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|Caroline Kennedy, the new U.S. ambassador to Japan and daughter of slain President John F. Kennedy, leaves for Japan on Thursday to begin her work to strengthen the critical bond between the U.S. and the Asian nation.
"We just had a tea ceremony which was a wonderful introduction to the Japanese culture," Kennedy said Tuesday night at a reception at the Japanese ambassador's residence.
"My husband and I and my children are so excited to be going to Japan," she said in brief remarks to reporters. "We look forward to meeting as many people as we can, to making new friends, visiting and studying the history and culture of this beautiful country that is such a strong partner to the United States in so many important efforts."
Kennedy, who was confirmed by the Senate last month, was nominated for the ambassador's job by President Barack Obama after playing a role in his re-election campaign. Secretary of State John Kerry hosted a swearing-in ceremony for Kennedy on Tuesday afternoon at the State Department.
At the reception later, Kerry noted that Kennedy's father battled Japanese forces as a Navy officer in World War II.
"The daughter of a heroic lieutenant in World War II will be the first woman, in the next generation after the war, to represent our country in a relationship that symbolizes so much more than just a normal diplomatic relationship," Kerry said. "This is a symbol of reconciliation, symbol of possibilities, a symbol of people who know how to move past ... look to the future and build a future together."
He said he reminded Kennedy earlier in the day that the first time he met her was when she was a child in the 1960s, getting ready to ride her pony named Macaroni, and he backed into her and stepped on her foot. He said she broke into tears.
"So I am really excited, as the president is, that Caroline is going to be heading over there to represent this relationship at a critical time -- with the rebalance to Asia, global marketplace and competition therein, the efforts to deal with North Korea ... challenges of the South China Sea, challenges of climate change."
Kennedy, 55, an attorney and best-selling book editor, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a September confirmation hearing that she would work to strengthen the crucial bond between the United States and its Asian ally on trade, the military and student exchanges.
Japan is the United States' fourth-largest trading partner and home to the Navy's 7th Fleet and 50,000 American troops.
Her predecessors include the late Sen. Mike Mansfield, former Sens. Walter Mondale and Howard Baker and the late House Speaker Tom Foley. She replaced John Roos, a wealthy former Silicon Valley lawyer and top Obama campaign fundraiser.
Kennedy's confirmation to the post brought a third generation of her family into the U.S. diplomatic corps. Her grandfather Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. was President Franklin D. Roosevelt's ambassador to Britain and her aunt Jean Kennedy Smith was ambassador to Ireland under President Bill Clinton.
Kennedy was five days shy of her sixth birthday when her father was assassinated, and she lived most of the rest of her life in New York City. She earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard University, got a law degree from Columbia University, married exhibit designer Edwin Schlossberg and had three children.
She is president of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and chairs the senior advisory committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard. She has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, helped raise millions of dollars for New York schools and edited numerous bestselling books on history, law and poetry.
|1713 reads | 14.11.2013


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Food Concepts commenced operations in 2001. From inception, our aim has been clear-cut and focused: to revolutionize the food sector in West Africa and to deliver extraordinary satisfaction to our stakeholders.
Since launching in 2004, Chicken Republic (Subsidiary of Food concepts) has already opened 55 stores in Nigeria and Ghana. On this basis, we are proud of the brand's hard-earned reputation as the fastest growing chicken QSR in West Africa and the number 1 chicken QSR in Nigeria (both in revenues and number of outlets). In addition, Chicken Republic was ranked as one of Nigeria's top 20 brands across all categories (Financial Standards Awards 2009).
Job Description
- Maintain overall quality and service standards.
- Follow up on management team shift control issues
- Develop Operations Excellence Audit action plan.
- Ensure that Health & Safety and Food safety working practices are adhered to at all times
- Financial planning
- Develop budget plans and tactics to achieve target.
- Keep regular contact with customers to obtain feedback on service, food quality and staff friendliness using customer comment cards.
- Respond to written customer complaints on a weekly basis.
- Conduct management meetings.
- Communicate and implement national and local promotions.
- Manage the implementation of local sales building programmes
- 1-2 years experience in the hospitality industry.
- Should possess B.Sc/HND in any related field
- Minimum of 2nd class lower division (B.Sc.) or Lower credit (HND)
- Strong leadership, motivational and management skills.
Additional Information
Learn Web Design, Forex, Graphics Design, Digital Marketing for FREE here
For More Information: Visit the Official Webpage of the Food Concepts Management Graduate Trainee Program 2019

subset: commoncrawl


text: Hi guys, I told you I am hosting a large site with a picture gallery. many ppl try to register and some mistype their email addresses and some give false addresses... some are overquoate, etc.. now I got the following mail from yahoo: here are its header: I know I already have a thread asking about a similar problem but look, here is no reply-to header, I registered for a test and it send me the confirmation with a reply-to header. could somebody test it: here: http://www.hai-hui.net/galery/register.php can anyone explain please?


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An expanded and updated version of the popular dungeon crawl RPG. New classes, items, monsters, quests.. as well as an improved interface. Also, a shop! Controlled with the mouse. Click on rooms to move.You can see a tutorial on how to set up custom portraits here: http://biclopsgames.com/portraits.php
(Visited 19 times, 1 visits today)


