text:
|Clinical data
|Trade names
|Losec, Prilosec, Zegerid, others[1]
|License data
|Routes of
|Oral, IV
|ATC code
|Legal status
|Legal status
|Pharmacokinetic data
|Protein binding
|Hepatic (CYP2C19, CYP3A4)
|Biological half-life
|1–1.2 hours
80% (urine)
20% (feces)
|CAS Number
|PubChem (CID)
|PDB ligand ID
|1C6 (PDBe, RCSB PDB)
|ECHA InfoCard
|Chemical and physical data
|Molar mass
|345.42 g/mol
|3D model (Jmol)
|Interactive image
|Racemic mixture
|Melting point
Omeprazole, sold under the brand names Prilosec and Losec among others, is a medication used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease, and Zollinger–Ellison syndrome.[1] It is also used to prevent upper gastrointestinal bleeding in people who are at high risk.[1] It can be taken by mouth or injected into a vein.[1][4]
Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, headaches, and increased intestinal gas. Serious side effects may include Clostridium difficile colitis, an increased risk of pneumonia, an increased risk of bone fractures, and the potential of masking stomach cancer. It is unclear if it is safe for use in pregnancy. Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor and as such blocks the release of stomach acid.[1]
Omeprazole was discovered in 1979.[5] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system.[6] It is available as a generic medication.[1] The wholesale cost in the developing world as of 2014 is 0.01 to 0.07 USD per dose.[7] In the United States it costs on average 0.5 USD per pill.[8]
Medical uses
Omeprazole can be used in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.[1]
Peptic ulcers
Peptic ulcers may be treated with omeprazole. Treatment of H. pylori infection can be completed by taking a triple therapy combination of omeprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin for 7–14 days.[9] Amoxicillin may be replaced with metronidazole in patients who are allergic to penicillin.[10]
Adverse effects
The most frequent significant adverse effects occurring in at least 1% of patients include:[11]
- Central nervous system: headache (7%), dizziness (2%)
- Respiratory: upper respiratory tract infection (2%), cough (1%)
- Gastrointestinal: abdominal pain (5%), diarrhea (4%), nausea (4%), vomiting (3%), flatulence (3%), acid regurgitation (2%), constipation (2%)
- Neuromuscular and skeletal: back pain (1%), weakness (1%)
- Dermatologic: rash (2%)
Other significant concerns related to adverse effects are:
- Recurrence of Clostridium difficile associated diarrhea[12]
- Osteoporosis-related fractures[13][14]
- Hypomagnesemia[15]
Concern has been expressed regarding vitamin B12[16] and iron malabsorption,[17] but effects seem to be clinically insignificant, especially when supplement therapy is provided.[18]
Since their introduction, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs, especially omeprazole) have also been associated with several cases of acute interstitial nephritis,[19] an inflammation of the kidneys that often occurs as an adverse drug reaction.
Long-term use of PPIs is strongly associated with the development of benign polyps from fundic glands (which is distinct from fundic gland polyposis); these polyps do not cause cancer and resolve when PPIs are discontinued. No association is seen between PPI use and cancer, but use of PPIs may mask gastric cancers or other serious gastric problems and physicians should be aware of this effect.[20]
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Epidemiological data do not show an increased risk of major birth defects after maternal use of omeprazole during pregnancy.[21]
No clinical trials have deeply evaluated the potential consequences of the use of omeprazole in breastfeeding. However, the pharmacokinetics of omeprazole molecule strongly suggest the safety of omeprazole use during breastfeeding:
- Omeprazole has a high plasma protein binding rate (95%),[22] indicating that little amount of drug is transferred to the milk duct during breast milk formation.
- Omeprazole needs to be administrated in an enteric-coated formulation due to its rapid degradation in the acidic conditions of the stomach. This suggests that most of the free molecules ingested by the infant are likely degraded before being absorbed.
Omeprazole at normal doses is likely safe during breastfeeding.[23]
Important drug interactions are rare.[24][25]
However, the most significant major drug interaction concern is the decreased activation of clopidogrel when taken together with omeprazole.[26] Although still controversial,[27] this may increase the risk of stroke or heart attack in people taking clopidogrel to prevent these events.
This interaction is possible because omeprazole is an inhibitor of the enzymes CYP2C19 and CYP3A4.[28] Clopidogrel is an inactive prodrug that partially depends on CYP2C19 for conversion to its active form. Inhibition of CYP2C19 may block the activation of clopidogrel, which could reduce its effects.[29][30]
Almost all benzodiazepines are metabolised by the CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 pathway, and inhibition of these enzymes results in a higher AUC (i.e. the total effect over time of a given dose). Other examples of drugs dependent on CYP3A4 for their metabolism are escitalopram,[31] warfarin,[32] oxycodone, tramadol, and oxymorphone. The concentrations of these drugs may increase if they are used concomitantly with omeprazole.[33]
Omeprazole is also a competitive inhibitor of p-glycoprotein, as are other PPIs.[34]
Drugs that depend on an acidic stomach environment (such as ketoconazole or atazanavir) may be poorly absorbed, whereas acid-labile antibiotics (such as erythromycin which is a very strong CYP3A4 inhibitor) may be absorbed to a greater extent than normal due to the more alkaline environment of the stomach.[33]
St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) and Gingko biloba significantly reduce plasma concentrations of omeprazole through induction of CYP3A4 and CYP2C19.[35]
Proton-pump inhibitors like omeprazole have been found to increase the plasma concentrations of methotrexate.[36]
Mechanism of action
Omeprazole is a selective and irreversible proton pump inhibitor. It suppresses stomach acid secretion by specific inhibition of the H+/K+-ATPase system found at the secretory surface of gastric parietal cells. Because this enzyme system is regarded as the acid (proton, or H+) pump within the gastric mucosa, omeprazole inhibits the final step of acid production.
Omeprazole also inhibits both basal and stimulated acid secretion irrespective of the stimulus.[37]
The inhibitory effect of omeprazole occurs within 1 hour after oral administration. The maximum effect occurs within 2 hours. The duration of inhibition is up to 72 hours. When omeprazole is stopped, baseline stomach acid secretory activity returns after 3 to 5 days. The inhibitory effect of omeprazole on acid secretion will plateau after 4 days of repeated daily dosing.[38]
The absorption of omeprazole takes place in the small intestine and is usually completed within 3 to 6 hours. The systemic bioavailability of omeprazole after repeated dose is about 60%.
Omeprazole, as well as other PPIs, are only effective on active H+/K+-ATPase pumps. These pumps are stimulated in the presence of food to aid in digestion. For this reason, patients should be advised to take omeprazole with a glass of water on an empty stomach.[39][40] Additionally, most sources recommend that after taking omeprazole, at least 30 minutes should be allowed to elapse before eating[41][42] (at least 60 minutes for immediate-release omeprazole plus sodium bicarbonate products, such as Zegerid),[43] though some sources say that with delayed-release forms of omeprazole, waiting before eating after taking the medication is not necessary.[44]
Omeprazole is completely metabolized by the cytochrome P450 system, mainly in the liver. Identified metabolites are the sulfone, the sulfide, and hydroxy-omeprazole, which exert no significant effect on acid secretion. About 80% of an orally given dose is excreted as metabolites in the urine, and the remainder is found in the feces, primarily originating from bile secretion.
Omeprazole contains a tricoordinated sulfinyl sulfur in a pyramidal structure and therefore can exist as either the (S)- or (R)-enantiomers. Omeprazole is a racemate, an equal mixture of the two. In the acidic conditions of the canaliculi of parietal cells, both enantiomers are converted to chiral products (sulfenic acid and sulfenamide configurations) which react with a cysteine group in H+/K+ ATPase, thereby inhibiting the ability of the parietal cells to produce gastric acid.
AstraZeneca has also developed esomeprazole (Nexium) which is a eutomer, purely the (S)-enantiomer, rather than a racemate like omeprazole.
Omeprazole undergoes a chiral shift in vivo which converts the inactive (R)-enantiomer to the active (S)-enantiomer, doubling the concentration of the active form.[45] This chiral shift is accomplished by the CYP2C19 isozyme of cytochrome P450, which is not found equally in all human populations. Those who do not metabolize the drug effectively are called "poor metabolizers". The proportion of the poor metabolizer phenotype varies widely between populations, from 2.0–2.5% in African Americans and white Americans to >20% in Asians; several pharmacogenomics studies have suggested that PPI treatment should be tailored according to CYP2C19 metabolism status.[46]
Measurement in body fluids
Omeprazole may be quantified in plasma or serum to monitor therapy or to confirm a diagnosis of poisoning in hospitalized patients. Plasma omeprazole concentrations are usually in a range of 0.2–1.2 mg/l in persons receiving the drug therapeutically by the oral route and 1–6 mg/l in victims of acute overdose. Enantiomeric chromatographic methods are available to distinguish esomeprazole from racemic omeprazole.[47]
Omeprazole was first marketed in the United States in 1989 by Astra AB, now AstraZeneca, under the brand name Losec. In 1990, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the brand name Losec was changed to Prilosec to avoid confusion with the diuretic Lasix (furosemide).[48] The new name led to confusion between omeprazole (Prilosec) and fluoxetine (Prozac), an antidepressant.[48]
When Prilosec's U.S. patent expired in April 2001, AstraZeneca introduced esomeprazole (Nexium) as a patented replacement drug.[49] Many companies introduced generics as AstraZeneca's patents expired worldwide, which are available under many brand names.
