HEP research papers have been freely available through an online database. This repository, now known as arXiv, inspired the Green model of the Open Access movement: Scholars submit author-formatted versions of their refereed papers to open-access repositories. With this simple action, they create an open-access alternative to the formal scholarly-communication system, which mostly consists of pay-walled journals. The HEP scholarly-communication market gives us an opportunity to observe the impact of 100% Green Open Access. Following the scientists' example, let us take a moment, observe this twenty-year-long large-scale experiment, and let the data speak.
When publishers digitized scholarly journals in the 1990s, they added site licenses as an add-on option to paper-journal subscriptions. Within a few years, paper-journal subscriptions all but disappeared. At first, publishers continued the super-inflationary price trajectory of subscriptions. Then, they steepened the price curve with assorted technology fees and access charges for digitized back-files of old issues. The growing journal-pricing crisis motivated many university administrators to support the Open Access movement. While the latter is about access, not about the cost of publishing, it is impossible to separate the two issues.
In 1997, the International School of Advanced Studies (SISSA) launched the Journal of High Energy Physics (JHEP) as an open-access journal. JHEP was an initial step towards a larger goal, now referred to as Gold Open Access: replacing the current scholarly-communication system with a barrier-free system of journals without pay walls. The JHEP team implemented a highly efficient system to process submitted papers, thereby reducing the journal's operating costs to the bare minimum. The remaining expenses were covered by a handful of research organizations, which agreed to a cost-sharing formula for the benefit of their community. This institutional-funding model proved unsustainable, and JHEP converted to a site-licensed journal in 2003. This step back seems strange now, because JHEP could have copied the funding model of BioMed Central, which had launched in 2000 and funded open access by charging authors a per-article processing fee. Presumably, JHEP's leadership considered this author-pay model too experimental and too risky after their initial attempt at open access. In spite of its difficult start, JHEP was an academic success and subsequently prospered financially as a site-licensed journal produced by Springer under the auspices of SISSA.
Green Open Access delivers the immediate benefit of access. Proponents argue it will also, over time, fundamentally change the scholarly-communication market. The twenty-year HEP record lends support to the belief that Green Open Access has a moderating influence: HEP journals are priced at more reasonable levels than other disciplines. However, the HEP record thus far does not support the notion that Green Open Access creates significant change:
- Only one event occurred that could have been considered disruptive: JHEP capturing almost 20% of the HEP market as an open-access journal. Instead, this event turned into a case of reverse disruption!
- There was no change in the business model. All leading HEP publishers of 2012 still use pre-1991 business channels. They still sell to the same clients (acquisition departments of academic libraries) through the same intermediaries (journal aggregators). They sell a different product (site licenses instead of subscriptions), and the transactions differ, but the business model survives unchanged.
- No journals with significant HEP market share disappeared. Even with arXiv as an open-access alternative, canceling an established HEP journal is politically toxic at any university with a significant HEP department. This creates a scholarly-communication market that is highly resistant to change.
- Journal prices continued on a trajectory virtually unaffected by turbulent economic times.
In an attempt to re-engineer the market, influential HEP organizations launched the Sponsoring Consortium for Open Access Publishing in Particle Physics (SCOAP³). It is negotiating with publishers the conversion of established HEP journals to Gold Open Access. To pay for this, hundreds of research institutions world-wide must pool the funds they are currently spending on HEP site licenses. Negotiated article processing charges will, in aggregate, preserve the revenue stream from academia to publishers.
If SCOAP³ proves sustainable, it will become the de-facto sponsor and manager of all HEP publishing world-wide. It will create a barrier-free open-access system of refereed articles produced by professional publishers. This is an improvement over arXiv, which contains mostly author-formatted material.
Many have praised the initiative. Others have denounced it. Those who observe with scientific detachment merely note that, after twenty years of 100% Green Open Access, the HEP establishment really wants Gold Open Access.
The HEP open-access experiment continues.