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Is Google a good choice for communication? With the exception of email, Google is not considered a leader in person-to-person communication apps and services. Skype, owned by Microsoft, tops the video calling space. Facebook dominates social media. Slack leads business chat-room messaging. WhatsApp rules mobile messaging. And besides the big platforms from the big companies, hundreds of startups have created appealing and innovative communications apps and services.
Google lags for a variety of reasons. Among these are confusion and uncertainty -- confusion about which app to use, uncertainty about whether Google will terminate any given product.
Google offers 11 communications apps and services. Alphabetically, these are: Allo, Chat, Gmail, Google+, Groups, Hangouts, Inbox, Messenger, Duo, Project Fi and Voice. If you look at the various communication actions you might want to take -- voice calls, video calls, email, text messaging and social posting -- Google has at least two offerings for each.
The company is unrepentant about its bewildering lineup. A Google spokesperson told me: "We've designed specific products for distinct use cases, so we don't intend to have one app that does everything for everyone. We think we can better serve our users by creating products that function really well, and users can choose the product that best suits their needs." In other words, choice serves users better than clarity does.
At the same time, the company has a longstanding habit of ditching old products and services that have seen limited success, including Google Wave, Google Reader, Picasa and many more. According to my informal survey of nearly 3,000 Google+ users, a majority (55% as of this writing) said they hesitate to use some Google products because they're afraid Google might kill them off.
In fact, this article originally covered 12 Google messaging apps and services, one of which was a unique social posting service called Spaces. But after offering the service for less than a year, Google announced that it was pulling the plug. Starting March 3, Spaces will be read only, and it will be removed entirely on April 17.
Still, the tech giant appears unconcerned about its reputation for killing off products and the uncertainty that reputation engenders. The Google representative told me that delivering the "best experience" involves occasionally dropping products for the sake of focus.
All that said, Google's communication products do have three Googly strengths:
1. Best-in-class artificial intelligence,
2. Best-in-class search,
3. Integration with other Google services.
If you're one of the many users who want to take advantage of these powerful attributes, how do you approach the problem of choosing? If you want to embrace a text messaging app, should it be Allo, Hangouts, Messenger, Voice or Chat? If you're looking for an email service, do you choose Inbox or Gmail? And if you want to interact in a social networking context, should you use Google+ or Groups?
Here's everything you need to know to understand, choose from, and make the best use of Google's many communications apps and services, broken down by function.
Voice calls
Google offers three ways to make phone calls via the internet (otherwise known as Voice-over-IP, or VoIP): Voice, Hangouts and Project Fi. All three enable calls to any phone number, and Google offers competitive international rates.
Google Voice, which at eight years old is Google's oldest VoIP product, is available on the web and via iOS and Android apps.
Voice includes a free phone number for U.S. users. In settings, you can instruct Voice to ring your home, work or cell phone -- or all three -- whenever someone calls your Voice number.
Voice takes voicemails, which are not only available as audio files, but also transcribed and emailed to you. You can also block phone numbers, and when you block them, those callers hear a fake message saying the number is no longer in service.
After five years with no major updates to its Voice apps, Google appeared to be slowly pushing Google Voice users toward Hangouts or encouraging them to sign up for the Fi service. For example, Voice users can choose in settings to receive SMS texts and voicemails in Hangouts instead of Voice. When a Voice user calls via Hangouts, the person called sees the Google Voice phone number in caller ID. And only people who use both Voice and Hangouts can receive calls on Hangouts from a landline or mobile phone originating outside the Hangouts system. Using both Voice and Hangouts improves the functionality of Hangouts.
However, in January Google began rolling out an updated version of Voice with a more modern interface and new features, including group and multimedia texting. Seems there's life in the old app yet.
Project Fi is best known as Google's mobile virtual network operator (MVNO), which means that Google acts as a mobile carrier but in fact resells the mobile services of actual carriers. Fi is currently available only to U.S. users who own one of four smartphone models (because special antennas are required): Nexus 6, Nexus 5X, Nexus 6P and Pixel.
Fi's best technical trick is to automatically switch between Wi-Fi calls or any of three U.S. carriers to provide the best connection. Fi also offers low data rates at home and abroad, plus a very straightforward billing plan that can be "paused" for up to three months at a time when you're not using it.
Less well-known is the fact that when Voice users sign up to use Fi, their Voice phone number becomes the number for the phone, and their Voice account is essentially terminated and replaced by the Fi account.
Google's third voice-calling product is Google Hangouts, the closest thing Google has to an all-in-one communications platform. VoIP calling is merely one of its features; it also supports video calls, instant messages and SMS texts.
With Google's launch of Allo for instant messaging and Duo for video calling last summer, however, the company announced that it would refocus Hangouts as an enterprise tool. The company recently closed its Hangouts API for the refocus. Some business apps for Hangouts will remain, but the consumer apps are being terminated. Google is working to integrate Hangouts into the suite of business products formerly known as Google Apps, which the company recently rebranded "G Suite."
Consumers will be nudged away from Hangouts toward Allo and Duo. The trouble is, these apps don't support phone calls. (Google wouldn't comment on the possibility of future Duo voice calling.)
So, which Google app for internet phone calls?
My advice: I recommend that every U.S. user take advantage of Google Voice. It's free and powerful. Whether you ultimately end up using another Google offering as your VoIP service, get Voice now and get the free phone number.
I also recommend Project Fi for anyone who owns one of the four supporting Android phones -- or for anyone who travels abroad frequently.
If you now use or plan to use G Suite in the future, Hangouts is a great choice.
If you're not going to use Google's business suite but currently use Hangouts, keep using Hangouts for voice calls. (If Google eventually adds voice calling to Duo, you might want to switch at that point.)
Video calls
Google gives you two ways to make video calls: Duo and Hangouts.
The Hangouts name originated with the group video chat feature of Google+. Some three years ago, Google removed the Hangouts video chat feature, the Google Chat voice calling feature and the Google Messenger messaging feature from Google+, and rolled them all into an app called Hangouts.
In August 2016, Google launched a new video calling product called Duo, which is available on iOS and Android.
For one-to-one video calls, Duo is the best app out there if you want to video chat with, say, your technophobic parents. Just open the mobile app, tap the one button (labeled "Video call") and pick the person you're calling. If they have the app too, you'll be connected on a free, high-quality video call that fills the whole phone screen.
When you receive a call on Duo, you see the preview of the caller's video on the screen before you even answer the call, a feature called Knock Knock. On Android phones, you even see the Knock Knock preview on the lock screen. (Knock Knock can be disabled in settings.)
Because one-to-one video calls on mobile devices is the only thing Duo does, Hangouts is currently better for other kinds of video calls, such as those made via a desktop web browser.
Two more differences: Hangouts uses your Google account for identity, whereas Duo uses your phone number. And Duo calls use end-to-end encryption, so it's actually more secure than Hangouts.
Duo's biggest downside is that it has fewer users than Skype, FaceTime or even Hangouts. So if you try to connect with a person in your Contacts list, chances are they'll have to install the app before you can connect. However, most consumers who use video chat tend to connect with the same small number of people, so once your family and friends have the app, it works great.
Unlike Apple's FaceTime, which works only with Apple devices, Duo works across iOS and Android. If you or a family member or friend has Android, Duo is a nice option.
Given Google's refocusing of Hangouts for the enterprise, it's possible that at some point in the future, consumers will no longer be able to use it. Right now, Google isn't saying -- nor is it revealing what additional features Duo will get down the line.
My advice: For now, use Duo for one-to-one video calls and keep using Hangouts for all other video calls.
Launched as a beta product in 2004, Gmail is (in technology terms) ancient, but has been recently upgraded with a modern interface.
The two-year-old Inbox is the newer of Google's two email offerings, and has the advantage of artificial intelligence, making it easy to use.
For example, the Smart Reply feature of Inbox, which is powered by advanced deep neural network machine learning, often gives you three reply options to a specific email message, which you can pick from by clicking on the best option. Google says about 10% of users' replies in Inbox are now made using Smart Reply.
Inbox also intelligently bundles similar messages together, so you can dismiss them all with a single click, or process them together. It highlights events, such as trips, clustering together flight and hotel information.
And you can even use Inbox to communicate with yourself, using reminders, assists and snooze messages or reminders based on date, time or even location.
Generally, Inbox is far more intelligent, automated and easier to use than Gmail. And it's better integrated, too, with hooks into Google Keep and Google Calendar. Users report that the coveted status of "zero inbox" (when you empty your inbox every day) is easier to achieve with Inbox than with Gmail.
Gmail, however, still gives users more direct access and control. Unlike Inbox, Gmail has an All Mail folder (where every single message appears), extensive options in Settings, including Filters and Blocked Addresses and experimental "Labs" add-ons. Power users love this stuff.
I asked Google if it plans to combined the ease-of-use features of Inbox with the power user options in Gmail -- or if it plans to phase out the older Gmail. A representative told me that Inbox was created not as a replacement for Gmail, but as an option and that the company plans to continue offering both.
My advice: If you want easy, use Inbox. If you want control, use Gmail. Or do what many power users do and use both simultaneously or interchangeably based on daily needs for optimum control of email.
Text messaging
Google offers five ways to chat by text: Allo, Hangouts, Messenger, Voice and Chat.
Let's start with the most elusive and mysterious of Google's messaging products: Google Chat. Before the standalone Hangouts app existed, you could do instant messaging and VoIP calls from Gmail and Google+ using Chat, but Google subsequently pushed users to the Hangouts app for those functions. (Note that Chat has also variously been called Google Talk, Gtalk, Gchat and Gmessage.)
You can still use Chat in a web browser by going into Gmail, clicking your name in the left column, and then in the bottom frame of the pop-up menu clicking on "Revert to old Chat." But I don't recommend it. Hangouts offers more flexibility and a better user interface.
I added Google Voice to this category because Voice offers straightforward SMS and MMS text messaging, including group messaging, which you can use in the mobile app or on the website.
Google's best app for SMS and MMS is Google Messenger. Messenger has a great interface, and supports pictures, GIFs, emoji and group texts.
You can make it your default texting app, which means that when people text to your phone number, Messenger alerts you. And you can reply to incoming messages from the notifications themselves. However, Messenger is available only on Android.
Hangouts supports messaging as well, including texting (but it doesn't support group SMS messaging).
Some power users use Messenger for texting with their Android phone's number, and Hangouts for their Google Voice number.
And, finally, there's Allo, Google's newest way to chat, which was launched in May 2016. The app is available for Android and iOS.
The most unusual feature of Allo is artificial intelligence, which appears in two functions: You can chat with Google's virtual assistant (called, well, Google Assistant) and use the same Smart Reply technology found in Inbox. Allo also has all the messaging bells and whistles, including stickers, emoji, visual effects, GIFs and conversation-specific themes. It's likely that there will eventually be lots of third-party add-ons as well.
Controversially, Allo's end-to-end encryption is turned off by default, but you can turn it on by using an incognito mode, which also lets you make messages self-destructing and notifications private.
Allo has two significant restrictions. First, it must be associated with a single phone. You can't use Allo on a tablet or laptop, and you can't use the same account on two phones.
Second, Allo is awkward with SMS. You cannot set Allo as your phone's default SMS app. And when you try to send a message to a non-Allo user (which on other platforms simply fails over to straightforward SMS), the recipient gets a text message not from you, but from a weird proxy number and a message asking if they want to opt out. If they don't, you can exchange text messages. But they will always get the message from the proxy number, not yours.
Allo is great for talking to the Google Assistant, and the best messaging app for talking to someone else who also uses Allo. But it's weak for the vast majority of people who don't use Allo strictly.
My advice: If you're on Android, use Messenger.
If you use G Suite, go ahead and use Hangouts for messaging.
If you use Google Voice, then of course use Voice or Hangouts for text messages sent to the Voice number.
And if you're on iOS and looking for an all-purpose messaging product, I would not recommend Google. Instead, choose Apple's Messages app or Facebook's WhatsApp or Messenger. All these alternatives give you all the bells and whistles, plus the ability to include SMS contacts gracefully.
Social posting
Google offers two different ways to post in social contexts: Google+ and Groups. The most unusual aspect of Google's social services is that they're free and don't have advertising.
Google Groups is 16 years old! It's an all-purpose message board service for joining and engaging in threaded conversations on the web or via email. It also plugs into Usenet, which even predates the web.
Some people still use Groups because at some point they joined a Group (because of some event or organization), and that's where the conversation remains.
Google+ started in 2011 as the Mother of All Communications Networks. In Google+'s first couple of years, you could use the service to send email, text, make video calls, lifelog, edit and share photos and more. A few years ago, Google reversed its all-in-one approach and decided to pull out different communication features into separate apps. So the company stripped Plus for parts, spinning out Hangouts, Photos and other products.
Today, Google+ is like a cross between Facebook and Reddit, which is to say, a social network like Facebook but centered around moderated interests and topics like Reddit.
Google+ content is organized by "Collections" (user-created categories of content that only the creator can post to, but which followers can follow individually -- so you can follow my "tech" posts without being subjected to my "food" posts) and "Communities," which are moderated user-created categories that others can join and all members can post to. Google's spokesperson told me that people are joining Communities at the rate of 1.6 million joins per day, and that Collections are growing even faster.
My advice: Avoid the antiquated Google Groups if you can.
Use Google+ if you like to talk about your interests, passions, hobbies or business.
The bottom line
I can't convince Google to consolidate and simplify its communication options. But I can offer my best advice for which products to choose and why.
If you want easy and simple, use Messenger, Duo, Fi (if you have the right phone) and Inbox. And use your phone for voice calls.
If you want power and control, use Gmail, Google+, Hangouts and Voice.
I don't recommend Allo, Chat or Groups.
Yes, Google's lineup of 11 communications apps and services is confusing. And, yes, Google has a reputation for terminating products. But for many, Google's amazing AI, search and integration are just too good to pass up.