Dosage forms
Omeprazole is available as tablets and capsules (containing omeprazole or omeprazole magnesium) in strengths of 10, 20, 40, and in some markets 80 mg; and as a powder (omeprazole sodium) for intravenous injection. Most oral omeprazole preparations are enteric-coated, due to the rapid degradation of the drug in the acidic conditions of the stomach. This is most commonly achieved by formulating enteric-coated granules within capsules, enteric-coated tablets, and the multiple-unit pellet system (MUPS).[50] An immediate release formulation was approved by the FDA in the United States,[51] which does not require enteric coating.
It is also available for use in injectable form (IV) in Europe, but not in the U.S. The injection pack is a combination pack consisting of a vial and a separate ampule of reconstituting solution. Each 10-ml clear glass vial contains a white to off-white lyophilised powder consisting of omeprazole sodium 42.6 mg, equivalent to 40 mg of omeprazole.
Omeprazole is also available as an oral suspension of enteric-coated beads in the UK as an unlicensed product. Oral suspensions are predominantly used for children, but can also be used by those with difficulty swallowing or those using a feeding tube.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Omeprazole". The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Retrieved Dec 1, 2015.
- ↑ Prilosec Prescribing Information. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.
- ↑ Vaz-Da-Silva, M; Loureiro, AI; Nunes, T; Maia, J; Tavares, S; Falcão, A; Silveira, P; Almeida, L; Soares-Da-Silva, P (2005). "Bioavailability and bioequivalence of two enteric-coated formulations of omeprazole in fasting and fed conditions". Clinical Drug Investigation. 25 (6): 391–9. doi:10.2165/00044011-200525060-00004. PMID 17532679.
- ↑ "Omeprazole 40 mg Powder for Solution for Infusion". EMC. 10 Feb 2016. Retrieved 29 March 2016.
- ↑ Fischer, edited by János; Ganellin, C. Robin (2006). Analogue-based drug discovery. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH. p. 88. ISBN 9783527607495.
- ↑ "WHO Model List of EssentialMedicines" (PDF). World Health Organization. October 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
- ↑ "Omeprazole". International Drug Price Indicator Guide. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- ↑ "NADAC as of 2016-11-16 Data.Medicaid.gov". Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
- ↑ Fuccio, L; Minardi, M. E.; Zagari, R. M.; Grilli, D; Magrini, N; Bazzoli, F (2007). "Meta-analysis: Duration of first-line proton-pump inhibitor based triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication". Annals of Internal Medicine. 147 (8): 553–62. doi:10.7326/0003-4819-147-8-200710160-00008. PMID 17938394.
- ↑ Malfertheiner P, Megraud F, O'Morain C, Bazzoli F, El-Omar E, Graham D, Hunt R, Rokkas T, Vakil N, Kuipers EJ (June 2007). "Current concepts in the management of Helicobacter pylori infection: the Maastricht III Consensus Report". Gut. 56 (6): 772–81. doi:10.1136/gut.2006.101634. PMC 1954853. PMID 17170018.
- ↑ McTavish D, Buckley MM, Heel RC (1991). "Omeprazole. An updated review of its pharmacology and therapeutic use in acid-related disorders". Drugs. 42 (1): 138–70. doi:10.2165/00003495-199142010-00008. PMID 1718683.
- ↑ Abou Chakra, CN; et al. (Jun 2014). "Risk factors for recurrence, complications and mortality in Clostridium difficile infection: a systematic review". PLoS ONE. 9 (6): e98400. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098400. PMC 4045753. PMID 24897375.
- ↑ Yang, Yu-Xiao; et al. (2006). "Long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy and risk of hip fracture". JAMA. 296 (24): 2947–2953. doi:10.1001/jama.296.24.2947. PMID 17190895.
- ↑ Yu, Elaine W.; et al. (2011). "Proton pump inhibitors and risk of fractures: a meta-analysis of 11 international studies". The American Journal of Medicine. 124 (6): 519–526. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.01.007. PMC 3101476. PMID 21605729.
- ↑ Hess, M. W.; et al. (2012). "Systematic review: hypomagnesaemia induced by proton pump inhibition". Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics. 36 (5): 405–413. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2036.2012.05201.x.
- ↑ Neal, Keith; Logan, Richard (2001). "Potential gastrointestinal effects of long‐term acid suppression with proton pump inhibitors". Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics. 15 (7): 1085–1085. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2036.2001.0994a.x. PMID 11421886.
- ↑ Sarzynski, Erin; et al. (2011). "Association between proton pump inhibitor use and anemia: a retrospective cohort study". Digestive diseases and sciences. 56 (8): 2349–2353. doi:10.1007/s10620-011-1589-y. PMID 21318590.
- ↑ McColl, Kenneth EL (2009). "Effect of proton pump inhibitors on vitamins and iron". The American journal of gastroenterology. 104: S5–S9. doi:10.1038/ajg.2009.45. PMID 19262546.
- ↑ Härmark, Linda; et al. (2007). "Proton pump inhibitor‐induced acute interstitial nephritis". British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 64 (6): 819–823. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.02927.x. PMC 2198775. PMID 17635502.
- ↑ Corleto, V.D. (February 2014). "Proton pump inhibitor therapy and potential long-term harm.". Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 21 (1): 3–8. doi:10.1097/med.0000000000000031. PMID 24310148.
- ↑ Pasternak, Björn; Hviid, Anders (2010). "Use of Proton-Pump Inhibitors in Early Pregnancy and the Risk of Birth Defects". New England Journal of Medicine. 363 (22): 2114–23. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1002689. PMID 21105793.
- ↑ "Omeprazole drug summary". PDR.net. Retrieved 2014-03-03.
- ↑ "LACTMED: OMEPRAZOLE". 2015-03-10. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- ↑ Fitzakerley, Janet. "2014 Treatments for Acid-Peptic Diseases." PPIs Side Effects. University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth, 5 Jan. 2014. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
- ↑ Proton Pump Inhibitor: Use in Adults. CMS Medicaid Integrity Program, Aug. 2013. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
- ↑ Douglas, I. J.; Evans, S. J.; Hingorani, A. D.; Grosso, A. M.; Timmis, A; Hemingway, H; Smeeth, L (2012). "Clopidogrel and interaction with proton pump inhibitors: comparison between cohort and within person study designs". BMJ. 345: e4388. doi:10.1136/bmj.e4388. PMC 3392956. PMID 22782731.
- ↑ Focks, J. J.; Brouwer, M. A.; Van Oijen, M. G. H.; Lanas, A.; Bhatt, D. L.; Verheugt, F. W. A. (2012). "Concomitant use of clopidogrel and proton pump inhibitors: Impact on platelet function and clinical outcome- a systematic review". Heart. 99 (8): 520–7. doi:10.1136/heartjnl-2012-302371. PMID 22851683.
- ↑ Shirasaka, Y; Sager, J. E.; Lutz, J. D.; Davis, C; Isoherranen, N (July 2013). "Inhibition of CYP2C19 and CYP3A4 by Omeprazole Metabolites and Their Contribution to Drug-Drug Interactions". Drug Metab. Dispos. 41 (7): 1414–24. doi:10.1124/dmd.113.051722. PMC 3684819. PMID 23620487.
- ↑ Lau WC, Gurbel PA (March 2009). "The drug-drug interaction between proton pump inhibitors and clopidogrel". CMAJ. 180 (7): 699–700. doi:10.1503/cmaj.090251. PMC 2659824. PMID 19332744.
- ↑ Norgard NB, Mathews KD, Wall GC (July 2009). "Drug-drug interaction between clopidogrel and the proton pump inhibitors". Ann Pharmacother. 43 (7): 1266–1274. doi:10.1345/aph.1M051. PMID 19470853.
- ↑ Torkamani, Ali. "Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and CYP2D6". Medscape.com.
- ↑ Daly AK, King BP (May 2003). "Pharmacogenetics of oral anticoagulants". Pharmacogenetics. 13 (5): 247–52. doi:10.1097/01.fpc.0000054071.64000.bd (inactive 2016-03-20). PMID 12724615.
- 1 2 Stedman CA, Barclay ML (August 2000). "Review article: comparison of the pharmacokinetics, acid suppression and efficacy of proton pump inhibitors". Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 14 (8): 963–978. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2036.2000.00788.x. PMID 10930890.
- ↑ Pauli-Magnus C, Rekersbrink S, Klotz U, Fromm MF (December 2001). "Interaction of omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole with P-glycoprotein". Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 364 (6): 551–557. doi:10.1007/s00210-001-0489-7. PMID 11770010.