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Stop by Bounce Sporting Club on any given Sunday and you'll likely find a bunch of guys hanging out, eating duck confit sliders and ordering Grey Goose by the bottle. Look closer, past the DJ booth and the girls in heels, and you'll see this is no night at the Roxbury — it's football day, and the fans are there to watch. This is Sports Bar 2.0, a place where colorful cocktails and 10-spice, twice-fried Korean chicken have replaced cheap beer and 10-cent wings.
"You can't survive just off sports," says managing partner Yosi Benvenisti, 32, of the Chelsea spot, which opened in September. "You need a dining experience, and a nicer environment."
Enter bathroom attendants, bottle service and a slew of popular DJs — Q-Tip, DJ4AM, DJ Calcutta — who attract the 20- and 30-something club crowd. They're at Bounce on Fridays to dance on the tables and brown leather banquettes, and they're there for Sunday football to, uh, dance on tables and banquettes.
For young professionals who no longer fit in at Down the Hatch, the new hybrid sports bar provides a posher place to perch — as well as an occasional celebrity sighting.
"You won't find the football fans who paint their faces here," says Sharon Estelle, 38, who was recently sipping Belvedere martinis at SNAP in the West Village with her pal Elena Russo, 35. They were admiring athletes on the 72-inch TV while their husbands were at the bar, rooting for the Ravens.
The entrance to SNAP is marked by baseball bat door handles. Inside, banquettes are covered in football leather (with stitching!), a 1960s Soldier Field crowd looks down from the ceiling and $14 cocktails are named for defunct NY teams.
"Apartments are small. Football Sundays force people to go out, which doesn't have to mean a beer-drenched frat environment," says SNAP co-owner Jordan Harris, 30, who opened the lounge in 2010 with his Cornell roommate Justin McManus, the 29-year-old great-grandson of Peter, whose eponymous bar has served Chelsea since 1936.
Other luxe sports spots seem inspired by daytime brunch parties, where triple-digit bottles are topped with sparklers and served with great fanfare. At the wildly popular Ainsworth in Chelsea, you won't find cheap draft specials and beer pong, but you will find table minimums — $500 for 10 people, $250 for six.
The Ainsworth, which opened in 2009, has proven so popular, owner Matthew Shendell, 37, has replicated the formula in the Financial District with the opening of the Fulton last month. Its swanky setting boasts 34 TVs, which disappear behind mirrors when there's no game on.
"Daytime stuff has become big," says Shendell.
And there's no more widely acceptable, time-honored excuse for daytime partying than sports.
On Sundays at the Ainsworth, it's a nonstop halftime show under the chandeliers — when game sound is replaced by a thumping DJ.
An absence of game sound is a hallmark of the new breed of sports bar — and a boon to many patrons, about half of whom are women (with or without dates).
That's part of the appeal for Kirsten Bohme, 27, a marketing coordinator for Diane von Furstenberg who recently sipped on a Red Bull and vodka at the Fulton. Though she doesn't exactly dislike football, she admits she's more into "the good vibe and the great music."
Over at Pour George, which opened in July in Greenwich Village, you will find game sound — but you won't find a boisterous, testosterone-fueled crowd.
"Sometimes sports bars are so noisy and full of boys," observes Andrea Schloeder, 41, who was recently enjoying a glass of shiraz and a roasted beet salad with pistachio purée and goat cheese.
"There's great atmosphere here," adds the regular at the comfortable room complete, which features eight TVs and a fireplace. "It's all about the sport — but there's also good food and drink."
Gourmet nibbles and fine wines are certainly part of the draw. At SNAP, you'll find adult offerings such as chicken liver pâté crostini with cognac honey.
"We thought of doing a wings place, but there was no good, classy sports bar option in a pretty wealthy neighborhood where people come to spend money," says SNAP's Harris.
Asked why she and her husband decided to skip the local bar for NFL Sunday brunch at Pour George, Anna Bounds, 39, puts it this way: "It's different from a traditional sports bar — you know, dark, dirty, all guys. That matters to me."
Bounce Sporting Club
55 W. 21st St.; 212-675-8007
Looking to score? Sip the Trophy Wife (Belvedere Pink Grapefruit, Domaine de Canton, lemon, Champagne; $14), then have your sugar daddy spring for truffle mac and cheese ($21).