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Multi-Player Mode
We offer the world's most exciting casino games, and with innovative Multi-Player tables, you can share the fun with others.
Our Multi-Player tables add a unique social element to casino games, and can turn any hand of Blackjack or Roulette spin into a special moment to be shared. Meet new players, have fun with old friends, share strategies and enjoy casino games like never before! You can even play Multi-Player Blackjack and Roulette on your iOS or Android device, using the Casino Mobile app.
How Multi-Player Tables Works
Multi-Player tables are available across a number of casino games, game variants and stake levels. You can also enjoy the action for free on our Multi-Player play money tables.
To start playing Multi-Player casino games in minutes, follow our simple step-by-step guide:
- Download the software and create an account, if you haven't already done so. Existing PokerStars players are also eligible.
- On desktop, click the Casino tab in the main lobby. Then, in the Browse area of the Casino Lobby, click on your preferred Casino game, and then select Multi-Player on the Mode tab (this may already be selected by default). Mobile users can access the Casino tab via the 'More' menu, and will see a red icon on any Multi-Player tables in the game lobbies.
- Choose your preferred game variant and table stakes.
- Scroll down the game list to find the table of your choice.
- Click Seat Me (desktop) or tap through to the table of your choice (mobile), and get ready to play.
Unlike traditional Single Player tables, Multi-Player tables feature a timer for each player action to ensure the game moves along at an enjoyable pace. You will be prompted when it is your turn to act.
Temporary Tables
To ensure fairness, and to give players a level of protection in case things go wrong, players won't lose any wagers made when timed out, or when internet connection drops. In these circumstances, we will store all game information, and the hand will be completed on a temporary table when you next log in. The dealer's hole card will be changed on all temporary tables to guard against collusion.
If you have any questions about our games, contact Support.


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DSA Inc., makers of the excellent SA58 Tactical Series FAL .308/7.62x51mm battle rifles, carbines, and subcarbines, has just come out with their DS-AR "Professional Grade" AR-15/M16 Style 5.56 (5.56x45mm) Carbines and Rifles. These include the DS-AR CV1 Carbine (16" 1:9 twist D4 barrel with press-on mock flashider), DS-AR S1 Rifle (.223 Match chamber, 1:8 twist stainless steel bull barrel), and my personal favorite, the DS-AR LE4 Carbine (1:9 twist D4 barrel with threaded A2 flashider, Law Enforcement Only).
DefRev hasn't gotten a chance to handle any of these yet, but if these new guns are anything like DSA's SA58 FAL .308's, they're…
worth checking out. DSA's SA58 FAL's are considered by many FAL authorities to be the best-made examples of this type ever produced. DefRev has put a fair number of rounds through several SA58 tactical models, including the SA58 OSWNFA 7.62 subcarbine which is a full-auto model that's only available to military Spec-Ops and LE SWAT/SRT end users. The SA58 OSWNFA subcarbine, by the way, is a particularly sweet piece of equipment. It's very fast on target, and packs a really mean punch (7.62x51mm). DefRev suggests employing a silencer/suppressor when using a 7.62x51mm subcarbine of this type.
All the SA58 samples that DefRev has fired to date have been both reliable and accurate. We've also talked to people with much more extensive SA58 FAL experience than us. Feedback we've received from these sources has been overwhelmingly positive on these guns.
DefRev will try to find out more about the DS-AR Professional Grade AR Style 5.56 (5.56x45mm) Carbines and Rifles as soon as possible.


