text:
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A smokers' rights group filed a legal challenge on Tuesday to New York City's ban on electronic cigarettes in restaurants, parks and many other public places.
The city has increasingly restricted places where regular cigarettes can be smoked over the last decade under the Smoke-Free Air Act. Last year, the city council expanded those laws to include e-cigarettes, a measure that took effect in December.
The group behind the lawsuit, New York City Citizens Lobbying Against Smoker Harassment, said the new legislation was in breach of the "one-subject rule" in both the state constitution and the city charter.
The stated purpose of the Smoke-Free Air Act is to reduce New Yorkers' exposure to other people's cigarette smoke, the lawsuit says.
Because e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco and do not produce smoke, they cannot be included in the Smoke-Free Air Act without breaking the one-subject rule, the lawsuit said. The group has asked the state Supreme Court to void the law.
"E-Cig regulation is, even in the Council's words, at best, tangentially related to the subject of smoking, in much the same way that toy water guns are at best tangentially related to authentic firearms," the lawsuit said.
The City Council said it believed the court would uphold the law.
"Our legislation ensures the goals of the Smoke-Free Air Act are not undermined and protects the public against these unregulated substances," council spokeswoman Robin Levine said in an email.
E-cigarettes use heat to vaporize a flavored solution of liquid nicotine and other chemicals that the user can inhale. Their health impact is fiercely debated.
A study published last year in medical journal Lancet said e-cigarettes were about as effective as nicotine patches in helping smokers quit the habit.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has said the risks, if any, of e-cigarettes remain unknown. It said it would soon propose new regulations governing their use.
The bill was one of the last signed into law by Michael Bloomberg, whose final term as mayor ended in December. Earlier in 2013, Bloomberg also signed a law raising the minimum age for buying cigarettes to 21.
Traditional tobacco companies, including Lorillard Inc, Altria Group Inc and Reynolds American Inc, have all gotten into the e-cigarette business.
Shares of the three companies were up less than 1 percent in afternoon trading.
Reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Scott Malone and Lisa Von Ahn


text:
Pintuck Blouse
Style #: S1F0537
Original Price$89.00 Original Price$58.98 Now $41.29
Pintuck Blouse
Style #: S1F0537
Original Price$89.00 Original Price$58.98 Now $41.29
Pintuck Blouse is rated out of 5 by 57.
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Additional Information
NYDJ's Pintuck Pleat Back Women's Blouse boasts a billowy long sleeve silhouette that's perfect when paired with any of our slimming women's denim styles. Pleating at the back yoke creates a sophisticated yet easy drape. Split round neckline with covered full front placket and button closure.
Fabric & Materials
- 100% Polyester
- Imported
- Button sleeve detail
- Concealed button front
- Machine wash cold, line dry
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Color: black$89.00 Now $62.30
Also In Plus, Petite
Pintuck Blouse is rated out of 5 by 57.
Rated 5 out of 5 by Anonymous from Beautiful, Classic blouse NYDJ has the classic styling I'm looking for; not trendy, throw away garments. I've ordered jackets and have to order Size 14 for my bust, then have the sleeves shortened. This blouse was shown as having 3/4 sleeves, which I thought was nice. However, when I received my blouses, I was in for a treat: they were long sleeved for me! They'll tuck in beautifully, the fabric is soft and drapey, it would be fine to leave untucked as well. I know it was a lot to spend for two blouses on my budget, but they'll be wardrobe extenders, classic styling, and they're fabulous quality! For this purchase, I didn't mind extending my budget a little, it was completely worth it!
Date published: 2014-09-10
Rated 4 out of 5 by Grandma from Lovely blouse but....... The description of the fabric is incorrect. This blouse is 100% polyester. The color, print and fit are very nice. I will keep this shirt but felt it necessary to let you know that it is not 91% cotton.
Date published: 2018-03-30
Rated 1 out of 5 by lpthomp1956 from Design change fail I have worn these pleat-back 3/4 sleeve tops every day for years and they are being phased out and replaced with these. The difference in this new style is that the buttons go all the way down the blouse but you cannot tell from the photos of the style change. I have sent 6 shirts back to various stores. These fit boxy and huge (I am 5'7", 200 lbs. and wear an XL in the old style with placket 3/4 way down blouse.) The XL in the new style is large all over and not attractive on the body although the prints are lovely. I am so disappointed as I have worn these tops every day because they are easy to wear to work and everyday activities and need no ironing. Please bring back the pleat-back blouse that buttons only part-way down the front.
Date published: 2018-02-16
Rated 5 out of 5 by Tracy from Nice and long! This is a great blouse, that is nice and long for us taller girls!
Date published: 2017-06-05
Rated 5 out of 5 by Styleme from Gorgeous fabric The size medium was tight through the shoulders/ underarms. I think this is because the pleats are sewn down in back ( pintucks ) instead of pleats. the large was too big through the shoulders. I'm going to have to give up on this particular blouse even though I LOVE it.
Date published: 2017-07-10
Rated 2 out of 5 by laurac from Disappointed I bought this blouse about 2 months ago and it has not held up compared to other nydj tops that I have. Love the fit, love the style, hate that it snagged with very little provocation, multiple times. I would have bought several in other colors, otherwise...
Date published: 2017-06-09
Rated 2 out of 5 by lbjules from Huge!! I was surprised at the inconsistency in sizes lately; I usually wear an XS, and while some tops are very relaxed fit this was extremely wide and baggy. It was not flattering.
Date published: 2017-07-19
Rated 3 out of 5 by Lisa H from Great blouse, but color problems Love the blouse in certain colors and patterns. Bought multiple colors while on sale - found MANY colors in person completely different than shown on website! Alpine Lake, Gooseberry, Peacoat - completely different in person. Peacoat plain navy (NOT purple color as shown); Gooseberry dark, dull red. Alpine Lake more dull royal blue. Returned those.
Date published: 2019-01-24
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
From the Shooting-Ourselves-In-the-Foot Department
The Wall Street Journal notes:
A U.S. attack on Syria would likely dash expectations of progress in nuclear negotiations with Iran and undermine new Iranian President Hasan Rouhani's call for improving relations with the West, diplomats said.
An attack on Damascus would likely give Iranian hard-liners, who oppose a nuclear compromise, the upper hand over moderate President Hasan Rouhani, who has made foreign policy and nuclear talks a priority.
"A direct U.S.-Iran conflict in Syria will only widen the chasm of mistrust needed to be bridged in order to reach a nuclear accommodation," said Karim Sadjadpour, an Iran expert with Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Salon agrees:
Obama would be bombing Iran's main ally, strengthening the hand of hardliners in Tehran and undermining Rouhani's room for maneuver.
Officials cautious of intervening say targeted strikes to punish Mr. Assad for using chemical weapons risk triggering a bloody escalation. If the regime digs in and uses chemical weapons again, or launches retaliatory attacks against the U.S. and its allies in the region, Mr. Obama will come under fierce pressure to respond more forcefully, increasing the chances of full-scale war, the officials say.
And, of course, Russia—which has declared that it won't support an American action against Syria—could up the ante, too, by backing Assad more powerfully in response.
As we've previously noted, attacking Iran would only speed up its development of nuclear weapons, empower its hardliners, and undermine the chance for democratic reform. The same is true for Syria and any chemical weapons which the nation possesses.
Indeed, the key architect of America's war plan against Syria says:
If we start picking off chemical weapons targets in Syria, the logical response is if any weapons are left in the warehouses, he's going to start dispersing them among his forces ….
If they're dispersed away from central government warehouses to scattered military forces, they are more likely to be used.
Finally, bombing the Syrian government will strengthen the Al Qaeda, Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood dominated rebels.