Pour George
35 W. Eighth St.; 212-253-2999
Skip the Jaeger. Today's hungry man opts for a Smokey Scotsman (10-year Macallan, lemon, fresh sage; $13) and an $11 endive-frisee salad topped with poached duck egg and crispy prosciutto.
SNAP Sports Bar
248 W. 14th St.; 646-350-0539
Enjoy a $28 flight of Johnny Walker (1 ounce each of Red, Black and Blue labels) paired with a truffle-and-shiitake-mushroom grilled cheese ($12).
The Ainsworth
122 W. 26th St.; 212-741-0645
Toast game day by securing a table with a bottle of D.P. ($425) and some tuna tartare tacos ($16), dahling.
The Fulton
121 Fulton St.; 646-545-6647
Refuel during halftime with $17 lobster sliders and the Battery cocktail (pear vodka, St. Germaine, lychee and passion fruit puree; $15).


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SA Orthopaedic Journal
On-line version ISSN 2309-8309
Print version ISSN 1681-150X
SA orthop. j. vol.11 n.4 Centurion Jan. 2012
An unusual case of a transabdominal, transdiscal stab wound to the spine
M HeldI; M LaubscherII; P NavsariaIII; RN DunnIV
IDrMed Registrar: Department of Orthopaedics
IIMBChB Registrar: Department of Orthopaedics N Kruger MBChB, FCOrtho(SA) Consultant, Spine Unit, Department of Orthopaedics
IIIMBChB, FCS(SA), MMed Deputy Head: Trauma Centre, Groote Schuur Hospital Associate Professor: Department of Surgery
IVMBChB(UCT), MMed(UCT)Ortho, FCS(SA)Orth Consultant Spine and Orthopaedic Surgeon Professor and Head: Department of Orthopaedics Head: Orthopaedic Spinal Services, Groote Schuur Hospital Spine Deformity Service, Red Cross Children's Hospital University of Cape Town
BACKGROUND: Anterior stab wounds to the spine are extremely rare. Depending on the weapon, trajectory and anatomical level, patients are likely to present with associated damage to large vessels, the lungs, heart, and the gastrointestinal, as well as genitourinary system.
METHODS: In this case report, we describe the management of a 21-year-old male patient who presented with an injury to the cauda equina after an abdominal stab with a glass bottle. The patient escaped a thorough secondary survey and neurological examination due to massive intra-abdominal injuries, which required initial damage control surgery. Weak left-sided dorsiflexion of the ankle with paraesthesia in the left L4 and L5 nerve root distribution was initially overlooked.
RESULTS: During a follow-up appointment, one month after discharge, chronic pain and cauda equina symptoms were noted. Further imaging revealed a large glass fragment, which had been driven, transabdominally, through the L4/L5 disc into the spinal canal. The fragment was removed through a posterior approach, which alleviated the chronic pain, although the neurological deficit remained unchanged.
CONCLUSION: Neurological damage through anterior stab wounds to the spine has not yet been described. The best approach to these patients is a staged management initially directed at treating life-threatening injuries in the form of damage control surgery. Once stable, a thorough neurological reassessment must follow to rule out spinal cord injuries
Key words: anterior stab to the spine, cauda equina injury, foreign body spine
Penetrating spinal cord injuries are most often caused by gunshots or stab wounds. In stabs, in almost all cases the direction of injury is from posterior. Anterior thoracic or abdominal stab wounds leading to spinal cord injury have not been reported to our knowledge. We present a rare case where an abdominal stab with a glass bottle resulted in a transabdominal, transdiscal cauda equina injury.
Patient case presentation
A 21-year-old male patient received a single stab in the abdomen with a broken glass beer bottle and arrived at our trauma unit with eviscerated bowel, unrecordable blood pressure, a Glasgow Coma Scale of 5/15 (eyes 1, verbal 1-intubated, motor 3), Injury Severity Score of 34, lactate of 7.5 mg/dl, and pH of 7.06. After intubation and fluid resuscitation he was taken for an emergency exploratory laparotomy by a dedicated trauma team (surgeon: PN).