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Oscillating multi-tools have become extremely popular in recent years for a number of reasons.
Oscillating tools are incredibly versatile, and you can do a lot with them. You can use multi-tools for cutting, sanding, grinding, and scraping tasks that would be harder to do with other types of power tools. All you need is the right attachment.
Multi-tools are also more widely available than ever before. Since Fein's patent expired a few years ago, nearly every major power tool brand has come out with their own multi-tools. You can now buy an oscillating multi-tool for as little as $20.
While a lot of professionals prefer to use corded multi-tools, improvements in motor technology and higher capacity battery packs means that cordless oscillating tools are gaining popularity.
We have been testing the latest and greatest cordless oscillating multi-tools to help answer a question we are asked quite frequently these days: Which is the BEST cordless oscillating multi-tool? You wouldn't believe how often we're asked this.
Check out our oscillating multi-tool page for the latest news and reviews.
This was a tough comparison to make, as all of the cordless oscillating tools we have used and tested are built around drastically different designs. We are actually happy about this, as it means users are able to choose the design that better suits their particular needs or preferences.
Do you agree with our choices? Disagree? Is there another cordless multi-tool you would like us to consider or test for next time? Let us know in the comments!
Best Overall: Bosch 18V Brushless MXH180BL
We awarded the Bosch brushless MXH180BL as best overall cordless multi-tool for a number of reasons: great performance, long runtime, the best tool-free blade change mechanism we've used, the widest selection of high quality blades and accessories (OIS interface), and its user-friendly operation.
Ergonomics are good – but not great – and overall the tool does feel a little blocky. Overall, Bosch's brushless oscillating tool is just a hair away from perfection.
Top performance and features come at a price. Expect to pay $229 for the bare tool and L-Boxx bundle. If you don't have any Bosch 18V Li-ion battery packs, budget another $100 for a 1-battery and charger starter set.
More Info(via ToolGuyd)
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(Battery Starter Kit via Amazon)
Best Ergonomics: Dewalt 20V Max Brushless DCS355D1
There is just one thing you need to know about Dewalt's DCS355D1 cordless brushless oscillating multi-tool – it feels GREAT. I didn't think I would like it, but I do.
Performance is decent, and runtime is respectable, but it's the ergonomics that really deserve recognition. Dewalt built their brushless multi-tool around design notes taken from their 12V cordless line and 20V compact drill handles. In theory it shouldn't work, but it really does.
Despite the great ergonomics, there are three reasons why this would not be our pick for top cordless oscillating tool.
First, the tool-free blade change mechanism only works with Dewalt, Porter Cable, and Rockwell oscillating tool blades and accessories. To use Bosch OIS, or any other brand's accessories, you have to pull out the included adapter and hex key. Even so, we do love the simplicity of the tool-free blade change design, which was carried over from the latest Porter Cable model.
Second, although the variable speed two-finger trigger switch is comfortable to use and offers some flexibility in how you hold the tool, you can only lock it to the "on" position when set to full speed. There is no speed selection wheel as found on Bosch and Milwaukee oscillating tools. Some users will love this about the Dewalt tool, as it feels great for quick operations, but those who want to work at lower speeds for longer times might suffer some hand fatigue.
The bare tool (DCS355B) is priced at a very reasonable $129, and the 1-battery kit (DCS355D1) is priced at $199. The kit comes with (1) 2.0Ah Li-ion battery, a multi-voltage 20V/12V charger, starter accessories kit (inside a great storage box), and a carrying bag.
More Info(via ToolGuyd)
Buy Now(Kit via Amazon)
Buy Now(Kit via Home Depot)
Buy Now(DCS355B Bare Tool via Home Depot)
Best Value (Pro): Milwaukee M18 2626
Milwaukee's new M18 cordless oscillating tool, 2626-20/22/22CT isn't built with a brushless motor, but it does not at all feel weak or underpowered.
The Milwaukee tool-free blade change mechanism is a different design than we were used to, and requires folding over a large gloved-finger-friendly lever and unscrewing a finger-friendly accessory bolt. Although it is not as quick to change blades on the Milwaukee oscillating multi-tool as with other tools, the tool-free blade holder is still easy and effective to use.
Ergonomics and comfort are ever so slightly better than with the Bosch but less so than with the Dewalt.
We particularly like the large easy-to-read speed selection dial.
With bare-tool (2626-20), compact battery (2626-22CT) and XC high capacity battery (2626-22) kits priced at $119, $229, and $299, respectively, Milwaukee's M18 cordless oscillating tool offers a nice balance between features, performance, and cost.
Don't let our calling this model the best value discourage you – Milwaukee's M18 multi-tool is about as tough and robustly built as can be. If we were looking to buy an 18V-class cordless oscillating multi-tool, it would probably be this one.
While some might be inclined to lambast Milwaukee for not building the M18 cordless oscillating tool with a brushless motor, keep in mind that the bump up in performance and runtime would have been led to a hefty bump up in price.
This is a great cordless multi-tool option, especially if you already have M18 Li-ion batteries and a charger you can pair it with.
More Info(via ToolGuyd)
Buy Now(Bare Tool via Home Depot)
Buy Now(Compact Kit via Home Depot)
Buy Now(Kit via Home Depot)
Best Overall (DIY, Budget Pro): Craftsman G2 12V Nextec
An easy-toggle tool-free blade change mechanism and reasonably good performance (for a 12V Li-ion tool), make Craftsman's 2nd generation Nextec multi-tool our favorite compact cordless oscillating tool.
Right now the full kit is priced at just $70 at Sears, which makes it an incredible bargain, but there have been signs that the entire Nextec line is destined to be discontinued.
This model is well suited for DIYers and professional users who might not need a heavy duty tool for infrequent use, but overall it feels a little lightweight to meet regular jobsite demands.
More Info(via ToolGuyd)
Buy Now(via Sears)
Runner-Up for Best Overall (DIY, Budget Pro): Dremel 12V 8300
We have had good experiences with Dremel tools in the past, and their 8300 cordless Multi-Max adds to the warm sentiments. Battery life is a little on the short side, and the blade change mechanism is not tool-free.
The Dremel 8300 kit doesn't come anywhere near the runtime, performance, or robustness of the aforementioned 18V and 20V Max Bosch, Dewalt, and Milwaukee models, but it feels like one of the tougher consumer models out there. $110 will get you started with the basic kit.
More Info(via ToolGuyd)
Buy Now(via Amazon)
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Cordless Models Considered
Bosch MXH180BL (18V)
Dewalt DCS355D1 (20V Max)
Milwaukee 2626 (M18)
Craftsman Bolt-On (20V Max)
Black & Decker Matrix (12V Max)
Craftsman Nextec (12V Max)
Dremel 8300 (12V Max)
Ridgid JobMax (12V Max)
Ryobi JobPlus (18V One+)
Note: Test samples were provided by the respective brands. No compensation, "entry fees," or "consideration fees" were solicited or required as part of the selection and judgement process.
These recommendations were revised on November 22nd, 2013.