- ↑ Izzo, AA; Ernst, E (2009). "Interactions between herbal medicines and prescribed drugs: an updated systematic review". Drugs. 69 (13): 1777–1798. doi:10.2165/11317010-000000000-00000. PMID 19719333.
- ↑ Brayfield, A, ed. (6 January 2014). "Methotrexate". Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. Pharmaceutical Press. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
- ↑ "DrugBank: Omeprazole (DB00338)". Drugbank.ca. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
- ↑ Omeprazole [package insert]. India: Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited. Revised: 0613
- ↑ Katz, PO; Gerson, LB; Vela, MF (2013). "Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease". Am J Gastroenterol. 108 (3): 308–28. doi:10.1038/ajg.2012.444. PMID 23419381.
- ↑ PharmacistAnswers Webpage Retrieved 27 February 2014
- ↑ "Omeprazole, in The Free Medical Dictionary". Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ↑ "Omeprazole". Drugs.com. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ↑ "Zegird, How to take". rxlist.com. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ↑ essential drug information. MIMS USA. Retrieved 20 December 2009.
- ↑ Nexium Prescribing Information. AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals.
- ↑ Furuta T, Shirai N, Sugimoto M, Nakamura A, Hishida A, Ishizaki T (Jun 2005). "Influence of CYP2C19 pharmacogenetic polymorphism on proton pump inhibitor-based therapies". Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 20 (3): 153–67. doi:10.2133/dmpk.20.153. PMID 15988117.
- ↑ Baselt RC, Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man, 8th edition, Biomedical Publications, Foster City, CA, 2008, pp. 1146–7. ISBN 978-0-9626523-7-0.
- 1 2 Farley, D (July–August 1995). "Making it easier to read prescriptions". FDA Consum. 29 (6): 25–7. PMID 10143448.
- ↑ Gardiner Harris (6 June 2002). "Prilosec's Maker Switches Users To Nexium, Thwarting Generics". The Wall Street Journal.
- ↑ Jerome Aubert*, Chris JJ Mulder†, Karsten Schrör**, Stephan R Vavricka††. "Omeprazole MUPS®: An Advanced Formulation offering Flexibility and Predictability for Self Medication." SelfCare Journal 2 (2011): 0-0.
- ↑ Santarus. Santarus Receives FDA Approval for Immediate-Release Omeprazole Tablet with Dual Buffers. N.p., 4 Dec. 2009. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
External links
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text:
Executive Team
Jason Smith
Chief Executive Officer
Jason Smith is a highly-regarded technology entrepreneur with more than 20 years of experience building and leading companies in North America. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Solidifi. He is also the President and CEO of Real Matters (Solidifi's parent company). Prior to forming Real Matters, Mr. Smith was the director and executive of Basis100, which he built from a handful of employees into one of the largest publicly-traded technology providers within the mortgage banking industry worldwide. Basis100 was sold in 2004. A leader in his community, Mr. Smith is a director of several corporations and organizations, and is the former Chairman of Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.
Bill Herman
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Herman has more than 20 years of experience in finance and accounting, and a proven track record of leadership in a public company environment. Mr. Herman joined Real Matters as Chief Accounting Officer in September 2016.
Prior to joining Real Matters, Mr. Herman was Executive Vice President and Interim Chief Financial Officer at Progressive Waste Solutions, a multi-billion dollar North American full-service waste management company, where he held various progressively senior management positions from 2002 to 2016. Prior to Progressive Waste, Mr. Herman held various positions with Deloitte & Touche LLP. Mr. Herman is a Chartered Professional Accountant and has an M.B.A. from York University's Schulich School of Business. He also holds a Diploma in Accounting and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Loren Cooke
Executive Vice President and President of Solidifi
Mr. Cooke has 20 years of industry-related experience in promoting and deploying business solutions to the financial services market with an extensive focus on real estate valuation services, mortgage and loan origination technologies and data management. He joined Solidifi in 2008. Prior to joining Solidifi, Mr. Cooke held several senior management positions at Filogix Limited Partnership (a division of Davis & Henderson) and Equifax Inc. in the areas of sales and marketing, operations, client delivery and professional services.
Andrew Bough
Executive Vice President, Valuations
Mr. Bough's experience spans more than 25 years in the U.S. valuations industry. Prior to joining Solidifi in 2018, he was Managing Director of Valuation at JP Morgan Chase. A certified appraiser since 1993, Mr. Bough has held various executive roles with regulated lenders in the United States, including leading valuations operations, and managing collateral risk for retail and wholesale lines of business.
Steve Lockington
Executive Vice President
Mr. Lockington leads the team responsible for program management. He joined Real Matters in 2008 and has held various progressively senior roles, including operations, product development and acquisition integration. Mr. Lockington was instrumental in building Solidifi's U.S. product offering and operations. Prior to joining Real Matters, Mr. Lockington worked in the real estate industry. He holds an honors Bachelor of Commerce Degree from McMaster University.
Kim Montgomery
Executive Vice President
Ms. Montgomery leads the team responsible for extending Real Matters' core network management capabilities across new product verticals and aligning acquisitions. She joined the company in 2008 and was instrumental in building Solidifi's U.S. operations. With more than 15 years of experience in the mortgage lending industry, Ms. Montgomery has a proven track record of identifying and implementing new business practices and delivering high growth. Her diverse background includes leadership positions in sales, operations and compliance, and managing large teams across multiple geographies.
Prior to joining Real Matters, Ms. Montgomery held a number of progressively senior roles at HSBC Financial Corp., including leading the bank's virtual mortgage lending channel in Canada.
Ryan Smith
Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer
Mr. Smith has more than 18 years of experience in mortgage technologies and a wealth of experience in driving high-growth, cross-company engineering initiatives and collaboration strategies that deliver mission critical business solutions. He joined Solidifi in 2006. Throughout his career, Mr. Smith has demonstrated experience in building solutions for the Canadian and U.S. mortgage industries and has gained extensive knowledge and involvement in real estate collateral assessment and mortgage processing. Mr. Smith has held various executive positions at multiple organizations within the industry. As Vice President at Basis100, Mr. Smith led business units responsible for point-of-sale applications designed for mortgage brokers as well as managed the development and implementation of an automated underwriting system for lending institutions. Mr. Smith also led the market requirements and delivery of a U.S. collateral assessment solution, which brought the leading automated valuation model ("AVM") and appraisal companies onto a single transaction platform.
Kevin Walton
Executive Vice President Corporate Development
Mr. Walton's industry experience spans over 16 years, including six years with a global property information services company where he was responsible for developing strategic partnerships, corporate strategy and acquisitions across North America and Europe. Mr. Walton joined Real Matters in 2007. Prior to joining, he was active in the development of one of the first data-based, guaranteed valuation solutions in North America. Mr. Walton started his career in venture capital and merchant banking. Mr. Walton is a Chartered Financial Analyst.
Craig Rowsell
Executive Vice President, Operations and Program Management
Mr. Rowsell has more than 20 years of experience in helping build and deliver technology solutions for the mortgage industry. Prior to joining Solidifi in 2014, he served as Senior Vice President of Business Development & Marketing of FNF Canada Company. Mr. Rowsell also held senior management positions at Nationwide Appraisal Services and Teranet Inc. His industry experience includes various leadership roles in the mortgage processing and collateral management industry. During his career, Mr. Rowsell has been responsible for helping to build and deploy a national AVM, third party risk management solutions, mortgage collection platform and appraisal management solutions. He has been instrumental in delivering solutions to large institutional clients, forming strategic partnerships, driving operational excellence, leading corporate strategy, expanding core businesses into international markets and building new products and services.
Senior Leadership
A.R. Smith
EVP, Client Services
Bruce Waters
Vice President, Solutions Delivery and Network
Charlie Johnson
Vice President, National Sales
Marianne Angarola
Vice President, National Accounts
Mark Pawelek
Chief Compliance Officer
Ming Mertz
Vice President, National Accounts
Peter Christamtsis
Vice President, National Accounts
Stuart Cornwall
Senior Vice President, National Accounts

subset: commoncrawl


text:
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text:
Hello Everyone. What an amazing night to write this post. Smelling my coffee from my mug, the sounds of the keyboard being stroked and the rain hitting the window is all soothing to end a hectic week. I mean, I am not complaining but working for this firm has been fun and exhausting at the same time.
What I like about this job is that the days are never the same. Aside from all the emails I get to answer, and boy do people love to type emails, it is all interesting to me. Marketing is a cut-throat business. I'm just learning to survive it.
I can share 2 things I did the other day. We had a meeting with Sarar, which is an upscale men's suiting and furnishing store at a outlet price. I've never been to a store that is very posh, trendy and caters all your suits and daily sports jackets wear. This store has it all. I'm sure what ever you need to look sharp when you wear a suit, they most certainly have it. What I liked about Sarar is the quality and luxurious fabrics they use for their suits, ties and the quality of leather goods. It's expensive looking but affordable. You be the judge.