During laparotomy, a haemoperitoneum (1.5 litres) and gross intra-abdominal contamination of stool were found. Lacerations to the left common iliac vein and artery were treated with a ligation of the vein and repair of the artery as part of the initial damage control surgery. The ileum and sigmoid had multilevel lacerations and were tied off. The abdomen was left open with four abdominal swabs in situ. During the procedure, the patient required a massive blood transfusion with an estimated blood loss of 17.5 litres. After the laparotomy he was admitted to a surgical intensive care unit on high doses of inotropes.
The patient improved haemodynamically and underwent a relook laparotomy 30 h after the initial surgery. The hollow viscus injuries were repaired, abdominal swabs were removed, and the abdomen was closed. The patient was transferred to a low care ward three days later and discharged home seven days later. His complaints of continuing pain and a mild limp were documented but were ascribed to the abdominal surgery, and an injury to the spine was overlooked. No imaging of the abdomen or spine had been performed up to this stage.
One month later the patient was referred to the orthopaedic team (NK) with severe sciatica in his left leg, which had been present since his discharge. A straight leg raise test was positive at 30° on the left and a cross straight leg raise test was present on the right. Weak dorsiflexion of the left ankle of 4/5 (Medical Research Council Scale for muscle strength) and pain with paraesthesia of his anterior and lateral lower leg was noted. These findings were confirmed by a dedicated spinal surgeon and documented according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) scoring. Subsequent X-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT) investigations revealed a foreign body in the spinal canal at the level of L4/L5 (Figures 1 and 2).
The foreign body was removed six weeks after the injury through a posterior approach. The posterior elements were all intact. A L4 and L5 laminectomy was performed and a glass fragment (1 x 1.5 cm) was removed after posterior durotomy. The L4/L5 disc annulus showed evidence of recent injury with fibrous scarring. The overlying dura was adherent to the annular scar tissue and had been lacerated.
The cauda equina was inflamed and the nerve roots were draped over the glass foreign body. Some intrathecal nerve rootlets had been divided by the glass. The wound was washed and the dural sac was closed with running sutures. No signs of sepsis were noted and no bacterial growth was found on intra-operative wound swabs.
After an uneventful post-operative course, the patient was discharged with resolution of his sciatic pain. The motor deficit remained unchanged. He was followed up one month post-operatively without any signs of complications regarding the surgery, such as wound sepsis or progression of his neurological deficit. His lumbar X-rays did not show any features of discitis and the blood tests showed a normal white cell count and ESR. Consent was obtained from the patient to report and publish this case.
The three mechanisms causing spinal cord or nerve injury through a stab are most likely (1) direct cord damage caused by the weapon or bone fragments resulting in a durotomy and transection; (2) damage to the vascular supply of the spinal cord with resulting oedema; and (3) spinal cord contusion when the spinal cord is wedged between the weapon and the spinal canal.1 Intra-operatively, we found an anterior dural tear, which had sealed off at the time of surgery, six weeks after the injury. The cauda equina was inflamed and an injury to the nerve rootlets within the cauda equina was noted. In spite of bowel contamination there was no evidence of intra-operative sepsis and the swabs were negative on culture.
Most stab wounds are found in the thoracic region (63%), followed by cervical and lumbar stab wounds. Knives are used as weapons in 84%, followed by screwdrivers, axes, bicycle spokes and scissors. Most penetrating wounds to the spine are caused by posterior stabs in an upward direction sliding along posterior structures before entering the spinal cord causing partial transection of the cord.1 Rubin reported a case where a stab wound took a lateral, almost horizontal, route between C1 and C2, which allowed the blade's entrance into the spinal canal and caused complete transection.2 Similar to this uncommon direction of assault, the stab wound of our patient had avoided the natural protection from the posterior structures. It was directed from anterior and travelled through the left iliac fossa, breached the left common iliac artery and vein, and a glass fragment was driven through the L4/L5 intervertebral disc into the spinal canal.