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Possibility Throw Pillow Cover - Fashion Illustrations Throw Pillow Cover Collection
Product Description
Di Lewis Throw Pillow Covers are any easy way to change up the look and feel of any room in your home. Our Fashion Illustration Collection features colorful fashionista designs that bring fashionable fun and a modern touch to any couch, sofa, chair, or bed.
Available in Two Sizes
Small - 16"x 16"
Large - 20"x 20"
- 100% Heavy Weight Natural Linen Color Woven Polyester Cotton Blend
- Machine Washable
- Concealed Zipper
- Made to Order
- Designed, printed and finished in the USA
- Cover Only


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Cherokee Workwear Core Stretch 24703 Scrubs Top Women's V-Neck Wine
Cherokee Workwear Core Stretch 24703 Scrubs Top Women's V-Neck Wine
A Contemporary fit empire top features rounded V-neckband with a dickie inset, yoke panels, front and back princess seams. It also features multiple patch pockets; wearer's right has stylized double pocket with twill tape loop and left has an additional cell phone pocket. Double needle topstitching and side vents complete this fun, youthful top. Center back length: 25"
- Women's V-Neck, Short Sleeve Top
- Front Princess Seams, Front Shoulder Yoke, Empire Waist
- Patch Pockets, Interior Pocket
- Imported
55% Cotton/ 42% Polyester/ 3% Spandex
Cherokee Workwear Core Stretch Women's Scrubs Top


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Unlike any other driving game, TDU2 blends the open world experience with realistic vehicles and performance dynamics and for the first time, TDU2 features vehicle damage, weather effects, day and night cycles, and a brand new island to explore.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 blends the single player and multiplayer experiences seamlessly, creating a dynamic world of unique content and challenges. Test Drive Unlimited 2 is "always live," with automatic updates and seamless online/offline integration. A revamped single player narrative mode can be played offline or as part of the multiplayer experience.
Test Drive Unlimited 2 puts the world's most desirable vehicles in the players hands. These ultra-limited edition masterpieces are flawlessly replicated with Eden's finely tuned driving technology. Players define their online persona through the customization of their vehicles, and the acquisition of property, clothing and all the accoutrements of a luxurious car-based lifestyle. The challenge comes to life with the most expansive and comprehensive multiplayer offering on the console and the ultimate refinement of the core Test Drive driving experience. All-new race types, vehicle classes, environmental challenges, locations and much more push this epic franchise to new levels of performance and luxury.
More articles about Test Drive Unlimited 2


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Make a logo with Looka
Looka Logo Maker combines your logo design preferences with Artificial Intelligence to help you create a custom logo you'll love. All it takes is a few clicks and five minutes.
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Start by entering your company name and industry, then select the perfect logo styles, colors, and symbols that you like the best. Looka Logo Maker will use these as inspiration and start to generate custom logo designs.
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Finalize your colors, fonts, and layouts in our easy-to-use logo editor to make sure you get exactly what you want. Undo any edits you make and then click Save when you've created your perfect logo design.
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Looka's online logo maker delivers the goods, including vector logo files and color variations. Your Brand Kit includes everything that a logo designer would deliver, and more.
A logo creator that gives you everything a logo designer would
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Looka these beautiful logos : )
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In the time it took you to read this, you could have designed a professional logo for your business. See for yourself.


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Gold Charcoal Gray Necklace Grey Wedding Necklace Jewelry Bridesmaid Gift Jewelry Slate Gray Bridal Jewelry Charcoal Gray Gift Under 30
Gold Charcoal Gray Necklace Grey Wedding Necklace Jewelry Bridesmaid Gift Jewelry Slate Gray Bridal Jewelry Charcoal Gray Gift Under 30
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****Details and Dimensions****
The charcoal gray teardrop measures overall 19mm by 12mm (including the loop). The glass in the middle of the teardrop measures 13mm by 10mm by 6mm. The chain is 14k gold filled. Comes in a giftbox.
*Matching earrings: https://www.etsy.com/listing/193071173/charcoal-gray-earrings-gold-wedding?ref=listing-2 OR https://www.etsy.com/listing/199247502/gold-charcoal-gray-earrings-two-tiered
****Personalized Earring Card****
1) Message as is - "Thank you for being my Bridesmaid!"
2) Create your own message and in the "notes to seller" at checkout, let me know what you'd like for me to write. I can write ANYTHING! :)
3) No message on bottom
****Shipping Timeline****
Usually, I have enough supplies on hand to get orders out within a couple of days. However, it may take up to 5 business days for your order to ship out if I need to get more supplies. If you need your order rushed, please don't hesitate to ask me and I will make every effort to send it out next day or same day.
I've recently launched this shop, laalee bridal, due to the overwhelming demand of bridal/bridesmaid jewelry in my original shop "laalee" on Etsy. I've worked with thousands of brides over the years in creating gorgeous bridal/bridesmaid jewelry and have created many custom orders to help create exactly what the bride is looking for. I have 5 star feedback on "laalee" and look forward to working with you to create the most gorgeous jewelry possible for your big day and your "best" girls!
1) Length
2) Note on Card
Please message me through Etsy with any questions at all! I'm happy to help!
Return to my shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/laaleebridal


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Choo welcomes challenges in center this spring
GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Through two exhibition games, it's been pretty routine in center field for the Reds' Shin-Soo Choo. He hopes it doesn't stay that way.
"I want to get a tough play," Choo said on Sunday morning. "I want to make a mistake so I can learn something before the season -- a line drive, a sun ball, something like that. I want to be challenged."
During the first inning of Friday's game vs. the Indians, Choo did a nice job cutting off a hit to right-center field on one hop to hold Carlos Santana to a single. On Saturday vs. Cleveland, he ran down a Jason Giambi drive for a catch near the wall.
No big deal, felt Choo.
"I didn't have any tough plays. Everybody can make those," said Choo, who did not play in Sunday's game.
Choo, a former right fielder for the Indians, is expected to be the center fielder and leadoff hitter for Cincinnati. Even if Choo's not fully comfortable yet, Reds manager Dusty Baker has been pleased with his early progress. And Baker was impressed with Choo's handling of the Santana hit.
"That was a great angle," Baker said. "This guy is an athlete. He has a lot of pride. He works hard. He'll be fine. We just have to preserve his legs."


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Adobe recently released an emergency update for Flash Player on all platforms after two zero-day bugs were discovered in the wild targeting Windows and Mac OS X computers. The vulnerabilities allowed hackers to hijack both Windows PCs and Macs. Adobe recommends all users to update their systems as soon as possible.
The first vulnerability, CVE-2013-0633, tricks users into downloading a Microsoft Word document sent via e-mail. As you might expect, the document contains malicious SWF (flash's file extension) content that can then infect a user's system. This exploit targets the ActiveX version of Flash Player for Windows, Adobe said.
The second exploit, CVE-2013-0634, targets Firefox and Safari users on Mac OS X by directing users to Websites containing malicious Flash content. This vulnerability is also being used against Windows users in a similar manner to the first exploit. Namely, malicious documents delivered via e-mail.
So there's nothing new here in terms of malware delivery, but you should update your Flash Player software as soon as possible if it isn't set to update automatically. Even though the newly patched weaknesses target Mac and Windows users, Adobe has also released updates for Flash Player on Linux and all versions of Android from 2.X to 4.X (basically, everyone running Flash on Android).
Checking to make sure you've got the latest updates to Flash Player these days is not easy task, as a single system can have several different versions. Windows 8 users, for example, will have Flash built-in to Internet Explorer and will receive their updates via Windows Update. But you may also have Chrome, which has its own built-in version of Chrome, while Firefox uses the generic version of Flash.
The easiest way to figure out your Flash situation is to visit the Flash about page on Adobe's Website. If you see an animation at the top of the page, that means you have Flash installed in your browser. Underneath the animation, you'll see a little box dubbed "Version Information" telling you which version of Flash you currently have. Compare that number to the chart right below the version information box to make sure you're up to date.
Most users should have Flash configured for automatic updates, but if you need to manually update Flash Player here's how to get it done on Windows and OS X.
Windows 8 users need to open Windows Update by pressing the Windows Key + C to open the Charms Bar. Next, click the search icon at the top and type "update." Next, click "Settings" right below the text entry box and then select "Check for updates" in the main window.
The easiest way for Windows 7 users to get the update is to go the Flash Player Download Center and download the update. Windows 8 users needing to manually update another browser such as Firefox can also download updates directly from Adobe. Chrome users receive updates automatically in the background.
Mac OS X users who need to manually update should open System Preferences and tap on the Flash Player icon in the "Other" section. Once the Flash Player preferences open, click on the 'Advanced' tab and then the "Check Now" button.
Windows users have more security update action to look forward to this coming Tuesday, which is Microsoft's monthly patch Tuesday. The software maker on Thursday said it will release 12 patches for 57 vulnerabilities affecting users running Windows XP, Windows 7, and Window 8 systems.