To end the our work night we got invited to a store launch for SuitSupply, located on Chicago's prestigious Rush Street. It's the Street where Prada, Marc Jacobs, Barney's New York and the likes are located. This is a place that caters, again, to all your suits needs. Here you can get your everyday suits to your weekend getaway wardrobe. The layout and visual merchandising done in this boutique is top notch. I love how the mannequins fill the clothes not make the clothes look lifeless. The Tie Wall, was amazingly done and a major focal point in the space. It was ties rolled and placed in this cubed wall from dark to bright in hues and chromes. That wall looked like a piece of art.
They are stores opening around Chicago that caters to men's fashion. Wether grooming, accessories, suits and apparel is your thing, I'm sure we have it. I am yet to find a store/boutique/department store that is current, trendy and ahead of the curve. Maybe we are almost there. I want to see a store that pushes the boundaries that showcases some Rick Owens, Yoji Yamamoto, Thom Browne, Kitsune, Margiela. You know, someone that has the courage to say it's okay to wear tunics, a skirt, jeggins and stand out from the boring crowd. To all say that fashion comes within and not what society thinks what menswear suppose to be.


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The way the Herald sees it this morning:
Even the Herald is prepared to go hard against the idea of taxpayers further subsidising the taxpaid generation.
Labour proposes to replace doctors' discretion with free consultations and medicines to the over-65s regardless of their ability to pay. It would give the elderly the same benefits provided to children up to age 13 in this year's Budget, which Labour endorses…
Labour is offering free doctors and medicines to a generation that grew up in a welfare state, attended university at a fraction of the cost faced by their children, bought houses at lower relative prices, had their top income tax rates reduced by half early in their working years and enjoyed galloping house price inflation in their peak earning period.
Some have been able to invest in multiple houses to generate additional retirement income, which would not be taken into account when Labour provides them with free medical services at a cost to the taxpaying generation, which has already had to pay a higher share of its tertiary education costs and taken out much higher house mortgages to afford a home of their own in a market inflated by the lucky generation's appetite for investment property…
If Labour's Budget calculations give it a spare $280 million a year, its supporters could probably suggest several more urgent uses of that money…
And so, dear reader, could you.
And so you should, because it's yours. Not that any of the political parties acknowledge that.
It is too easy for political parties to promise handouts in election year. No rival is going to say senior citizens do not need it. The election becomes an auction in which all parties put up their bids at public expense. If the party wins power it is obliged to carry out the promise no matter how cheaply it was made. And once enacted, the benefit becomes almost impossible to remove. Taxpayers bear the waste and the economy loses the investment. It is one way that nations get poor.
And taxpayers get fleeced.


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The Southern Comfort Stuffed Burger
Made with deep-fried bacon mac and cheese cooked inside an Angus burger and topped with a special sauce.
The Douche Burger
Originally intended as a joke, this $666 burger contains a Kobe patty stuffed with foie gras and wrapped in gold leaf with caviar, lobster and truffles piled on top. It's then laid with Gruyere that has been melted with Champagne steam and BBQ sauce made with the most expensive coffee in the world.
The Pigeon and Worm Burger
Rentokill, a pest control company in the UK, opened a pop-up restaurant in London which served a sweet chili pigeon burger, garnished with cheddar cheese- infused meal worms.
The Bogan Burger
Fitzroy's Pub in Australia sells a burger with with an entire steak, a chicken schnitzel, a potato cake, bacon, egg, melted cheese, onion, pineapple and beetroot for $15.50
The Hot Fudge Sunday Burger
Available at McGuire's Irish Pub in Florida, the burger consists of Black Angus beef with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.
The Stem Cell Burger
Scientist Mark Post is creating the world's first "ethical burger" by turning stem cells into meat. When the process is completed, the meat will be available for just £220,000!
Burger-Flavored Ice Cream
Sorbitum ices' barbecue burger-flavored ice cream created for National Burger Day in the UK. Strawberry sauce subbed for tomato ketchup and candied bacon was available in lieu of sprinkles.
Habanero Cheeseburger
Carlsbad Tavern in Scottsdale, AZ lays claim to America's hottest burger with 2 ounces of habanero peppers!
A Burger King Burger With 1,000 Slices of Cheese
No, just no.
The Lasagna Burger
The Lasagne Burger, available at Dude Foods, is an extremely meaty lasagna sandwiched inside a roll.
Nintendo 1 Up Mushroom Burger
This one's actually a recipe you can try at home, and it taste much better than it looks….
Wimpy's Braille Burger
Wimpy's limited-edition braille burgers spelled out the message "100% Pure Beef Burger Made For You" in braille on the bun. It might not seem unappetizing at first, but just think of everybody rubbing their fingers all over your burger… ewww….
Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburgers
Made of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, bacon, and burger patties, and available at Mulligan's in Georgia.
Kuro Diamond Burger
Burger King used bamboo charcoal and mixed the meat with scores of black pepper to create this burger available in Japan.
The Aka Burger
Also available at Burger King in Japan, the Aka burger, which means "red burger" in Japanese, is served with red cheese, red tomatoes, and red spice sauce made with chili peppers and chili paste.
The Deep-Fried Gravy Burger
Made of chicken gravy, breaded in seasoned flour and deep-fried.
This Nutburger from Matt's Place in Butte, Montana is made with chopped peanuts mixed with mayo.
Cheeseburger In A Can
There is no way a Cheeseburger in a can is a good idea.
The Quadruple Bypass Burger
The Heart Attack Grill in Las Vegas has created a successful business out of the idea that their burgers are so unhealthy, you'll need a triple bypass after consuming them. This particular monstrosity has 9,982 calories and consists of four half-pound beef patties, twenty strips of bacon, eight slices of American cheese, a whole tomato and half an onion served in a bun coated with lard.
You should be reluctant to try any of these…


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The Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) provides a focus on both Revenue expenditure (day-to-day running costs of providing services) and Capital expenditure (long term investment in infrastructure like schools and roads). The department is a support service and delivers all of the strategic and corporate functions traditionally provided by a local authority finance department. Corporate Finance and Financial Planning Statement of Accounts Each year the County Council is required to produce a Statement of Accounts. This document sets out a summary of our financial affairs and together with the Annual Plan and many other plans we must produce by law, provides a commentary on our performance. Making sure we are accountable for our work is extremely important and our financial statements help to show how your money has been used. The links below provide access to our Statement of Accounts, the Annual Audit Letter and the accounts of The Somerset Waste Partnership The Statement of Accounts is available to read by everyone. For more information on these accounts, or to obtain a copy of them (free to Somerset residents) please use links in the Information and Resources section opposite to download a copy in PDF format. The annual Statement of Accounts summarises our financial affairs for the year and shows our position at the end of the year (31 March). It includes the following:
The Chief Financial Officer's introduction - highlights some of the most important matters reported in the accounts and comments on any issues that have had a major effect on our finances, before looking ahead to the future
Statement of responsibilities - explains our responsibilities for our financial affairs and how we make sure we carry out these responsibilities properly
Annual Governance Statement - gives the results of our yearly assessment of how well we are managing and controlling risks to achieve our aims and meet the responsibilities we have by law
Statement of accounting policies - summarises the accounting rules and conventions we have used in preparing our accounts
Comprehensive Income and Expenditure Statement - a summary of our spending on services and where we got the money from
Statement of Movement in Reserves - shows whether we have over- or under-spent against the Council Tax that we raised for the year, taking into account the use of reserves built up in the past and contributions to reserves earmarked for future expenditure
Balance Sheet - shows our financial position as a whole at the start and end of the financial year
Cash-flow Statement - shows the overall movement of cash during the year for revenue and capital
Notes to the Core Financial Statements - provides more information on the figures contained in the above statements
The Pension Fund - summarises the accounts of our Local Government Pension Fund. We use this fund to pay former employees their pensions and other benefits when they retire
Glossary of terms - explains terms that we have used throughout the Statement of Accounts
Contact Interim Director of FinanceAddress Somerset County CouncilCounty HallTauntonSomersetTA1 4DYEmail email@example.com Phone 01823 355213Fax 01823 356108
Income Code of Practice
» Indicates required fields


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provides complete service for yacht owners
For some sailors part of the enjoyment of a sailing holiday is getting stuck into the sailing itself and the daily operation of the yacht. Another way to do it is to let someone else cater for all of your needs onboard, sit back, relax and enjoy the locations you are visiting in style, and take a crewed holiday.
A simple addition of a hostess might be enough for some people, as he or she will ensure that the yacht is kept tidy and that all the provisioning is taken care of. On selected yachts you are also able to request a qualified chef to join you on board, to ensure you have some truly memorable culinary experiences aboard your yacht.
Our motor yacht charter packages also generally come with anywhere between 2 and 5 crew onboard, geared towards a serious luxury experience. Most motor yacht packages also include the option of an all-inclusive catering option.
All gulets and mega yachts are chartered with a crew (captain, cook and an additional crew member for the bigger gulets).
All our cooks are famous for providing a superb array of lunches and dinners based on Croatian/ Mediterranean cuisine.
Other meals or vegetarian dishes can be prepared on request.