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Adam Eagan, managing partner at the Empire Brewing Co. in Syracuse, N.Y., knows a thing or two about good food and beer. It is, after all, what he does for a living.
At least four or five times during the football season he packs up his car and makes the 51/2-hour trek from upstate New York to Baltimore, where he lived for 28 years, to join some of his buddies for a "killer" tailgate in Lot H1 at M&T Bank Stadium.
He was introduced to this group of foodie fans some years ago by his best friend from high school, Mark Maloney, and was impressed with what they were putting together for food and beverage at their tailgate. This was not your run-of-the-mill burgers-and-beer group. So, as he says, "he threw his hat into the ring" and started to participate in their pregame cooking extravaganza.
In addition to the many locally sourced food items the H1 group serves, Eagan has been know to contribute items including elk meat and Kobe beef, which he brings with him from upstate New York.
He says his elk sliders with caramelized onions are always a hit. Also popular are his "soul rub" grilled chicken wings. He serves the wings with a blue cheese dipping sauce and a side of lemon Parmesan coleslaw. While perhaps not the most exotic menu items at the tailgate, they are easy to a make and always a crowd-pleaser.
'Soul rub' grilled chicken wings
36 chicken wings, rinsed and dried well
For Soul Barbecue Rub:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup paprika
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
Add all ingredients together in a bowl and mix together with a fork. Be sure to break up brown sugar thoroughly.
Place wings in a large resealable plastic bag. Sprinkle in 2 to 3 tablespoons (or more if desired) of the rub to coat wings lightly. Add 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Seal the bag, then work it with your hands to coat wings evenly.
Marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To grill: Clean and oil your grill so that wings do not stick. Preheat the grill to medium heat.
Place wings on grill, allowing a 1-inch space between wings. Grill wings on all sides until lightly charred, maybe two to four minutes on each side, depending on how hot the grill is. Because the rub has a brown-sugar base, the charring will happen rather quickly. Take care not to burn. Transfer wings to top rack of your grill and close the lid to finish the cooking, about four to six minutes. If your grill does not have an upper rack, move wings away from direct flame. If using a gas grill, turn one of the burners off and place the wings above that burner. Close the lid and cook the wings gently on low heat, turning frequently until cooked through.
Maytag blue cheese dipping sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk (optional)
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 large glove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon celery seed
4 ounces blue cheese (more if you like it chunky)
1 scallion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine everything, except the cheese, in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary. Gently fold in crumbled cheese, taking care not to break chunks too much, as this can make the sauce a bit thick.


text: Treatment Since urethral strictures have a tendency to recur, the type of treatment you receive and the long-term outcomes are something your doctor will discuss with you. There are no urethral stricture treatment options using oral medication alone. Surgical treatment Urethrotomy Using a narrow, tube-like instrument called a cystoscope, your doctor will look inside your urethra until the stricture is found. Your doctor will then use either a knife or operating laser to cut or vaporize the stricture. A catheter may be placed in the urethra until it has healed. This method is ideal for initial stricture treatment, however, recurrent urethral stricture should be formally assessed for possible urethroplasty. Urethral reconstruction/Urethroplasty The most definitive way to treat urethral strictures is with open reconstructive urethral surgery such as urethroplasty. Here, the diseased urethra is reconstructed with healthy tissue such as penile skin or the lining of the cheek (buccal graft). This is much more involved than dilation or incision, and requires a short hospital stay of approximately one day and catheterization for at least a week. However, urethral reconstruction is a far more definitive treatment than the other options available with recurrence rates typically less than 10 percent.


text:
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text:
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Not long ago, the Klu Klux Klan visited Cynthiana. Mayor James Smith, County Judge Executive Alex Barnett and others did the right thing and sent them packing. But they will be back; and they'll keep coming back until our community's "Welcome" mat is gone.
The mat I am referring to is the memorial bridge named after John Hunt Morgan. General Morgan was a traitor to the United States of America.
For several years Kentucky had seen widespread prescription drug abuse that soared to epidemic levels. But thanks to public education, safe drug disposal programs, enforcement and legislative action, the Commonwealth is seeing a decrease in prescription drug abuse.
Unfortunately, many individuals who previously abused prescription medications, specifically those classified as opioids, are now switching to heroin – an opioid that is cheaper and increasingly more available.
Sherelle Roberts and Shane Fowler will speak at the Super Sunday worship service on February 22, 2015 at St. James AME. Super Sunday is an event across the state of Kentucky where community colleges partner with churches to especially encourage our minoritites to attend college.
The transition to the 2015 editions of the Harrison County Fiscal Court and Cynthiana City Commission has come with a lot of talk about moving forward and, in particular, about giving people a greater voice in local government.
The "Understanding Teenagers" forum Monday night was an excellent step forward for Harrison County.
Although a few concerned parents expressed disappointment that the high school auditorium was not filled to capacity, given the serious nature of the issue, we do not share that opinion.
In fact, there is every reason to commend the Harrison County School administration and the UK HealthCare Adolescent Medicine Division for hosting a successful forum that exceeded expectations.
We can't speak for the people who were just passing through Cynthiana on Main Street last Saturday, but in our opinion, the Cynthiana Rod Run caused one of the best traffic jams in the history of downtown.
In fact, if families had any sense at all, they would have simply found an open space to park and joined in the festivities.
A special meeting of the Commission on Aging board of directors, which was held last Thursday afternoon was a paragon of how not to hold a public meeting.
The directors voted unanimously to close the meeting despite objection from The Cynthiana Democrat citing that closing the meeting for financial discussion was against the Kentucky Open Meetings Law.
An agent with the Internal Revenue Service told board members that she could not discuss specifics of the board's indebtedness, its penalties and interest, with anyone other than the board of directors.
No one is crying abuse of public trust, but there are some serious questions to be raised with the recent unraveling of finances for the Harrison County Commission on Aging.
First, on March 21, board members were advised that the Senior Citizens Center was $21,000 in the red with monies to be paid to the state and federal government. That has escalated over the last month to a new deficit of $60,000.
Now the question has become who is going to pay the $60,000?
The bulk of that sum is penalties and interest.
The Licking Valley Campus is not quite 25 years old and we might think it a bit presumptuous to even think of us in terms of "history." Perhaps it would be more sensible to think of Licking Valley Campus as one stop on an educational continuum in this area.
Sometimes a natural development of circumstances coincides with a time and place and important things happen.
Copyright © 2019
The Cynthiana Democrat is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Cynthiana, KY and the surrounding area.