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LEV Event at MOHAI Monday Evening
Here's the info:
On Monday, October 25 at 6 p.m., LEV will be hosting a panel discussion at the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI).
There are three speakers on the panel: Richard Barth, CEO of KIPP Foundation, Timothy Daly, President of The New Teacher Project, and Steve Barr, Founder of Green Dot Public Schools. The discussion will be moderated by Adam Porsch of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Who are these guys?
Richard Barth runs KIPP (a charter system, Knowledge is Power Program. He is married to Wendy Kopp who runs and started Teach for America. There are 99 schools in 20 states. KIPP is considered one of the better charter school systems although it is a more difficult model in that the schools start early and run late and have a longer school year. KIPP teachers are expected to help all students succeed, and they typically work a nine-hour work day during the week, half days on selected Saturdays, and three weeks in the summer. They also are available via cell phone for homework help in the evening (they receive a slightly higher salary than the average teacher). KIPP starts new schools (not transforming existing schools) but are open to that direction in the future. Oddly, they don't mention that KIPP is a charter school system on their home page.
KIPP supporters include the Gates Foundation and the Broad Foundation.
Steve Barr started Green Dot Public Schools in LA . There are now 15 charter schools operating in low-income areas in LA. As well, it is the only large charter system with unionized teachers and collective bargaining. They seem to have a well-balance core of partnerships. From their webpage:
A key constituent in Green Dot's organization is the teachers union. Green Dot is the only non-district public school operator in California that has unionized teachers. Green Dot's teachers have organized as the Asociacion de Maestros Unidos (AMU), a CTA/NEA affiliate. Key reforms embodied in the AMU contract include: teachers have explicit say in school policy and curriculum; no tenure or seniority preference; a professional work day rather than defined minutes; and flexibility to adjust the contract in critical areas over time. Green Dot was able to achieve these reforms by establishing a relationship of mutual trust with the teachers union and committing to pay its teachers above the average of comparable schools' pay scales. In doing so, Green Dot and AMU share a unique relationship in the world of labor relations, one that is characterized by collaboration and a mutual interest in improving public education.
Green Dot supporters include the Gates Foundation and the Broad Foundation.
Timothy Daly runs The New Teacher Project which is something akin to Teach for America but with a lot more muscle and revenue. Their "fellows" like TFA's teachers receive about 5-6 weeks of training. From their website:
Today, The New Teacher Project is working to advance a new human capital model for urban school systems. TNTP intends to realize a fundamental shift in the way quality teachers are generated, matched to schools, and trained.
We bring expertise in the recruitment, selection, cultivation, preparation and placement of alternate route and traditionally certified teachers.
We bring expertise in the pre-service preparation, professional development and certification of new teachers for states and school districts. We specialize in developing alternate route teachers by leveraging their existing content expertise and life experiences while grounding them in rigorous, standards-based instructional practices.
They describe their business model this way:
The New Teacher Project is a revenue-generating nonprofit organization that utilizes a blended revenue model to sustain and advance its work nationwide. The majority of our revenue comes from our work with clients on a fee-for-service basis, often under performance-based contracts.
A revenue-generating nonprofit organization? So why not a self-sustaining nonprofit? I'm guessing the key word here is revenue.
Should be an interesting evening.