For better planning, your specific requirements would be appreciated in order to provide food required before your arrival.
For any further information please call us directly or enquire by e-mail: email@example.com
Sun Life Charter Ltd.
Uvala Baluni 9
21000 Split


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A classic case of CO posioning CT image here-
VCU MCV Hospital Emergency Department Residency's Site
VCU MCV Hospital Emergency Department Residency's Site
Further Reading-Selective necrosis and degeneration of the globus pallidus are characteristic autopsy findings in patients with severe carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
The most common abnormal CT findings are low-density areas in the basal ganglia. These lesions vary from small (limited to the globus pallidus) to large (extending to the internal capsule). Awareness of the potential for basal ganglia lesions in CO poisoning leads to more accurate CT interpretation and may have significant prognostic implications.
Computed tomographic in acute carbon monoxide poisoning
4/ 5Oleh Habifa


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Logistics Experts Try to Pull Off Afghanistan "Miracle"
The logisticians have been asked to pull off a near-miracle, to hear them describe it. In their words, they have to "force-flow" 30,000 new U.S. troops into Afghanistan, per President Barack Obama's orders. That's not counting 7,000 new NATO troops as well.
Admiral Mike Mullen already said in congressional testimony that it's more likely they'll only get to the 20,000 or 25,000 mark by the end of next summer. But he was meeting with the military's top movement experts to make sure it doesn't slip any further.
"I hope you have a Plan B," he said, as the armored vehicle expert described his headaches trying to get enough mine-resistant armored personnel carriers (MRAPs) into the country.
"You're going to have to make some tough choices," he added, as he listened to the complex issues – not enough air lift, not enough storage space, too many troops from too many nations coming in at once. Those tough choices include options like making a group of incoming troops cool their heels in Kyrgyzstan or the Gulf to make way for an MRAP delivery bound for Helmand.
The main problem is that almost everything has to come in by air, so Bagram Airport becomes a choke point.
Army engineers explained to the admiral that they're trying to figure out how to de-mine enough of the airport hinterlands to build "ramp space," where everything from new MRAPs to pallets of water need can be unloaded and stored en route to reaching the troops wherever they're going.
They also plan to expand "bed spaces" from 2,000 to 6,000 at Manas Airbase in Kyrgyzstan – a major staging point for troops before flying in to Bagram Airfield, north of Kabul.
"What we are pressing to do is getting here as fast as we can," Mullen said later, as he did a battlefield circulation of forward operating bases around Kabul.
"We are very comfortable on the front end, on the first 16,000 troops, but we are working the details of the other 14,000," he said. "We are going to try to get the vast majority of the force here in the July-August time frame. So we'll see."
The planning team also has to figure out how to get a basic infrastructure in place in the field before many of those troops arrive – most headed to the south. In many areas, new bases must be built from scratch to meet Gen. Stanley McChrystal's strategy of embedding his troops with, or closer to the Afghan population, to give them a sense of security, and protect them from the Taliban in order to win their trust.
"Build it lean," Mullen told the assembled officers. That means plywood floors, not concrete – nothing built to last. "This is no-kidding expeditionary," he added. "We're not staying here forever."


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Reynolds Kitchens® Tips
Reynolds Kitchens tip
Making Meal Magic is simple. Reynolds products help you to make your meals easier and faster. Learn how to cook your best with Reynolds Kitchens.
- 1 cup warm water (105 F° to 115 F° )
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 package active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up and softened
- 3 tablespoons dark rum or orange juice
- 4 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
- 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel
- 1/2 cup lemon and/or orange juice
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Step 1
Place the warm water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the 1 tablespoon granulated sugar until it dissolves. Sprinkle the yeast in the water and let mixture stand for 5 minutes or until it bubbles. Stir in the 3/4 cup flour to make a smooth wet batter. Cover and let batter rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.
Step 2
In another small bowl, beat the egg, egg yolk, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and salt with a wooden spoon. Pour egg mixture into the yeast mixture. Stir in 3 cups of the flour, the butter, dark rum, orange peel, and lemon peel. Stir until combined. Stir in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup flour as you can.
Step 3
Transer dough to a lightly floured surface. Knead in remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough (3 to 4 minutes). Shape dough into a ball. Place ball in a lightly buttered bowl, turning once to grease the surface of the dough. Cover dough and let rise in a warm place until double in size (1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours). Punch down dough. Transfer dough out to a lightly floured surface; divide in half.
Step 4
Cover; let rest for 10 minutes. With a dough scraper or sharp knife, chop each dough portion into 15 pieces.
Step 5
To shape, roll each piece of dough into a rope about 1/2 inch thick and about 8 inches long. Form each rope into a ring and pinch the ends together.
Step 6
Arrange the rings 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with Reynolds® Parchment Paper or a sheet greased with butter.
Step 7
Cover the sheets with kitchen towels and let the bussolai rise for 30 minutes.
Step 8
To bake two sheets of bussolai at a time, place a rack in the upper third of the oven and another in the lower third.
Step 9
Preheat oven to 375 F°.
Step 10
Bake the bussolai in preheated oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. If baking two baking sheets at once, rotate the pans halfway through baking.
Step 11
Transfer bussolai to a wire rack and cool completely.
Step 12
Meanwhile, for the glaze, place the lemon and/or orange juice in a large bowl.
Step 13
Sift the powdered sugar into the juice. Stir to combine. (If you prefer a thinner glaze, stir additional juice into the glaze.)
Step 14
Dip top of each ring into the glaze and flip it upright and place on a wire rack. Let the glaze set.
Step 15
Arrange bussolai on a serving platter or hang them on the Christmas tree.
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Providers Blog Posts
Preschool Promise Initiatives
A key part of 4C's mission is to advocate for public support for quality early education and care for all children. 4C is proud to support the following initiatives that will expand access to quality preschool in two of the regions we serve.
Cincinnati Preschool Promise
The Cincinnati Preschool Promise has worked for several years in a community-driven way to build broad support to dramatically expand access to quality preschool throughout the city of Cincinnati. Working together, Cincinnati Preschool Promise and Cincinnati Public Schools sponsored a combined levy on the November 2016 ballot that will provide $15 million per year to expanding access to preschool for those living within the Cincinnati Public School district over the next five years.
Montgomery County Preschool Promise
The Montgomery County Preschool Promise is an initiative designed to ensure that all children can attend at least one year of affordable, high quality preschool. The goal is to help every child start school fully ready to learn. A demonstration of the Preschool Promise is underway in Kettering and Northwest Dayton and the Montgomery County Preschool Promise hopes the program will go county-wide by 2018 or 2019.
4C helped implement the pilot program used in the Kettering city schools and is actively participating in the demonstration model by assisting:
- parents to determine eligibility.
- parents to find quality preschool options.
- high-quality program providers with accessing tuition reimbursement.
- all providers in improving quality through incentives, coaching and training.


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Thursday, April 2, 2009
Tilda holding flower
31 comments:
- Anne said...
Oh, this is so cute! What lovely spring colours you've used
- April 2, 2009 at 3:06 AM
- Michele Spera said...
This Tilda is a cutie! I like the colors you used on it:-) I'm sure the birthday person will love it!
Nice job
- April 2, 2009 at 5:45 AM
- Jacque said...
Danni, really pretty...I love that paper and such a cute inside you have done...Hugs
- April 2, 2009 at 7:12 AM
- Tara said...
A really sweet card Danni and I so love the inside! xx
- April 2, 2009 at 7:22 AM
- stampinfrog said...
Love the card! Beautiful color and image with fantastic coloring!TFS
Hugs, Danni
- April 2, 2009 at 7:43 AM
- jami {sgtStamper} said...
Totally adorable!! I just ordered some of these Tilda stamps -I agree, tooooo cute!! Love the paper you used, matches that image perfectly!!
- April 2, 2009 at 8:14 AM
- Chrissy D said...
This is soooo cute! Love the bright, cheerful colors!
- April 2, 2009 at 8:30 AM
- Tina said...
She is sooo adorable. Fantabulous!
- April 2, 2009 at 8:49 AM
- Jacilynn said...
Gorgeous! I love that the inside image matches the flower of the outside one. Great Colors! Hope you have a fantastic day!
- April 2, 2009 at 9:51 AM
Danni, this is so super sweet!! Your coloring is just beautiful!! TFS! :)
- April 2, 2009 at 10:08 AM
- Joan said...
Very cute card - I like how you've arranged the papers so that there are diagonal lines in the back!
- April 2, 2009 at 10:47 AM
- Jessica G. said...
How sweet! The DP coordinates so perfectly with Tilda's dress and I really like how you decorated the inside of the card, too!
- April 2, 2009 at 10:57 AM
- Lynn Mercurio said...
I love your red-headed Magnolia girl. *wink*
- April 2, 2009 at 11:33 AM
- Emily said...
soo cute love your coloring and the layout!!!
- April 2, 2009 at 1:57 PM
- Tammi said...