text:
Three Reasons This Is a Good Time to Be an Investor
It's a New World with Growing Choices, Falling Fees and Lower Tax Rates
The markets have had a rough ride in the past two decades. But in many ways, investors have never had it so good.
The 1997 Asian currency crisis, the 1998 Russian debt default, the bursting of the tech-stock bubble starting in 2000, the housing-market collapse that began in 2006 and the 2008-2009 financial crisis all rattled the nerves of investors and hurt their portfolios. The stocks in the S&P 500 generated an average return of just 4% annually, including dividends, between Dec. 31, 1999, when markets were booming,...


text:
The world of sports doping is a high-stakes, hi-tech game played out at race tracks and in labs. But as the Olympics approaches, scientists hope a raft of new techniques will give them the edge in the battle to catch out unscrupulous athletes.
He thought he had got away with it. In August 2008, track and field athelete Rashid Ramzi stood on the Olympic podium in Beijing to collect a gold medal for the men's 1500m. The Moroccan native was competing for Bahrain, and his victory gave his adopted country its first-ever Olympic medal. But 15 months later, he had been stripped of his win and his running career was all but over.
It was a major coup for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and proof that so-called retrospective testing for banned substances worked. But that was nearly three years ago and the world of sports doping moves quickly. Experimental compounds are traded on the internet and at the race track before they are even approved for use in humans, whilst increasingly complex compounds and techniques are used to give athletes a crucial edge and hide the evidence. As the London Olympics approaches, the authorities are once again preparing to do battle with the dopers. And this time the scientists hope a raft of new techniques and measures will tip the balance in their favour.
These systems have been refined over decades of drug use. In the mid-nineteenth century, for example, there were various reports of athletes using drugs as diverse as nitro-glycerine, opium, cocaine and caffeine – all of which were considered an acceptable part of competition. But that changed in 1967 when, spurred on by rising levels of use, the IOC banned all performance-enhancing drugs. Just one year later, Swede Hans-Gunnar Liljenwall was the first to be caught out by the new rules after downing a couple of beers to steady his nerves before a pistol shooting competition. From those relatively innocent days, doping – and anti-doping – has become a hi-tech, high-stakes game of cat and mouse.
In London there are plans to conduct 5,000 drug tests – 500 more than were done in Beijing – covering nearly half of the 10,500 athletes competing, and including each and every medallist. "We'll provide most negative results in 24 hours and positive ones in 48 hours," says Jonathan Harris, head of anti-doping for the Games. In order to process so many samples, the testers have partnered with pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, which has technology that can look for more than 60 illicit substances in a single test. "We've brought the world of pharma a little closer to the world of anti-doping," he says.
Black market trade
But it is not just the scale of the operation that has changed. Where drug testing was once reactionary – officials would wait for an indication that athletes were using a new drug, then move to prohibit it and then develop a test – officials at organisations like the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) now aim to get ahead of the curve.
The agency maintains a detailed list of prohibited substances and methods, and it has devised the list to address not only specific drugs, but categories of potential drugs and methods to ensure that rules cover new methods not yet known to them. As a result, any drug that has not been approved for human use is automatically banned, as are substances with similar chemical structures or biological effects to other abused substances, such as hormones and growth factors.
"What's really changed in recent years is that we want to predict what people will use next," says Daniel Eichner, laboratory director of the Sports Medicine Research and Testing Laboratory, a Wada-accredited drug testing lab in Salt Lake City, Utah. "So we scour the medical and scientific literature, look at drugs that are in the research and development pipeline at pharmaceutical companies, and see if there's any kind of application they may have in the future for doping."
For instance, since the late 1980s unscrupulous competitors have used erythropoietin (EPO), a hormone that stimulates the production of oxygen-ferrying red blood cells. The drug increases the blood's oxygen capacity, boosting endurance and stamina by as much as 15%. When drug testers finally developed a test for EPO, dopers turned to next-generation versions of the drug, originally developed to treat severe anaemia in cancer patients.
But this time, Wada was ready. Recognising that it was all but inevitable that rogue athletes would turn to versions of EPO still under development, WADA had begun collaborating with companies to ensure that it would have a test waiting. "We recognise the need to anticipate trends," says Wada's director Olivier Rabin.
While legitimate scientists aren't developing drugs specifically for performance enhancement, numerous researchers are working on disease-fighting medications that might also boost athletic performance, and many of them have received calls from coaches or athletes seeking to obtain such drugs before they're approved or publicly available. These requests are usually rebuffed, yet some of these early stage drugs (or products claiming to contain them) still make their way to the black market.
"There are a lot of people out there who are willing to be the human guinea pig," Eichner says. As evidence, he points to the proliferation of products for sale on the internet that purport to contain myostatin inhibitors. Myostatin is a hormone that regulates muscle growth. "If you knock that out or inhibit myostatin, then your muscles just keep growing," Eichner says. Belgian bulls lack myostatin, resulting in extreme musculature – they look like bovine Arnold Schwarzeneggers.
Researchers are studying myostatin inhibitors for the treatment of obesity and diabetes, but no products have been approved for use yet, and some research suggests they may make users more prone to muscle and tendon injuries. But none of this has stopped would-be dopers. "Are they available for clinical use? Not yet," says Eichner. "But you can still buy them on the black market." The regulation of such sales falls to agencies like the Food and Drug Administration in the US, but Wada has reacted by reaching out to researchers and companies studying substances like these to recruit their help with detection.
For instance, GlaxoSmithKline has signed an agreement with Wada to give the Agency advance warning about the development of products that cheats might try so that anti-doping officials can get ahead of the curve. Myostatin inhibitors are listed on Wada's prohibited list and they are already detectable using standard laboratory techniques. Working quietly with drug developers allows Wada to maintain an element of surprise and keep cheaters on alert. "When an athlete cheats, our goal is to catch them. If we tell them about a new test ahead of time it defeats the purpose," says Rabin.
Blood lines
Not every new testing method gets adopted quietly, however. Wada's most ambitious detection method had a very public inception. "The biological passport has changed the paradigm," Rabin says. The passport – essentially an electronic record – stores snapshots of an athlete's physiological parameters at various times in the season to establish an athlete's normal values and look for discrepancies between tests that could indicate doping. Instead of looking for a particular substance in the blood or urine, the passport reveals the tell-tale physiological effects that a given substance or method provoke. The technique is already in use and will provide a crucial component of the London 2012 testing programme.
The concept arose from a growing recognition among anti-doping researchers that cheaters were gaming the system. Although Wada has instituted random, out-of-competition testing in addition to traditional post-event drug screens, most of these tests can only detect doping agents within a small window of time, and savvy athletes can use this to their advantage, for instance, taking drugs in microdoses that clear the system quickly without spiking levels.
The passport has a number of different modules, which cover different markers in different parts of the body. For example, the first one to be used – the blood passport – aims to identify blood dopers via markers that fluctuate when someone takes a blood transfusion or a blood-boosting drug. Concentrations of haemoglobin – the protein in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen around the body – provide one such marker, says Eichner. If someone who normally produces a value of around 14 suddenly spikes up to 18 or 19, this suggests doping and would flag the athlete for further testing for EPO or a blood transfusion – a common way of increasing the number of oxygen-transporting blood cells in the body and increasing performance.
Another marker the passport covers is the concentration of baby red blood cells called reticulocytes. "If you take a drug to increase red-blood-cell production, you're going to get a spike in reticulocytes," Eichner says. Conversely, if an athlete takes a transfusion their body suddenly has a lot a more blood than it needs, and it shuts down production of red blood cells and reticulocyte concentrations drop.
A strength of the passport is that each athlete serves as his or her own reference. "We're using mathematical models to, in a sense, predict for each athlete what the next values should be," says Rabin. "If the next value is in the same ballpark, we can say that's normal. If it moves significantly up or down, then we say there's something abnormal." It can also spot minor changes that may alert anti-doping authorities that the athlete is worth watching.
Gene tricks
But as drug testers develop better ways to detect doping substances, there is an increasing fear that cheaters will seek ways to turn their bodies into doped-up versions of themselves via genetic manipulation. Such an approach, dubbed gene doping, would turn on specific genes that are known to enhance athletic performance.
The process is similar to gene therapy, which aims to treat diseases by inserting a healthy version of a gene into a human to replace a faulty one. This is commonly done using a vehicle, such as a virus, to deliver the desired gene to targeted cells, where it can do its work. It has had some success in treating conditions such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID, also called "boy-in-the-bubble syndrome"). But it is still a relatively new technology with unknown risks. For example, it produced disastrous immune responses and provoked leukaemia in some patients. And in 1999, 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger died from a severe immune reaction he developed after receiving gene therapy.
But groups like Wada believe that it is not a case of if, but when someone turns to gene therapy in sport. Genes that promote muscle gain, such as IGF-1, are an obvious target for gene doping. "Some in the muscle field have been approached repeatedly, asking what's new and what's available," says Theodore Friedmann, a gene therapy researcher at the University of California, San Diego. Genes that turn on EPO are another obvious target.
The problem with gene therapy, Friedmann says, is that once initiated, it may be difficult or impossible to turn off. This could prove fatal, for instance, if an athlete who took gene therapy to raise red blood cell production developed blood too thick for the heart to pump.
No one thinks that gene doping is rampant, at least not yet, but its inherent dangers may not be enough to deter would-be users. In 2007, German track coach Thomas Springstein sent an email to a Dutch doctor asking for advice on how to acquire Repoxygen, a gene therapy designed to turn on the body's production of red blood cells. Its developer, pharmaceutical firm Oxford Biomedica, was looking to develop Repoxygen as an anaemia treatment, but the drug has never been tested in humans, and it is not clear that Springstein ever got his hands on it. Still, the development is worrying because it shows how reckless dopers are willing to be, says Friedmann.
"It's not rocket science," says Friedmann. "Someone who wants to gene dope could easily gather people well-enough trained in molecular biology to do it." Given the troubles that have plagued legitimate gene therapy, the results of rogue gene doping is likely to be disastrous. "There's money to be made there, and lots of [researchers] who can't find jobs might be convinced to try it," Friedmann says.
Wada has had a gene doping research program since 2002. "A lot of people told us it would never be possible to detect gene doping, but we've we achieved some major breakthroughs," Rabin says. He's not revealing too much yet, but regardless of how far such tests have come, would-be dopers of any stripe cannot rest easy.
That's because retrospective testing – the kind that caught out Rashid Ramzi after the 2008 Beijing Games – is now standard. At the time of Ramzi's win, there was no test for the blood-boosting hormone he had used in the run up to the Games. But when that changed shortly after the fireworks of the closing ceremony, the IOC decided to retrospectively test hundreds of samples, catching him and five others out.
Officials with the London Olympics have already announced plans to store samples taken during the 2012 Games for eight years, allowing them to be retested as new technologies become available. "We can't promise that these will be cleanest Games ever, but if people are cheating here, we will catch them," says Jonathan Harris. Dopers could steal the glory of standing on the podium in London, he says, but they will spend the next eight years looking over their shoulders wondering when the testers will catch up.
(18/04) The article has been updated to correct inaccuracies about gene therapy.
If you would like to comment on this story, head over to our Facebook page or message us on Twitter.