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At a Glance
Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) comprises about 10% of all lymphomas in North America. It has a bimodal age distribution, with peak incidences between 15 and 35 years of age and again between 65 and 86 years of age; it is rare in children under 10 years of age.
The typical presentation of CHL in an immunocompetent patient is as localized, painless, peripheral lymphadenopathy (most commonly affecting cervical or supraclavicular lymph nodes) in a teenager or young adult. Splenomegaly is usually absent but can be seen in a minority of cases. Systemic B symptoms are seen in less than one-half of the patients at presentation. In developing countries and in immunocompromised patients, presentation of CHL often reflects disseminated disease, including diffuse lymphadenopathy, systemic B symptoms, and/or symptoms related to cytopenias secondary to bone marrow infiltration by CHL. Pruritus and alcohol-induced pain have been reported in up to one-third of CHL patients at presentation, although these symptoms are nonspecific.
Younger patients, particularly males, often present with a bulky mediastinal mass due to thymic involvement and manifest symptoms related to compression of mediastinal structures, such as cough, chest pain, dyspnea, and/or stridor. However, superior vena cava syndrome is a relatively uncommon presentation of CHL.
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Older adult patients (>60 years of age) more frequently present with disseminated disease, systemic B symptoms, and an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. A bulky mediastinal mass is less common in patients older than 60 years of age.
Although not an AIDS-defining disease, CHL has a 10-fold increased incidence in HIV-infected individuals. HIV-positive patients with CHL often present with disseminated disease and systemic B symptoms. Unlike CHL in immunocompetent patients, involvement of extranodal sites at presentation, such as bone marrow and liver, are frequent.
What Tests Should I Request to Confirm My Clinical Dx? In addition, what follow-up tests might be useful?
A biopsy of involved tissue should be performed to confirm clinical suspicion of CHL.
The characteristic morphologic appearance of CHL on tissue biopsy is that of neoplastic Reed-Sternberg cells and their variants set in a variable inflammatory background. The Reed-Sternberg cell is a large lymphoid cell with a bilobed or multilobed, vesicular nucleus, and 2 or more very prominent nucleoli; the cytoplasm is abundant and pale-staining. Mononuclear variant Reed-Sternberg cells are more frequent in the involved tissue than are true Reed-Sternberg cells; they have similar nuclear and nucleolar features to true-Reed-Sternberg cells, but have a single nucleus.
The neoplastic Reed-Sternberg cells of CHL have a unique immunophenotype: CD30 positive, CD15 positive (most cases), and positive for the B-cell marker PAX5 but negative for most other B-cell markers and negative for all T-cell markers.
The nonneoplastic inflammatory background that surrounds the neoplastic Reed-Sternberg cells is highly variable, depending on the particular histologic subtype (see chapters on Nodular Sclerosis CHL, Mixed Cellularity CHL, Lymphocyte-depleted CHL, and Lymphocyte-rich CHL). The background lymphocytes are mostly small T-cells in the majority of CHL cases, with CD4+ T cells predominating over CD8+ T cells.
Once the diagnosis of CHL is confirmed, the disease should be staged according to the Ann Arbor staging system. The stage is based on the disease distribution on radiologic studies (full body CT scans), physical exam (extent of peripheral lymphadenopathy), and bone marrow exam. (Table 1)
Table 1.
|Tissue Biopsy
|Immunohistochemistry on tissue biopsy
|Presence of Reed-Sternberg cells in a variable inflammatory background.
Reed-Sternberg are CD30+, usually CD15+, and PAX5+, but usually negative for other B-cell markers
Are There Any Factors That Might Affect the Lab Results? In particular, does your patient take any medications – OTC drugs or Herbals – that might affect the lab results?
When a lymph node biopsy is obtained to investigate a clinical suspicion of CHL, biopsy of a superficial or smaller lymph node in an involved lymph node group may yield false-negative results. Lymph nodes surrounding the nodes frankly involved by CHL can show nonspecific reactive changes or only partial involvement that may be difficult to diagnose; this problem is compounded if the presentation is atypical and CHL is not considered upfront (e.g., in an elderly patient or an individual with potentially distracting comorbid conditions).
Limited tissue samples, such as needle core biopsies or fine-needle aspiration, frequently yield false-negative results in CHL.
What Lab Results Are Absolutely Confirmatory?
A biopsy of involved tissue with pathologic examination is required to confirm a diagnosis of CHL. The biopsy should demonstrate the presence of diagnostic Reed-Sternberg cells in an inflammatory background environment (whose constitution depends on the particular CHL subtype).
Ideally, immunohistochemistry should be performed to confirm the expected Reed-Sternberg cell immunophenotype (always CD30 positive, usually CD15 and PAX5 positive, and usually CD20 negative or only partially positive).
What Confirmatory Tests Should I Request for My Clinical Dx? In addition, what follow-up tests might be useful?
The role of fine needle aspiration (FNA) in the diagnosis of suspected CHL is controversial. FNA may be a reasonable first approach: it could yield an alternative definitive diagnosis (e.g., metastatic carcinoma or an infection) or yield findings highly suspicious for CHL, guiding a prompt confirmatory tissue biopsy.However, false-negative rates of up to 40% have been reported for FNA diagnosis of CHL. In general, excisional biopsies of involved lymph nodes are preferred over core biopsies, as assessment of the tissue architecture is an important feature to both diagnose CHL and determine the histologic subtype.
Given the unique immunophenotype of the Reed-Sternberg cells of CHL, this disease should be theoretically amenable to diagnosis by flow cytometry. However, these neoplastic cells typically constitute less than 1% of the cells in the tissue infiltrate, and they may be underrepresented due to tissue fibrosis and sampling artifact. Thus, flow cytometry has not been considered useful in the diagnosis of CHL. Recently, new protocols using multicolor flow cytometry show promise in detecting even very small numbers of Reed-Sternberg cells, and, in the future, this technique may improve the sensitivity of FNA diagnosis of CHL.
One immunophenotypic clue to the diagnosis of CHL is an elevated CD4:CD8 ratio (>7:1) in the background T cells. Although nonspecific, it can support a suspicion of CHL over viral infections and other reactive processes in which CD8+ T cells often predominate.
In staging CHL, bone marrow exam may be omitted in patients with very low risk of involvement (Ann Arbor Stage I or II disease without systemic B symptoms). Bone marrow exam may also be omitted in some patients already shown to have advanced disease on radiologic studies, if the presence of bone marrow involvement would not alter clinical management. When performing a staging bone marrow for CHL, it is critical to obtain an adequate bone marrow core biopsy. Bone marrow aspirate smears and flow cytometry are not useful in assessing for bone marrow involvement by CHL, as the associated fibrosis in the involved marrow usually leads to sampling artifact and false-negative results in the aspirate.
A number of laboratory tests at the time of diagnosis have been associated with disease outcome. For early stage disease, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate has been associated with a higher risk of disease recurrence. For advanced stage patients, several clinical tests factor into the International Prognostic Score (IPS) that is associated with patient outcome. The components of the IPS include serum albumin, hemoglobin, total white blood count, and absolute lymphocyte count. However, in recent years, with improvements in therapeutic approaches to CHL, the IPS score may not be as relevant in predicting outcome. The neoplastic Reed-Sternberg cells in CHL express CD30 and elevated serum soluble CD30 levels have been associated with adverse outcome.
Certain features assessable in the tissue biopsy are also associated with disease prognosis in CHL. In particular, qualities of the nonneoplastic background inflammatory cells appear to influence the biologic behavior of the disease. An important recent finding is the observation that increased CD68+ tumor-infiltrating macrophages (>5% of total tumor cellularity) are associated with adverse disease-free survival. This finding may prove particularly useful in early-stage CHL patients in whom low pretreatment CD68 cell numbers could identify a subset of patients with excellent prognosis who could be adequately treated with less intensive regimens. Other studies have shown improved outcome in patients with higher numbers of tumor-infiltrating nonneoplastic CD20+ B cells. Higher numbers of background FOXP3+ regulatory T cells and CD117+ mast cells, as well as lower numbers of TIA1+ cytotoxic T cells, have been correlated with favorable outcome in CHL.
About 50% of CHL cases (with wide variation depending on patient immune status and geography) contain Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) genome in the neoplastic Reed-Sternberg cells. Although this finding has been associated with superior disease-free survival in young, immunocompetent CHL patients, it is associated with a worse prognosis in elderly patients. A high percentage of CHL cases in tropical regions of the world are EBV positive.
Although Reed-Sternberg cells are clonal B cells, due to their relative rarity in the prevalent nonneoplastic polyclonal background cells, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) studies for immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene rearrangement are almost always negative and are not generally used in the diagnostic workup of CHL.
What Factors, If Any, Might Affect the Confirmatory Lab Results? In particular, does your patient take any medications – OTC drugs or Herbals – that might affect the lab results?
There is a small but significant interobserver variability (up to 10%) in the diagnosis of CHL. This reflects differences in opinion as to whether a limited sample is diagnostic (versus only suspicious) of CHL, as well as difficulties in distinguishing CHL from morphologic mimics, such as a florid reactive hyperplasia and certain non-Hodgkin's lymphomas. Thus, if the diagnosis of CHL does not fit the clinical picture, the clinician and pathologist should communicate to discuss possible reasons for such a discrepancy. Conversely, if CHL is strongly suspected clinically but a different diagnosis is rendered on biopsy, the clinician and pathologist should communicate.
If the patient has received steroids prior to the biopsy (e.g., to treat impending airway obstruction due to a large mediastinal mass), this may render the pathologic diagnosis of CHL more difficult because of alteration of the characteristic morphology.
Copyright © 2017, 2013 Decision Support in Medicine, LLC. All rights reserved.
No sponsor or advertiser has participated in, approved or paid for the content provided by Decision Support in Medicine LLC. The Licensed Content is the property of and copyrighted by DSM.
- At a Glance
- What Tests Should I Request to Confirm My Clinical Dx? In addition, what follow-up tests might be useful?
- Are There Any Factors That Might Affect the Lab Results? In particular, does your patient take any medications - OTC drugs or Herbals - that might affect the lab results?
- What Lab Results Are Absolutely Confirmatory?
- What Confirmatory Tests Should I Request for My Clinical Dx? In addition, what follow-up tests might be useful?
- What Factors, If Any, Might Affect the Confirmatory Lab Results? In particular, does your patient take any medications - OTC drugs or Herbals - that might affect the lab results?