She IS sweet, cute Danni! It's been awhile since I've used any of my Magnolia's, I need to get them out again. :)
- April 2, 2009 at 2:36 PM
- Janine said...
Thanks for stopping by my blog!! I like what you did here... Love that you decorated the inside...
- April 2, 2009 at 3:37 PM
- Janna said...
This is just so, so sweet Danni!!! The colors are so fresh and springy and your coloring is amazing! I adore the way you did the background though! So cool!!
- April 2, 2009 at 4:10 PM
- Jodi said...
Cute card, and such a pretty colored Tilda!! You chose such happy colors for her!
Jodi =)
- April 2, 2009 at 4:23 PM
- Maria Matter said...
Hi Danni!
Love the coloring of your Tilda!
A beautiful card!
Great minds think alike...guess it was the day to make Magnolia cards with flowers...you know we're both thinking of springtime!
Blessings, Maria
- April 2, 2009 at 5:15 PM
- Heather said...
This is just gorgeous! Your coloring is always so fabulous!!! Thanks for inspiring!
- April 2, 2009 at 5:42 PM
- Dawn (flowergal36) said...
This is adorable. I used one today and a lady commented that she did not like Magnolia...WHAT. how can you not love these. I think the colors you chose are super. I used one of your RAK Rubber Romance images you sent me. I love those things too. TFS
- April 2, 2009 at 6:07 PM
- Maria said...
What a wonderful job of color this precious image, I love the detail of the inside of the card too!
- April 2, 2009 at 6:27 PM
- Ann Kranitz said...
cute cute Danni!! You are inspiring me to whip out my much neglected Tildas~~
- April 2, 2009 at 7:06 PM
- Ann said...
So sweet!
- April 2, 2009 at 7:44 PM
- Maria said...
Oh what a cutie Danni! I love the vibrant blue color of your card and the love job you did coloring Tilda! I love Tilda too. . .she is so fun to color!!
- April 2, 2009 at 7:56 PM
- Shelly said...
Such a pretty card. The paper is perfect for with that image and the colors you used. I also really like the sketch. Something out of the ordinary. You're so good at coming up with fresh ideas.
- April 2, 2009 at 9:18 PM
- Cathy said...
I love Tilda too. This is so fresh and springy!! Love it!!
- April 2, 2009 at 9:24 PM
- Kristie said...
Very cute! This is one of my favorite Magnolias to use :)
- April 3, 2009 at 5:58 AM
- Netta said...
so cute......I like the background how you did it. having the split just adds color and breaks it up. great card Danni....as usual
- April 3, 2009 at 6:05 AM
- Christine Riley said...
Such a sweet card, Danni, love it :)
Hugs, christine
- April 3, 2009 at 6:53 AM
- Heather said...
This card is really pretty and I really love the off centered trianle pannels!!!!
The blues and Yellows went to well together!!! So cute Danni!!!
- April 3, 2009 at 10:11 AM


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This practical field guide provides actions to reduce the long-term maintenance costs and the impact of unsealed roads on the environment, including minimising pollution into our waterways.See further details below.
Erosion and sediment control on unsealed roads(PDF 3.4MB)
Managing urban stormwater: harvesting and reuse presents an overview of stormwater harvesting and its potential benefits and limitations. It also provides guidance on the planning and design aspects of stormwater harvesting projects, taking into account statutory and regulatory requirements.
Managing urban stormwater: harvesting and reuse (PDF 1.78MB)
The Managing urban stormwater: soils and construction publications provide guidance on erosion and sediment control during construction and other land disturbance activities.
Volume 1: Blue Book. These documents provide guidance for local councils and practitioners on the design, construction and implementation of measures to improve stormwater management, primarily erosion and sediment control, during the construction-phase of urban development.
or download in sections:
Also available as part of Volume 1:
Planning for erosion and sediment control on single residential allotments, 1st Edition (PDF 1.4MB)
Volume 2A: Installation of services. This document provides guidelines, principles and recommended design standards for managing erosion and sediment control during service installation. Service installation activities include laying pipelines for water, stormwater, sewage or gas; and constructing powerlines.Volume 2A: Installation of services (PDF 1.544MB)
Volume 2B: Waste landfills. This publication provides guidelines, principles and recommended minimum design standards for those managing erosion and sediment control in waste landfills. A waste landfill activity is defined as any activity that involves disposing of waste to landfill, and includes covering buried wastes with soil or other material. Volume 2B: Waste landfills (PDF 804KB)
Volume 2C: Unsealed roads. This document provides guidelines, principles and recommended design standards for those managing erosion and sediment control on unsealed roads. Unsealed roads are common in rural areas, forests, parks and other areas where traffic volumes are low. They can generate a significant amount of erosion during their construction and operation.Volume 2C: Unsealed roads (PDF 1.408MB)
Volume 2D: Main road construction. This publication provides guidelines, principles and recommended minimum design standards for those managing erosion and sediment control during the construction of main roads. The construction of main roads and highways commonly involves extensive earthworks, with significant potential for erosion and subsequent sedimentation of waterways and the landscape.Volume 2D: Main road construction (PDF 903KB)
Volume 2E: Mines and quarries. This publication provides guidelines, principles and recommended minimum design standards for those managing erosion and sediment control at mines and quarries. Mines and quarries, particularly those involving surface extraction, often involve significant areas of land disturbance and earthworks which require the planning, design, construction and maintenance of effective erosion and sediment control measures.Volume 2E: Mines and quarries (PDF 2.578MB)
This field guide has been published to support organisations that wish to implement practices that reduce long-term maintenance costs and the impact of unsealed roads on the environment. It provides operators and contractors with practical, hands-on guidance for soil and sediment control practices that improve asset management and minimise the amount of sediment entering waterways. The field guide is educational and advisory in nature with the principles and practices applicable to any unsealed road. It has been developed through extensive consultation with field staff and practitioners to help capture valuable knowledge and experience and is designed to be stored in field vehicles. It can be used as either a stand alone resource or as part of an existing maintenance program. Site-specific and organisational requirements still prevail to meet the relevant operational, safety and environmental outcomes.
Erosion and sediment control on unsealed roads (PDF 3.4MB)
The purpose of A resource guide for local councils: Erosion and Sediment control is to look at how local councils can develop, adopt and maintain a consistent and rigorous approach to erosion and sediment control across their areas of operations. It is not a 'how to' guide, but rather a collection of recommendations and resources that can be used by council officers who are striving to develop an integrated and effective approach to erosion and sediment control.
Councils are responsible for providing and maintaining a range of public services. This resource guide aims to support councils in developing their environmental management capacity, to reduce any incidental environmental impacts from their operations.
A resource guide for councils: Environmental management of council operations (PDF 1.3MB)
The Office of Environment and Heritage, with assistance from the Division of Local Government (DLG), has undertaken a desktop monitoring project to check on the implementation of the stormwater management service charge. The project was based on published council information and DLG data for the financial years of 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. The project report, Stormwater management service charge implementation monitoring (covering financial years 2006-07 to 2008-09) (PDF 183KB) presents the findings from this monitoring project.
Summary evaluation report - The drain is just for rain - This document provides a summary of the extent to which the Urban Stormwater Education Program, conducted between 1999–2004, worked, and what was learnt from it. It is intended to help others who have responsibility for the delivery of education for sustainability.
The drain is just for rain - summary evaluation report (PDF 146KB)
NSW TAFE has a course for people, businesses and agencies who want to develop a working knowledge of soil erosion and water pollution processes, and the practical application of soil erosion and water pollution control measures that can be tailored for road and track construction. The course teaches how to plan and apply best-practice principles of soil erosion and water pollution control measures as necessary for a site/workplace, in accordance with appropriate legislation. Courses are tailored for all types of situations associated with road/track construction and maintenance, catchment management/rehabilitation, infrastructure corridors, resource extraction, urban developments, and general earthmoving. For more information contact the Orange Campus: 1300 823 393.
Poor environmental management, particularly on properties located within the urban rural fringe has long been the concern of local councils and state agencies in New South Wales and indeed throughout Australia. This guide has been prepared to assist councils considering the introduction of incentive schemes for rural property owners.
Economic incentives for environmental management (PDF 868KB)
A best practice environmental guide for keeping horses. This guide provides practical advice on how to protect and improve the natural environment on and around horse properties and gives practical advice on caring for horses. It provides insight into land and water management issues commonly encountered on properties where horses are kept and techniques for minimising the environmental impact of these properties.
Horse properties on the rural urban fringe (PDF 809KB)
A template or framework for environmental management designed to assist property or business owners to develop a plan without in-depth knowledge of natural resource management or environmental protection and enhancement. The template draws on a wide range of related publications and resources. Information provided in the management plan and references at the end of this guide provide valuable assistance in the preparation of a property management plan.
Property management plan: a framework for environmental management (PDF 940KB)
Land use on the urban rural fringe is very diverse and continues to change over time. Similarly, the range in lot sizes within rural areas is diverse with land use activities ranging from poultry and intensive horticulture to rural residential properties and hobby farms.