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San Diego Hospice, which went into bankruptcy after an audit by Medicare raised questions about its finances, said Wednesday it will close within three months and shift most of its existing patients to Scripps Health.
Groundwork for the announcement had been laid a week earlier, when San Diego Hospice announced its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing at the same time that Scripps said it would enter the business with the acquisition of a small hospice in Poway.
Scripps said Wednesday it plans to acquire many of the assets of San Diego Hospice but would not acquire the entire organization mainly because of the audit by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
"Because of the debt and the unknown with CMS, anybody that would acquire the entity would have to absorb those liabilities, and that can't happen," said Scripps Chief Executive Chris Van Gorder.
The decline of what was San Diego's largest hospice has come quickly since news of audit problems broke in November.
A little over a week ago, the organization announced it had entered bankruptcy after its daily patient census dropped to about 450. That number was closer to 1,000 in 2012, but that was before the public became aware of the Medicare audit, which could end up costing San Diego Hospice millions of dollars.
Kathleen Pacurar, chief executive of San Diego Hospice, said the audit, which has been in process since 2011 with no final resolution, cast a shadow over the nonprofit's hopes of emerging from bankruptcy.
"The Medicare audit erodes our organization's ability to function. How do you put strategic plans together if you don't even know how huge the liability we're facing is?" Pacurar said.
John Gilchrist, chairman of the hospice's board of directors, said that the decision to close was painful.
"Is it what we would like to be doing? No. But is it the best we can do under the circumstances? I think so," Gilchrist said.
He said the decision was made in consultation with Dr. Doris Howell, who created San Diego Hospice in 1977. She could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Pacurar said that, as the hospice moves toward closure over the next 60 to 90 days, patients will be offered a choice of hospices, including Scripps, to continue their care.
"Our number one concern is the continuity of care for patients in the community," Pacurar said.
The hospice's admissions policies are at the center of its audit difficulties.
Medicare pays San Diego Hospice $175 a day per patient, but only for patients who are expected to die within six months. Though that time frame can be extended, patients must show a documented decline or be discharged from the program.
Pacurar has said that, in some cases, San Diego Hospice did not discharge patients as soon as it should have or admitted patients who did not fit the Medicare guidelines.
She said she has been in talks with Scripps for about a month about how to cope with the hospice's declining health, adding that the organization hopes to work with Scripps to avoid undue strain of patients or staff.
Van Gorder said Scripps plans to hire current San Diego Hospice employees as it increases the size of its hospice operation. The pace of hiring will depend on how quickly that growth happens, he said.
"We will hire as many as necessary to care for the patients that arrive," Van Gorder said. "In some cases, patients may end up being cared for by the very same nurse they had before. The only difference is they'll have a Scripps badge instead of a San Diego Hospice badge."
He added that Scripps hopes to purchase some assets, including its inpatient hospital in Hillcrest and its electronic medical records system, from the bankruptcy court as the Chapter 11 proceeding progresses.
Van Gorder said there was something unique about the combination of services, from hospice to palliative care, that San Diego Hospice was able to offer to the community. He said there is a possibility of reopening the hospital if the bankruptcy court approves the sale and added that Scripps hopes to preserve San Diego Hospice's legacy in the community.
"I'd like to be able to find a way to fill that role," Van Gorder said.
As the organization's largest source of referrals, Scripps sent 480 patients to the hospice in the last six months.
Van Gorder said he believes Scripps can avoid the admissions problems that brought terminal scrutiny to San Diego Hospice.
"At Scripps we have a very robust compliance program. I have a full-time staff of a lot of people that are constantly monitoring the federal guidelines and then doing audits across our system to ensure that the staff is following those regulations and protocols," Van Gorder said.
Tom Gehring, executive director of the San Diego County Medical Society, said he was saddened by the news of the hospice's impending closure.
"It's a tragedy for the community because they have a long-term reputation and capability that will be difficult to replace quickly," Gehring said. "Having had both parents being assisted by San Diego Hospice, I can tell you don't just start up a hospice program tomorrow afternoon."