Associated injuries increase the severity of the trauma for patients with stab wounds to the spine. Cervical spine injuries tend to have a high incidence of vascular complications, while thoracic stab wounds often have additional pulmonary and cardiac injuries. Lumbar knife injuries may be associated with damage to abdominal viscera, major vascular structures and the genitourinary system.3
A thorough clinical examination is the single most important factor in diagnosing spinal cord injuries. In the severely unstable patient an initial neurological examination is often difficult to perform and a careful reassessment, once stabilised, is essential to minimise the risk of missing an injury.3 Our patient escaped a thorough secondary survey due to cardiovascular collapse on presentation and massive intra-abdominal injuries which required emergency surgery. Neurological deficits were missed, even after transfer to the low care ward and prior to discharge. Slow mobilisation and complaints of back pain were ascribed to the severe abdominal injury and multiple laparotomies. Up to this point, X-rays or CT scans of the abdomen or the spine were not available to rule out an injury to the spine.
Imaging of stab wounds to the spinal cord remains controversial, yet has its place in patients undergoing spinal surgery.4 In all penetrating spinal injuries a routine radiological examination of the involved area should be obtained. Specific attention should be directed towards detecting fractures and retained fragments. Foreign bodies can be seen as radio-opaque (i.e. metal, gravel, glass) or radiolucent (i.e. plastic, wood).5
Our protocol is to perform a CT scan on all patients with penetrating spinal column trauma in which routine radiographic evaluations were not adequate to define fracture patterns, localise retained fragments, or to understand the direction of the tract. MRI studies are rarely necessary and are reserved for patients with deteriorating or unexplained neurological symptoms.4
Surgical management
Early spinal surgery is focused on cord decompression and avoiding secondary injury by stabilising the spine. This should be performed once blood loss and contamination are under control.3 The indications for surgical treatment with spinal stab wounds are rare. They include: (1) infection; (2) retained fragments; (3) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) fistula; (4) pseudomeningocoele; (5) instability; (6) chronic pain; and (7) toxicity of foreign bodies.6-8 In our patient, we felt that persistent chronic pain and neurological symptoms in association with the retained fragment supported the indication of spinal surgery and the removal of the foreign body.
Spinal cord injuries through abdominal stab wounds are rare. The intervertebral disc space in this case was an unusual portal of entry to the spinal canal. Due to the anatomy in this region our patient presented with associated injuries to the gastrointestinal tract and large vessels in the pelvis. While focusing on these life-threatening injuries the full extent of the damage in the form of a cauda equina injury by a glass fragment was missed. This demonstrates the importance of a thorough clinical examination and secondary survey in all trauma patients.
The content of this article is the sole work of the authors. No benefits of any form have been or are to be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of the article.
1. Peacock WJ, Shrosbree RD, Key AG. A review of 450 stab wounds of the spinal cord. S Afr Med J. 1977;51(26):961-64. [ Links ]
2. Rubin G, Tallman D, Sagan L, et al. An unusual stab wound of the cervical spinal cord: a case report. Spine. 2001;26(4):444-47. [ Links ]
3. Kossmann T, Trease L, Freedman I, et al. Damage control surgery for spine trauma. Injury. 2004;35(7):661-70. [ Links ]
4. Jacobsohn M, Semple P, Dunn R, et al. Stab injuries to the spinal cord: A retrospective study on clinical findings and magnetic resonance imaging changes. Neurosurgery. 2007;61(6):1262. [ Links ]
5. Horton LK, Jacobson JA, Powell A, et al. Sonography and radiography of soft-tissue foreign bodies. Am J Roentgenol. 2001;176(5):1155-59. [ Links ]
6. Heary RF, Vaccaro AR, Mesa JJ, et al. Thoracolumbar infections in penetrating injuries to the spine. Orthop Clin North Am. 1996;27(1):69-81. [ Links ]
7. Potter BK, Groth AT, Kuklo TR. Penetrating thoracolumbar spine injuries. Curr Opin Orthop. 2005;16:163-68. [ Links ]
8. Steinmetz MP, Kirshnaney AA, McCormick W, et al. Penetrating spinal injuries. Neurosurg Q. 2004;14:217-23. [ Links ]
Reprint requests:
Dr M Held
Orthopaedic Department
H49 Old Main Building,
Groote Schuur Hospital
Observatory 7925
South Africa
Tel: 0027214066157
Fax: 0027 21472709