This audit guidebook and protocol for rural businesses and rural residential properties provides guidance to council officers and environmental professionals in NSW in conducting environmental assessments on rural properties and/or business operations and provides information on what a council officer should look for when carrying out an assessment.
Environmental assessment (PDF 870KB)
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Friends, this project is quick and simple, I promise. If you can sew one straight line on your machine, consider yourself a scarf maker. If I managed to do it from only a verbal explanation and with zero sewing skills, anyone can do it.
So here we go.
Supply List
- Scissors
- Tea light or candle and matches
- Sewing machine
- Elastic thread (I've found it at JoAnn's and Wal-Mart for less than $2.00. It is kept with the elastic products, not with the thread)
- Fabric with polyester in it. Sheer fabric works the best but any silky-looking fabric with polyester in it works great as well. You'll need 1/2 yard for an adult scarf and 1/4 yard for a kid's scarf.
I used this sheer butterfly fabric from JoAnn's for my scarf.
I loved that it already had the embellishments sewn onto it and it was a great fabric to work with.
I wanted a gingham print for my daughter but couldn't find a sheer gingham fabric in stores or online (if you find any you MUST tell me where I can get it). So I took a chance on this poly/nylon gingham in lavender (it looks and feels like a light-weight taffeta and has a a little bit of sheen to it).
I like how it turned out. It's not your typical scarf material, but that adds to the charm.
Simple Melted Spring Scarf Tutorial
1. Wind your bobbin by hand with the elastic thread using some tension as you wind it. Then put the bobbin back in the machine and thread it as you normally do.
2. Thread your machine with regular cotton thread (only the bobbin needs elastic thread).
3. Cut your fabric into two long strips (don't worry about perfectly straight cuts). For the adult scarf, I cut my two strips each about 6 inches wide and 60 inches long (your scarf will shrink to approximately half the original length once it is sewn). Adjust it to the length and width that's right for your style and height.
4. Sew the two strips together at one end, leaving your self with one very long thin strip of fabric.
5. Light a tea light or candle and set it on a heat-safe, flat surface.
6. Hold the edge of your fabric in the flame to melt it. Continue melting the edges of your fabric around the entire perimeter of the scarf. This seals and finishes the edge (taking care of the fraying) with a unique look and without hemming and finishing it on a machine- hooray!
Notes about melting fabric: Don't be intimidated, after a little practice, it's quick and easy. If you've melted fabric flowers for other projects, you're already skilled for this job. I suggest practicing on a fabric scrap first. Sheer fabrics melt fast and ignite easily, so be careful and don't panic if it lights on fire, just blow it out and move on. Silky fabrics melt slower, but be careful not to hold them too close to the flame or you will melt a tiny hole in the fabric ( i have a few in mine, but when the scarf is finished, you can't see them.) The edges should be a bit curvy and uneven, that is the look you are going for, so please don't worry about messing it up.
7. Sew a straight stitch down the center of the entire length of fabric and watch it ruffle as you go.
(I added a second row of stitches on the gingham fabric because it wasn't ruffly enough with just the single row of stitching (the more rows of stitches, the tighter the ruffle will be). The sheer butterfly fabric was perfectly ruffled with just one row of stitches.)
8. Don your new Spring scarf and think about how clever you are on the inside and the out ;)
I'm linking this project to these tremendous blogs this week


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Rebekka Redd is an accomplished global fly angler, photographer, adventurer, published writer, speaker, conservationist and TV show host.
Along with her work in television, she has garnered a worldwide following through her photography and writing.
Her writing is published both locally and worldwide, and has been featured on numerous front covers of Canadian Outdoors and fly fishing magazines.
Rebekka travels around the globe filming, fly fishing, and hosting trips with a strong focus on inspiring others.
Visual storytelling is the core of her photography, writing, and work. From local streams to remote jungle waterways, Rebekka has been there with both fly rod and camera, and she loves to share the knowledge and experience she gains along the way.
Growing up on a horse farm with two older brothers and her parents, she learned to value what matters most. Family is of utmost importance to Rebekka, and her love of fishing began at age 7 as a way to bond with her two brothers while fishing for walleye in their local waters.
Her eldest brother, who was her mentor, hero and fishing partner, died tragically when she was a teenager. During that time she took up fly fishing on her own, and over the years fly fishing and being outdoors has helped heal her heart. Today, Rebekka fishes in memory of her beloved brother and spends as much time as she can with her family.
In addition to fly fishing, Rebekka is passionate about helping people, animals, the environment and our precious fisheries. She has always had a deep respect for the natural world.
Rebekka owns & operates a non-profit horse rescue, is an active member of her local steelhead association, Trout Unlimited & more.
She is an fly fishing Advisor for Thomas and Thomas fly rods, a founding ambassador for project healing waters, a founding member with Abel Women Fly Fishing team, an active A-Team member with Alumacraft boats, sponsored by Abel Reels,
and an ambassador for the American Museum of Fly Fishing . She is also CEO and founder of North Shore Women's Fly Fishing Association.
She dedicates time from her schedule to mentor aspiring young anglers at outdoor trade shows & community involvement programs teaching fly fishing/ casting, catch and release, and conservation practices; very much like her brother did before he passed.
When she has time away from fishing, she works professionally in film. Her past experience includes working as DOP creating Country Music Television videos, and working on CBC's #1 family drama, HeartLand. Rebekka has a black belt in TKD & education in Exercise physiology.
With out a doubt, Rebekka's sense of humour, humility, great outlook on life, strong faith, her winding life path and tireless passion for film, photography, fly fishing, family and the outdoors continue to shape her success.


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Well, maybe. But that's hardly the answer to our inability to compete on the global state.
Should we overlook the fact that almost every country in the world outperforms our students on standardized exams - we come in right behind Bangladesh? Maybe what we need is simply more students.
These are now dated statistics - but not so long ago 600,000 workers in Japanese auto companies produced 1.2 million cars per year. It took 2.5 million workers in the U. S. to produce the same number. Is it more of those kinds of "jobs" we need?
At the same time, they required one accountant to our six to do the same work. Is the answer to employ eight to one?
A "job" in America is something the average American "gets"in order to get a paycheck to buy what he or she thinks they deserve. The average Chinese saves 20 times more than the average American. Let us encourage more spending and less saving. Although how that would help the trade balance is a mystery to everyone but our Washington economists.
But, yeah, let's spend money we haven't got to make jobs we don't need. Then we can all line up for a hand-out. Every single member of Congress will gain from the bail-outs. If YOU don't, who is fooling you?
I don't claim to be as clever as all of those politicians who are making a lot more money than I am. But there are a couple of things I just don't understand, even so. If the way out of the economic mess we're in is to spend enough money to get us back where we were, what kind of "change" is that?
If we sunk ourselves with a borrow-and-spend mentality, how is doing more of that going to bring us to our brave new world?
As poor as some of them are (by contrast), the Chinese save 25 times more than we do. If our government says, "Get out there and spend, spend, spend..." didn't that contribute to the hole we dug ourselves into in the first place? Americans already owe more than they make. Why, if that didn't work, do we want to bring it back?
If our government is our exemplar, and their overriding policy is to borrow more in order to spend more, and by default perhaps encourage us to do that, is that the way out?
A democracy requires fiscally-responsible citizens. Maybe big government comes about as the answer to the problem that there are no longer enough of those kinds of voters to make small government possible. The more voters there are who can't - or won't - be responsible for themselves, the more government agencies are required to do that for them. Is that what the founding fathers had in mind?
And where did our present economists go to school - if what they learned was that a consumption and service economy is more viable in this globalization world than inventing and exporting something of tangible value to the rest of the world? The answer is not "jobs". It is competence, and it is relevance. Those are not our present government's criteria.
"We're going to balance the budget" is just "woo" talk - somewhat akin to "I will lover you forever," or "Our toothpaste is better than anyone else's." Are we citizens really that dumb? Or are we voting our own personal interests - nothing beyond that? One hears very little these days about self-responsibility. Has democracy come to mean the right to buy whatever you want?
There has been much talk in recent months about how there may be better methods for selecting future leaders. There have always been failures, and these days, we are simply more aware of them. Most of all that palaver hinges on making the wrong person responsible. Here's a more realistic take on the problem.
It is ultimately the candidate's problem - or should be in a world right side up. Besides, it take two to tango. Few would-be leaders walk into the arena with a gun to their heads. They worked at getting cast in the role - probably even fibbed a bit. So how did unilateral selection get to be the problem? Here's how it should be seen in a world right side up.
If the candidate isn't smart enough to figure out that he or she is likely to be a failure in that role, then that person is not a very viable candidate for that role. That's most people. If the candidate is smart enough to know that he or she could be a failure in the role, then that person has the primary qualification for the role. If you know why and how you would be likely to fail, then you're probably smart enough to avoid doing so. So many leaders fail. If they're smart enough to be leaders, why wouldn't they know if they are one of those?