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To all the Angry Birds fans playing the extremely popular game on your Android phone, beware of any Angry Birds application add-ons. Google has removed at least 10 apps from the Android Market which contain malicious code. All of the Angry Birds players who don't use cheats to get through the game are most likely in the clear. The malware was found in apps pretending to be cheats or add-ons for Angry Birds.
The problem with Android apps, unlike with iPhone apps, is that the Android Market doesn't vet its apps. Apple, on the other hand, is extremely strict about what it lets into its App Store, as we saw recently with the ban on DUI-related apps. Because Google doesn't monitor the apps very carefully, it's up to the developer community to step up and report any problems or anything fishy that arises.
Xuxian Jiang, an assistant professor of computer science at North Carolina State University, found the malicious apps last week. Some of those apps were infected with the spyware program Plankton. Plankton connects to a remote server and uploads important information about your phone, like the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number, which identifies GSM, WCDMA, and iDEN phones. The IMEI numbers are often used to identify valid devices and can stop a phone that has been stolen from accessing the network. Additionally, Plankton also uploads information about your browser bookmarks and browsing history.
Webroot analysts Andrew Brandt and Amanda Orozco found Plankton was zeroing in on Angry Birds. Some of the apps in question were Angry Birds Rio Unlocker v1.0, Angry Birds Multi User v1.00 and Angry Birds Cheater Trainer Helper V2.0. Installing the apps will give you a welcome message telling you to "click on the button below to unlock all the levels in Angry Birds Rio." The apps actually install additional code onto your phone which gives remote access and control of the handset to whoever created the malicious apps.
Google removed the programs in question on June 5. Unfortunately, malware can sit in apps potentially for months before someone finds it. Back in March, Google removed about 60 apps from the Android Market for malware concerns. Unfortunately, 200,000 people had already downloaded them.
In addition to Plankton, Jiang found other malicious programs as well. One that he discovered was YZHCSMS, a Trojan horse virus that sends an exorbitant amount of SMS messages to premium numbers to hike up your bill. Jiang said these apps were on the Android Market for three months before Google took them down.
So how do you keep your Android device safe? We suggest thinking twice before downloading anything you can't verify came from a trusted source/developer. Clearly, an app that promises to unlock all the levels in Angry Birds is too good to be true. Though it's still possible to download a malicious app from the Android Market, make sure you're not downloading any apps from outside of the market or outside of another vetted app store like Amazon.


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Bronchitis and PrednisonePatientsVille
Bronchitis Symptoms and Causes
Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchial tubes, the airways that carry air to your lungs. It causes a cough that often brings up mucus. It can also cause shortness of breath, wheezing, a low fever, and chest tightness. There are two main types of Bronchitis: acute and chronic.
Most cases of acute Bronchitis get better within several days. But your cough can last for several weeks after the infection is gone.
The same viruses that cause colds and the flu often cause acute Bronchitis. These viruses spread through the air when people cough, or though physical contact (for example, on unwashed hands). Being exposed to tobacco smoke, air pollution, dusts, vapors, and fumes can also cause acute Bronchitis. Less often, bacteria can also cause acute Bronchitis.
To diagnose acute Bronchitis, your health care provider will ask about your symptoms and listen to your breathing. You may also have other tests.
Treatments include rest, fluids, and aspirin (for adults) or acetaminophen to treat fever. A humidifier or steam can also help. You may need inhaled medicine to open your airways if you are wheezing. Antibiotics won't help if the cause is viral. You may get antibiotics if the cause is bacterial.
NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Check out the latest treatments for bronchitis
➢ bronchitis treatment research studies
➢ Prednisone clinical trials, surveys and public health registries


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AMAZING…What a colourful sunrise!
After a fantastic display of cloud formations before dawn, we were both so eager to see the sky light up & to capture a beautiful sunrise together. Although it was very short lived, Mother Nature sure put on a show lighting up the entire sky with this incredible array of magenta & orange colours. We were both so lucky to witness this beautiful spectacle…
Delivery Time Between 7 - 14 Business Days via Express Courier (insured for loss / damage).
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Our high quality 400gsm fine art canvas offers a fine structure & a premium bright white inkjet coating for amazing reproduction of art and photography. Combine this with genuine ultrachrome inks of professional Epson printers & you have a canvas print with longevity of 100+ years. Each canvas is then sprayed with a liquid laminate, which not only enhances colour but also protects against UV fading, dust, minor scratches & water. Then expertly gallery wrapped over a stretcher bar made from quality Australian pine & finished with a tape seal backing & plastic coated hanging wire.
Our Photo prints are printed on high quality 250gsm Metallic Pearl paper. Then mounted on acid free foam core & complemented with colour coordinated acid free mat board. Custom cut timber frame is then added along with glass. Professionally finished on the back with a tape seal & plastic coated hanging wire.
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All images, photographs, and prints are exclusive property and may not be copied, downloaded, reproduced, transmitted, manipulated or used in any way without written permission of the photographer.