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Philadelphia, PA – Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - It was quite the college basketball season with plenty of thrilling story lines over the last few months, culminating in the selection of 68 teams to competing in a three-week frenzy that promises to be as wide open as any tournament in recent memory.
Florida, Wichita State, Arizona and Virginia earned the four No. 1 seeds. Who could have predicted that quartet back in November?
The Gators, by virtue of their flawless run in the SEC and a 26-game win streak, earned the overall No. 1 seed and will be extremely difficult to get rid of in the South Region. Kansas (2), Syracuse (3) and UCLA (4) could present some opposition.
The Jayhawks are led by a stellar freshman class, highlighted by stars Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embiid. However, KU's big man Embiid has been sidelined with a back injury and just how much he will play is uncertain.
The Orange earned the No. 3 seed, but that has more to do with a 25-game win streak to begin the season and much less to do with losses in five of their last seven games, including an early exit from the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament.
The Bruins are one of those teams that are loaded with talent but short on consistency. UCLA won the Pac-12 Tournament with a great effort against the West Region's top seed, Arizona, but can the Bruins be trusted to remain at the top of their game for the next three weeks?
A team that has had no problem with consistency is Wichita State. The Shockers will run out of the top spot in the Midwest and enter the NCAA Tournament as the first team with a perfect record (34-0) since UNLV in the 1990-91 campaign. Whether Wichita State can stay perfect remains to be seen.
The selection committee didn't do the Shockers any favors, with a region consisting of powerhouses Michigan (2), Duke (3) and Louisville (4). On top of that, a potential second-round showdown with Kentucky (8) could end WSU's postseason run before it really gets started.
The Wolverines earned the No. 2 seed by virtue of their Big Ten regular-season crown, despite losing in the conference title game to rival Michigan State. John Beilein's squad is balanced and deep on talent and may just find its way out of the Midwest.
Duke earned the No. 3 seed and although its team has shown some vulnerability at times, with freshman phenom Jabari Parker at the helm and a great supporting cast, Mike Krzyzewski's Blue Devils could make a serious run, if they get hot offensively.
A coach and team with a real gripe may be Rick Pitino and Louisville. The defending national champions won the first-ever American Athletic Conference Tournament title and seem to be peaking at the right time once again. The selection committee may have sold the Cardinals a little short.
To the selection committee's credit, the team they didn't sell short was the Virginia Cavaliers, who picked up the No. 1 seed in the East. Like Wichita State and Florida, consistency was the key for Virginia, as the Cavs tied the ACC record for most league wins (16), earning their first regular-season crown since 1981. The team completed the championship sweep by topping Duke in the tournament final, earning its first title since 1976. The defensive-minded Cavs don't win pretty, but they do win a lot.
Those in the East that will try to break through Virginia's stingy defense include Villanova (2), Iowa State (3) and Michigan State (4).
The Wildcats had a No. 1 seed within grasp, but bowed out of the Big East Tournament very early. Jay Wright's squad is fundamentally sound and hasn't received a ton of national attention, making them extremely dangerous in this event.
Iowa State is an offensive force in a Big 12 conference not short of scoring power. The Cyclones are red-hot entering the NCAAs and could find their way to the Final Four in Arlington, Texas.
Never count out Tom Izzo and Michigan State. The Spartans won the Big Ten tourney and have the type of the team that could present a real problem for Virginia in the Sweet 16.
The East may be the deepest region, as it wouldn't be surprising to see Cincinnati (5), North Carolina (6), Connecticut (7) or even Memphis (8) make a deep run.
Like Virginia, Arizona earned a top seed thanks to strong defensive play that led to the Pac-12 regular-season crown. Unlike the Cavaliers, Sean Miller's squad has plenty of offensive firepower, with a really nice mix of veterans and young stars.
The West Region has other strong defensive teams in Wisconsin (2) and San Diego State (4) and a sharp-shooting squad in Creighton (3).
Bo Ryan's Badgers are built for this event, contending each shot and really frustrating the opposition, especially opponents that aren't used to their style of play.
The Aztecs don't get the respect they deserve in the Mountain West Conference, but Steve Fisher's squad wears foes down over 40 minutes and usually comes out on the winning side.
Greg McDermott's Bluejays are a different animal altogether. Creighton has the best pure scorer in the nation in All-American Doug McDermott and when he gets going, the Bluejays can beat any team in the country.
With all the combinations of intriguing matchups, March Madness could prove to be just that this season.
If the next three weeks are anything like the last four months, then all basketball fans are in for a real treat.


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Third Edition
Passages Level 2
Presentation Plus
English Type
American English
In stock
Product description
Passages, Third Edition, is a two-level, multi-skills course that will quickly and effectively move adult and young-adult learners of English from high-intermediate to the advanced level.
The Passages, Third Edition, Presentation Plus classroom presentation software makes it easy to deliver engaging, high-impact lessons that will keep students focused and engaged. With Presentation Plus, teachers can present the Student's Book, Workbook, and Video Activity Worksheets, play the Class Audio and the Video program, and display scripts and answer keys. Presentation Plus allows teachers to embed links to other components or websites, and save their lessons to a portable drive to take with them wherever they go.
Presentation Plus can be used on an interactive whiteboard, portable interactive software technology, or with a computer and a projector.
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Workbook with Answers
Empower Second Edition is a six-level general English course for adult and young adults.Author: Robert McLartyCEF Level: C1Publication date: March 2022
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I looked at the spreadsheet docs, but the only thing I saw in there was how to create these cells.


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The Sequester - What is it
Harmful automatic budget cuts — known as the sequester — threaten hundreds of thousands of jobs, and cut vital services for children, seniors, people with mental illness and our men and women in uniform.
These cuts will make it harder to grow our economy and create jobs by affecting our ability to invest in important priorities like education, research and innovation, public safety, and military readiness.
Have questions about what the sequester is, and why American famillies and our national economy face this threat? We've put together the explainer below using some helpful background information President Obama laid out in a statement. Check it out:
What Is the Sequester? Why Now?
In the last few years, President Obama and both parties in Congress have worked together to reduce our deficit by more than $2.5 trillion through a combination of spending cuts and increased tax rates.
In 2011, Congress passed a law saying that if they couldn't agree on a plan to reduce our deficit by $4 trillion — including the $2.5 trillion in deficit reduction lawmakers in both parties have already accomplished over the last few years — about $1 trillion in automatic, arbitrary and across the board budget cuts would start to take effect in 2013.
"The whole design of these arbitrary cuts was to make them so unattractive and unappealing that Democrats and Republicans would actually get together and find a good compromise of sensible cuts as well as closing tax loopholes and so forth. And so this was all designed to say we can't do these bad cuts; let's do something smarter. That was the whole point of this so-called sequestration."
—President Obama
Unfortunately, Congress hasn't compromised, and as a consequence, harmful cuts — known as the sequester — begin March 1.
These cuts will jeopardize our military readiness and eviscerate job-creating investments in education and energy and medical research, and don't take into account whether they eliminate some bloated program that has outlived its usefulness, or cut a vital service that Americans depend on every single day.
To prevent a costly, self-inflicted wound to our economy and middle class families, President Obama put forward a plan to avoid these harmful cuts and reduce the deficit by cutting spending and closing tax loopholes. Most importantly, his plan protects the investments we need to help strengthen the middle class, grow our economy and keep our country safe. Read more about President Obama's plan.
"I believe such a balanced approach that combines tax reform with some additional spending reforms, done in a smart, thoughtful way is the best way to finish the job of deficit reduction and avoid these cuts once and for all that could hurt our economy, slow our recovery, put people out of work. And most Americans agree with me."
—President Obama
Now it's up to Congress to act by replacing deep cuts with a more balanced approach — one that asks the wealthiest to pay a little more instead of forcing our children, seniors, troops, military families and the entire middle class to bear the burden of deficit reduction. The President is willing to compromise, but on behalf the middle class, he cannot accept a deal that undercuts their economic security.
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One of the most popular inventors of the United States, and a frequent guest of Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort; Eric Knight visited the Holy Family school in Hopkins on February 1st, 2011 to talk about inventions with the students of Standard XI.
Mr. Knight displayed a variety of his inventions. He also talked with the students about rockets, as well as his latest book: The New Race to Space.
"The students were amazing," Mr. Knight said. "They were quite knowledgeable about scientific breakthroughs around the world. We even talked about high-speed trains, electric cars, even a newly developed flying car. We also discussed the Space Shuttle and the future of space travel."
Mr. Knight continued, "These mostly 12-year-old students were talented and engaging. It's clear that many of the leaders of Belize tomorrow are right here in Hopkins today."
Hamanasi would like to thank Eric and his wife Elsie for taking time out of their vacation to share their passion for inventions with our children. We look forward to hearing all updates on their new inventions and having them back with us again in 2012.