It's mainly a matter of who owns the problem of choosing. If it's the selection committee or even worse experts, the choice will be wrong more often than it is right. If we play at being grow-ups, and approach it as if it were (it is) the candidate's problem, then the candidate has to reveal wheter or not she has the "right stuff." The "right stuff" is knowing oneself well enough to avoid choosing oneself for the role.
Getting the person who ought to own the problem to own the problem is the first step in building a high-performance organization.
How many interviewers do you know who got fired for making such a critical mistake? Where the wrong person owns the problem (whatever it is), the outcome is usually bad.
You can judge your leaders by whether they agree with you or not. But if they don't produce consequences that are good for the long-term best interests of the society - which is to say all of us - then they may simply be toxic (to use a popular term in its popular use).
Look first to determine how superbly they performed their leadership role in all of its aspects. For example, CEOs have a moral obligation to make the larger economy better than it was when they stepped into that role. Their role says they are to serve the best self-interests of all of their stakeholders, not just those who track only the numbers.
Then measure the consequences some 20 or 30 years after they have left office. What President has not promised to make a better world for all of us? If you bought into that, how's that working for you?
Recently the Harvard Business Review (blogwise) offered an open forum on the question: "Should leaders be 'frank' or 'deceptive'?" That a really weird question. Are we to imagine Hamlet asking, "To be or not to be 'frank'? - that is the question." Or "To be or not to be 'deceptive'? - that is the question." And since when is candor or deception - like "love" - not in the eye of the beholder?
The question is surely not "frank" - since the asker does not reveal what's in it for him. And if the "leader" is not "frank," does that mean necessarily that she is being "deceptive?"
But that's what definitions can do for you. They can lead you down dead-end streets. If a "leader" is just a bag of tricks, why would we need a new term for that? We've had those people and many names for them since the beginning of time. Or did human history begin in 1980?
Define a word, and you have launched or facilitated what you will do in its name. A good example is the word "leadership." Whatever it means to you will predict what you will do in its name. It will predict to how you will interpret the "leader's" performance. And it will predict to how you interpret what others say about "leadership." If you use it as a synonym for "management," then you may use the two words interchangeably. If you don't know exactly what someone does, then that person may be a "leader" because he or she is influential. A president might be viewed as a "leader" for no particular reason other than that we attach that label to him or her.
Now, there may still be two or three leader-mongers out there who don't or can't see leadership as a performing art. Leadership is a role, not a person. Thus those few may miss the only two important criteria for judging a "leader's" performance in that role:
The first criterion is easy enough. But, since most people don't play life according to how well they perform the roles they get themselves into, they think it's all a matter of ad hoc opinion. You can applaud or damn your spouse's performance as a spouse. My guess would be that either way, you're not looking at that person's role description (if they even have one). What is the "leader's" unique role in every instance? A Broadway actress is "successful" if the show is sold out for months, not because you can mimic her singing. And our "leaders"?
Most people would rather skip the second criterion. That's because they don't want to be held accountable for their own impact on other people - or the society. They think"freedom" gives them the prerogative to ruin other people's lives - what ever their motives.
More in Part 2...
Leadership is a performing art. What this means is that we are either given roles to play in life, or we forge a role for ourselves. In either case, our lives are a function of how well we perform those roles - not how elevated that role is, but how well it is performed. So, to develop the capacity to be a leader, you have to look at everything that people do or don't do in terms of performance.
The leader intends to be the author of some aspect of the future - to interfere with the unfolding of history, of the story that would have been if that leader had not intervened. Leaders are measured by their performance. If they intend to be successful, they have to measure others by their performance as well.
It is how well an organization performs that counts. It is thus how well the people who comprise the organization perform their roles that counts. A healthy organization is one whose members have assumed full responsibility for shepherding their own lives in the context of the life of the organization. The right measure of any organization is it performance - which depends primarily on the performance of those who comprise it.
Performance is not about play-acting. It is the serious business of becoming fuly and increasingly competent in one's role - individual or organizational. The real qualities of the good life come from becoming increasingly more competent at life, whether at work or elsewhere.
To be a leader, you have to perform well in a leadership role. How your organization performs depends on how the people who comprise it perform. Leaders know that the only measure of performance is performance.
It seems that the primary entitlement these days is that everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion. So I'll add my voice to the melee - even knowing that opinion free-for-alls may accomplish nothing in the end but the extinction of this civilization. Let me explain.
Native americans lived for 35,000 years or so on this same land. They didn't last that long by making everyone's voice equal to everyone else's voice. They were truth-seekers like us. They believed that wisdom could be shared only by those who were capable of receiving it.
This presents a problem for would-be leaders. They have to kow-tow to the least capable to get their votes - since there are far more of the least capable than there are of the most capable. Which reminds us that the Greeks who experimented with democracy and became convinced that it wouldn't work. So when our would-be leaders in Washington or in the executive suite talk, who are they talking to? If they aim to make a world that accommodates the least of us, it would not be fit for the best of us.
Terrible choice - to get elected. They have to make promises to whomever happens to be voting, about whatever their current interests seem to be. That may make them rich and powerful. But it will make of us a "third-world" country. If they don't know how to make a world in which all know who and what to follow, then their success is our failure.
We've been on that path for some years. Real leaders are makers, not vote-getters. It is said that President Obama "won" (according to Jack Welch and other celebs). But won what? The prerogative to speed up our demise as a civilization? I can barely make out what his agenda is, other than catering to those who voted for him. Yeah, he made promises. Now he has to deliver on those promises, no matter what the costs to our civilization. I don't even know what kind of world he wants to live in. Makes me wonder if he does....
Things change. What leaders do is to create a world that would not have existed without them. Change is unavoidable. Changing some part of the world from the way it is to the way it ought to be, is the work of leadership.
Michelangelo said he saw the finished sculpture in the raw slab of marble. He task was to release it, to change it from what it was to what he envisioned. To bring about something that never existed before. That's what leaders do.
Much of all this talk about change seems to suggest simply rearranging things. Leaders do not simply rearrange things. Leaders create a future out of their vision of it. Consider these thoughts:
Another thought. Change is often painful. People will not like you for making changes that affect them personally. People may enjoy talking about change. But when it comes right down to it, they would prefer the status quo. That is why, in any contest between change and the status quo, bet on the status quo.
Leaders are change agents. It is their cause they serve, not the sentiments of the day.
I love perversity. If I didn't, I wouldn't be in touch with reality very often. The rationality that we try to impose on the world doesn't often work. The assumptions through which we observe the world more often then not, "spin" what we see out of shape.
For example, people have lost interest in food preparation at home. Or maybe they are just increasingly incompetent to do so. Or maybe (if yo've got the wherewithal) it's just easier to go out or order in. All we can know for sure is that there has been a steep decline in home cooking. At the same time, there has been an increasing number of cookbooks published, and the number of cooking shows on television have increased significantly too. Seems a bit perverse, doesn't it?
But where I want to go with these cultural perversities is this: As people have become less and less capable of leading themselves - for whatever reason - there has been a huge increase in the number of books published about leadership, as well as a surfeit of seminars on that subject. In other words, the spate of books about leadership might be interpreted as a loss of the capacity for providing it, coupled with an increase in simply reading about it (see the parallel with home cooking and cookbooks in the previous paragraph). People who have no intention of equipping themselves to prepare to be leaders are enchanted by the notion of reading about it. Most leadership books either offer pages and pages about the obvious, or emulate the writers of science-fiction (or of soap operas).
All this might suggest that what today's so-called leaders do best is try to apply the latest ideas about leadership (there are none) without understanding how to create an idea or make any real contact with the reality in which they attempt to apply those fads. People who can't think for themselves are fair game for the predators who want to peddle ready-made recipes. People who can't cook buy cookbooks that promise to make it "easy" - that is, that require no thinking on their part. The popularity of the "Dummie" books makes the point.
About all such matters, we live in a cookie-cutter world. More and more would-be leaders fake their way along - not by being the cutter, but by being the cookie.
When I was a child growing up on my Irish grandparents' small, self-sufficient farm in southeast Kansas, I was intrigued by the notion of "communication." Having no one my age to talk to, I tried talking to the animals - and we had most kinds. I pretended that they pretended that they understood. So, I thought: that's the way communication works.
With their eyes rolling around in their heads, and their chewing gum as if it was a cud, I spent 40 years as a professor because it seemed I had come full circle. I did learn a lot on the trip.
Many years later, I am still intrigued by the notion of communication. I have the proper background for it - degrees in the humanities/literature, engineering, psychology, and a lifelong interest in music. For me, communication is the infrastructure for everything human. Talk, with oneself or with others, precedes everything. And this is crucial: communication is not about the "sender" but about the "receiver." All consequences flow from how the receiver interprets things. We may reify the "message." But there isn't one until the receiver says there is.
My new book, Communication! A Radical Philosophy for Life's # 1 Problem, is a sort of summation - after a lifetime of teaching and research - of perhaps how we ought to be thinking about it if we want to live in the world most people only dream about.
It is intended to enable you to think about in ways that are more grounded in reality than most of our academic and popular "theories" about it. If you better understand it, the more advantage you will have over it.