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Jackson Makes History, Picked No. 3 by Chiefs
LSU Sports Interactive
NEW YORK -- Defensive end Tyson Jackson made LSU football history on Saturday afternoon, becoming the highest drafted defensive player ever for the Tigers as the Kansas City Chiefs selected him with the third overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft.
"I am so thrilled for Tyson and his family," LSU head coach Les Miles said. "He's a great example of what can be accomplished when you combine great ability, desire and work ethic with a school like LSU and all of the opportunities that we offer, both on the field and off the field."
"It's been fun to watch Tyson mature and develop during his LSU career. He's proof that hard work and being dedicated to the program pays off. This is a great day for Tyson and his family and it's a great day for LSU."
Jackson, a native of Edgard, La., becomes the third consecutive LSU player to be selected by the Chiefs in the first round. Last year, Kansas City took defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey with the fifth overall pick and former LSU wide receiver Dwayne Bowe was a first round choice of the organization in 2007.
Jackson's selection extends an impressive streak of six straight years LSU has produced a first round draft pick and the third straight season the Tigers have produced a top five overall pick. That former is expected take over as the nation's longest active streak of a first-round picks, supplanting Miami which is not expected to have a first rounder for the first time since 1995.
Jackson joins Dorsey and JaMarcus Russell, the No. 1 pick of the 2007 NFL Draft, as top five draft choices under head coach Les Miles.
Under Miles, LSU has also produced three straight years of top 10 defensive picks and seven first round picks overall. Jackson, Dorsey and LaRon Landry, the sixth overall pick of the 2007 draft by the Washington Redskins, were all top 10 selections.
It is the first time an SEC team has produced three straight years of top five draft picks since Auburn in the late 1980s: Aundray Bruce (1988), Brent Fullwood (1987) and Bo Jackson (1986).
Check back for details throughout the afternoon.
2009 NFL Draft
First Round
1. Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia (Detroit)
2. Jason Smith, OT, Baylor (St. Louis)
3. Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU (Kansas City)
4. Aaron Curry, OLB, Wake Forest (Seattle)
5. Mark Sanchez, QB, USC (N.Y. Jets via Cleveland)
6. Andre Smith, OT, Alabama (Cincinnati)
7. Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland (Oakland)
8. Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia (Jacksonville)
9. B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College (Green Bay)
10. Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech (San Francisco)
11. Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn St. (Buffalo)
12. Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia (Denver)
13. Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas (Washington)
14. Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio St. (New Orleans)
15. Brian Cushing, OLB, USC (Houston)
16. Larry English, DE, Northern Illinois (San Diego)
17. Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas St. (Tampa Bay via Cleveland via N.Y. Jets)
18. Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee (Denver)
19. Jeremy Macklin, WR, Missouri (Philadelphia via Cleveland)
20. Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma St. (Detroit)
21. Alex Mack, C, California (Cleveland via Philadephia)
22. Percy Harvin, WR, Florida (Minnesota)
23. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss (Baltimore via New England)
24. Peria Jerry, DT, Ole Miss (Atlanta)
25. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois (Miami)
26. Clay Matthews, OLB, USC (Green Bay via Baltimore via New England)
27. Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut (Indianapolis)
28. Eric Wood, C, Louisville (Buffalo via Carolina via Philadephia)
29. Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina (NY Giants)
30. Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers (Tennessee)
31. Chris Wells, RB, Ohio St. (Arizona)
32. Evander Hood, DT, Missouri (Pittsburgh)
Second Round
1. (33) Louis Delmas, S, Western Michigan (Detroit)
2. (34) Patrick Chung, S, Oregon (New England via Kansas City)
3. (35) James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio St. (St. Louis)
4. (36) Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio St. (Cleveland)
5. (37) Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest (Denver via Seattle)
6. (38) Rey Maualuga, ILB, USC (Cincinnati)
7. (39) Eben Britton, OT, Arizona (Jacksonville)
8. (40) Ron Brace, DT, Boston College (New England via Oakland)
9. (41) Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut (New England via Green Bay)
10. (42) Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon (Buffalo)
11. (43) Everette Brown, DE, Florida St. (Carolina via San Francisco)
12. (44) Pat White, QB, West Virginia (Miami via Washington)
13. (45) Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia (NY Giants via New Orleans)
14. (46) Connor Barwin, DE, Cincinnati (Houston)
15. (47) Michael Mitchell, S, Ohio (Oakland via San Diego via New England)
16. (48) Darcel McBath, S, Texas Tech (Denver)
17. (49) Max Unger, OT, Oregon (Seattle via Chicago)
18. (50) Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, Georgia (Cleveland via Tampa Bay)
19. (51) Andy Levitre, OL, Oregon State (Buffalo via Dallas)
20. (52) David Veikune, DE, Hawaii (Cleveland via NY Jets)
21. (53) LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh (Philadelphia)
22. (54) Phil Loadholt, OL, Oklahoma (Minnesota)
23. (55) William Moore, S, Missouri (Atlanta)
24. (56) Fili Moala, DT, Southern Cal (Indianapolis via Miami)
25. (57) Paul Kruger, DE, Utah (Baltimore)
26. (58) Sebastian Vollmer, OL, Houston (New England)
27. (59) Sherrod Martin, S, Troy (Carolina)
28. (60) William Beatty, OT, Connecticut (NY Giants)
29. (61) Sean Smith, CB, Utah (Miami via Indianapolis)
30. (62) Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn (Tennessee)
31. (63) Cody Brown, DE, Connecticut (Arizona)
32. (64) Richard Quinn, TE, North Carolina (Denver via Pittsburgh)


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The very popular model 0350 has added yet another new variation to the family, this one with bright orange handles. The G10 on this model is slightly thicker than previous versions making for a more comfortable knife to hold and to use. The 3-1/4″ recurved blade is best described as a mix of bead blasted and stonewashed for a good looking and most likely very durable blade finish. The 0550BLK is the same exact knife as it was before but with a black DLC coated S35VN blade. The titanium locking side features the new more-Hinderer inspired frame lock and the same deep carry pocket clip found on the 0560 and 0561 models. Excellent ergonomics, good looks, and a real sense of toughness emanates from these two knives and there's no doubt both would serve well in just about any application. Check out these brand new Zero Tolerance knives at www.knifecenter.com.
More about Zero Tolerance Knives: Continue Reading


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Busan Neighborhoods • Yangjeong
Yangjeong Pictures
A sub-downtown of Busan.
Last edited by Parent on Sun Mar 09, 2008 2:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Neighborhoods Nearby Yangjeong - Pictures by Parent
Yeonsan Neighborhood by Parent. A few pictures taken at night of the Yeonsan-dong neighborhood, part of.. Distance from Yangjeong: 1.7km NNE, 2 pictures.
Seomyeon Neighborhood by Parent. Seomyeon is the major downtown area of Busan. Seomyeon is a HUGE entertainment district, about 1 or 2 square kilometers of high bar/restaurant/shop density. Perhaps the largest such entertainment area in.. Distance from Yangjeong: 2km SSW, 65 pictures.
Baesan Neighborhood by Parent. A few pictures of the residential area around the Baesan.. Distance from Yangjeong: 2km E, 18 pictures.
Oncheon Stream Neighborhood by Parent. Here find some pictures I took of the Oncheoncheong (Oncheon stream) in April 2009 during the spring festival. Note that On means hot, cheon means spring, and cheong means stream. It is named this way since the stream flows by a.. Distance from Yangjeong: 2.9km NE, 29 pictures.
Dongnae Neighborhood by Parent. Dongnae seems to be a sino-korean word: Dong means east, and nae means hmm.. Actually, I'm not sure what nae means :D. Maybe the second character was meant to be read Anyhow, during the Chosun dynasty, Busan city w.. Distance from Yangjeong: 3.7km N, 21 pictures.
1 post • Page 1 of 1


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Ashlyn's Family AlbumFavorites [+]
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Available MP4 sizes:SD 480p (1.03 GB)
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DRM-free downloads offer content that is not limited by standard Digital Rights Management (DRM) access technologies. These technologies allow hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals to limit the usage of digital content.
When you purchase DRM-free downloadable content, that content is available for you to download on any computer and save to a disk whenever you like. You can also download to multiple computers. There is no timeframe associated with your purchase and the content will not expire.
Running Time: 66 minutes
Released: 05/2017
Studio Name: Taboo-Fantasy
Series: ... Family Album
Categories: Small Tits All Sex High Definition Taboo
Description: Ashlyn better find a boyfriend pretty soon! This sexually blossoming woman keeps fucking her step-brother over and over again! This little lady has some out of control hormones...and she can't stop fucking her Step-Brother! Full versions of four scenes included in this movie.
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Published Feb 25, 2016
The best live music bars all bring something unique to the table; whether you're into laid back acoustic sets or prefer more hands-in-the-air sing-along sessions, we want to know where you think the Best Live Music Venue in the New Hampshire area is. Vote Today »
Whether its the big game or just another game, what is your favorite... see the Top 5 →
For the best selection of sips, where do you go to enjoy the best of the... see the Top 5 →
Who walks your dog while you are at work? see the Top 5 →
Going on vacation? Where do you send your canine on its doggie vacation? see the Top 5 →
When your pup is a little shaggy and needs a trim, where do you go? see the Top 5 →
Who captures the best shot when your dog smiles pretty for the camera? see the Top 5 →
The 2016 Bay Area A-List awards are based on more than 19,000 votes from local Bay Area-area experts.


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Hudson strong in first spring start for Giants
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Briefly leaving teammates behind, Tim Hudson bounded from the Giants dugout and headed for the mound before Scottsdale Stadium's public-address announcer introduced the lineup en masse.
"I was pretty anxious to get out there," Hudson said.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Briefly leaving teammates behind, Tim Hudson bounded from the Giants dugout and headed for the mound before Scottsdale Stadium's public-address announcer introduced the lineup en masse.
"I was pretty anxious to get out there," Hudson said.
The 38-year-old right-hander channeled his eagerness into something approaching excellence. In his first competitive activity as a Giant, Hudson threw two hitless innings Sunday in San Francisco's 5-3 Cactus League triumph over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Hudson established control immediately by striking out the first batter he faced, Gerardo Parra, on three pitches. Then he faced the challenge of covering first base twice in the next inning and improved markedly from one play to the next.
Hudson awkwardly covered first -- the same play on which he fractured his right ankle last July 24 -- on Eric Chavez's second-inning grounder that was wide of the bag. Hudson let Brandon Belt's apparently catchable throw sail by, resulting in an error for the first baseman.
Asked whether he put the blame on himself for the mishap, Hudson replied, "I put the first one on the fact that I'm old and slow. [Belt's] probably used to having some of those young, fast pitchers getting over to first base. I'm like an old, vintage car. You can't take me to a drag race."
Employing another simile, Hudson added, "I probably could have caught it, but I would have felt like Wes Welker going over the middle with a linebacker looking at me. I'm not sure that Spring Training is the time I want to do that, in my first game out."
But Chavez was erased on Miguel Montero's inning-ending double-play grounder, which prompted Hudson to cover first properly.
"Wouldn't you know I'd have two pretty challenging plays right out of the gate," said Hudson, who recently began participating in fielding and agility drills.
Hudson insisted that he has no psychological hangover dating back to his previous outing, when the Mets' Eric Young accidentally stepped on his foot and caused the gruesome injury.
"Mentally, I'm fine with all of it," Hudson said. "For me, I just trust that everything's healed up right. Now it's just the strengthening part of it. ... It's just [a matter of] getting my body strong and in shape and getting ready for 100-plus pitches a game."
It's only March, and this is just the Cactus League. But the Giants are encouraged that three members of their projected starting rotation, Madison Bumgarner, Ryan Vogelsong and Hudson, who signed a two-year, $23 million deal with San Francisco last November, have combined to pitch six scoreless innings. Matt Cain was rained out of his Saturday start against the Cubs and Tim Lincecum pitches Monday against San Diego.
The Giants must duplicate these efforts in the regular season to have a chance at contending in the National League West. Their rotation recorded a 4.37 ERA last year, their highest mark since 2006 (4.58). After ranking among the top five in team starters' ERA the previous four seasons (2009-12), the Giants' 4.37 figure was the NL's third-highest behind Colorado (4.57) and Philadelphia (4.41).
Hudson complained about his lack of command with his offspeed pitches but still threw 17 strikes in 27 pitches. Holding himself to a higher standard at least partially accounts for his status as the Major Leagues' leading active winner (205), a distinction he shares with Yankees left-hander CC Sabathia.
"He looked sharp," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He hit his spots, had good rhythm going, had pretty much what you're looking for, especially early. It's been a long road that he's gone down to get back on the mound and he looks good."
Chris Haft is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Haft-Baked Ideas, and follow him on Twitter at @sfgiantsbeat.


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Sunday, August 29, 2010
IPSN 2010 Demo: An IP-based Sensor Network with Augmented Reality
At IPSN 2010 in April 2010, we presented a demo that show that sensor data from a Contiki sensor network can be displayed on an Android phone using a technique known as augmented reality (two-page PDF demo abstract here). We just made a brief YouTube video that shows the demo. It should be viewable right on this site, or via this YouTube link. Read on for details of the demo.
The idea of the demo is that each sensor is identified with a black and white square "tag" that is recognized in the phone's video by software running on the phone. The software draws a 3d image on top of the tag, giving the illusion that there is a 3D object on top of the tag when the tag is viewed through the phone's screen. Since all sensors are accessible with HTTP over IP, the phone software simply executes a normal HTTP get to access the sensor data. Thus no sensor network-specific code needs to be on the phone, making software development easier.
For details, read our 2-page demo abstract. The full citation for the abstract is:
Dogan Yazar, Nicolas Tsiftes, Fredrik Österlind, Niclas Finne, Joakim Eriksson, and Adam Dunkels. Demo abstract: Augmenting reality with IP-based sensor networks. In Proceedings of the 9th ACM/IEEE International Conference on Information Processing in Sensor Networks (IPSN 2010), Stockholm, Sweden, April 2010.
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Trades & Licensing Rules
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by keyword index, rule name or WAC number.
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Find out about all proposed rule changes. Check out a calendar listing all current rule activity, including rule adoptions, proposed rule changes, effective dates, hearings and comment due dates on proposed rule changes. Get hearing locations, dates and times.
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Atlanta Fire Sprinklers
Fire codes in Atlanta may require the installation, service and maintenance of fire sprinklers systems which are specifically designed and engineered to extinguish, suppress or contain the rapid spread of fire. Federal, State, OSHA, Insurance Companies and the City of Atlanta may enforce fire codes to protect its citizens from the danger that fire poses through installation, service and maintenance of fire sprinkler systems.
Automatic fire sprinkler systems have proven to be effective at controlling or stopping the rapid spread of fire, saving lives and property in homes and business. The U.S. Fire Administration estimates that a fire occurs in a residential home every 87 seconds, it only makes sense to install a fire sprinkler system to help protect your home, office, commercial business, school, hospital, airport, government building or military installation.
Atlanta Fire Protection
Fire protection systems are designed for specific use which may require the installation of fire sprinklers, fire extinguishers, fire suppression systems, fire alarms, fire hydrants, emergency lights and/or NFPA signage to protect your home, office or commercial business, building, facility, warehouse, airport, school, naval shipyard, military installations or public event from the fire hazards present.
The City of Atlanta encourages it's citizens to practice fire safety and comply with Atlanta fire codes if we all practice fire safety and fire prevention methods we save lives, dramatically reduce the risk from the spread of fire and property damage created by fire. Check current and existing fire codes with the City of Atlanta Building and Housing Division, the Atlanta Fire Department or the Atlanta Fire Marshal.
Atlanta Fire Sprinkler Services
Atlanta Fire Sprinkler Systems
The services provided for fire sprinkler systems assist a home, business owner, airport, school, hospital or military installation protect their buildings or facilities from the dangers of fire as well as comply with fire codes.
Fire sprinkler systems are an investment towards fire prevention and safety. You may need information on types of fire sprinkler systems, search and buy parts to comply or satisfy fire code and safety code violations with the City of Atlanta.
Atlanta Fire Sprinkler Systems
Atlanta Fire Sprinkler Equipment
Fire Sprinkler Systems in Atlanta
The City of Atlanta encourages it's citizens to practice fire safety and comply with Atlanta Fire Codes if we all practice fire safety and fire prevention methods we save lives, dramatically reduce the risk from the spread of fire and property damage created by fire. Check current and existing fire codes with the City of Atlanta Building and Housing Division, the Atlanta Fire Department or the Atlanta Fire Marshal.
All work on fire sprinkler systems from bids, estimates, quotes, design, engineering, installation, service, repair, maintenance, remodels, retrofits, tests, inspections, flow tests, annual tests and inspections, 5 year (5yr) tests and inspections, certifications, troubleshooting or maintenance of any kind should be performed or completed by actively licensed fire sprinkler companies or contractors with the State and City of Atlanta.
Atlanta Fire Sprinkler Company
To comply with fire codes, when installing new fire sprinkler systems or equipment, servicing and maintaining existing installed fire sprinkler systems or addressing safety and/or fire code violations from the City of Atlanta you'll want affordable, experienced, dependable and reliable help to perform the fire sprinkler services required.
Protect your interests check to ensure the fire sprinkler company is properly and actively licensed to perform the duties required for the specific fire sprinkler system in the City of Atlanta.
Knowledge and Job Experience Counts
When purchasing a fire sprinkler system work with an experienced fire sprinkler company in Atlanta. The fire sprinkler technicians knowledge of available systems especially for remodels or retrofits counts to help possibly save you money on costs of installation, service, annual tests & inspections and five year (5yr) fire sprinkler tests & inspections.


text: Make your look more stunning by draping this marvelous saree. Orange color Georgette saree is designed with eye catching Embroidery Work. Gold color Row Silk blouse fabric is attached with this saree. Eye catching colors and designs make this saree your idol choice for any occasion. Accessories shown in the image are for photography purpose.


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Obamacare will add a projected 9 million individuals to Medicaid in 2014 by expanding the program to able-bodied adults below 138 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Unfortunately for these new Medicaid enrollees, much of the coverage offered in the Obamacare exchanges will look a lot like Medicaid, with patients having access to a limited number of doctors and hospitals.
In fact, a recent analysis of health insurer participation in the Obamacare exchanges by Heritage Foundation Senior Fellow Ed Haislmaier finds that 20 percent of all the health insurers offering exchange coverage have Medicaid managed care as their current principle business.
Haislmaier notes:
One likely explanation is that because the incomes of many individuals fluctuate above and below the threshold for Medicaid eligibility, Medicaid managed-care insurers that participate in the exchanges will be better positioned to retain those enrollees in their plans.… The other possibility is that this subgroup of carriers actually views offering exchange coverage as an attractive business opportunity in its own right.
As the accompanying table shows, Haislmaier finds that
among the 36 states and the District of Columbia that operate part of their Medicaid programs through managed-care plans, nearly half (49.5 percent) of the carriers participating in their exchanges operate Medicaid managed-care plans in the state. Indeed, in 28 instances Medicaid managed-care accounts for over 90 percent of the carrier's current business in the state.… 31 states will have at least one insurer with Medicaid managed-care business in the state offering coverage on the exchange, and that in 18 states half or more of the insurers in the state's exchange currently have Medicaid managed-care business.
In six states Medicaid managed care is the principal current business of half or more of all exchange carriers—six of the 11 in Texas, three of the five in New Mexico, two of the four in Indiana, and one of the two each in Delaware, Mississippi and Rhode Island.
Haislmaier concludes that
a number of insurers with Medicaid managed-care business saw in Obamacare's exchange subsidy design an end result that looks a lot like Medicaid managed care—and thus, decided to offer coverage on the exchanges. It is a business model that they already know how to successfully implement. Indeed, Molina's CEO was recently quoted in the Miami Herald explaining that "Medicaid is essentially an individual market for low-income patients…and Medicaid has premiums that are paid for by the state. The reason we went after the exchange is we feel there are a lot of similarities."
Like Medicaid, the coverage offered in the Obamacare exchanges will be heavily subsidized. But also like Medicaid, it will, in many cases, provide access to a limited number of doctors and hospitals. The Obamacare exchanges are essentially offering Medicaid for the middle class.
Louis Phillips is currently a member of the Young Leaders Program at The Heritage Foundation. For more information on interning at Heritage, please click here.


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Family Sharing makes it easy for up to six family members to share iTunes, Apple Books, and App Store purchases, an Apple Music family subscription, an Apple News+ subscription, Apple Arcade subscription, and an iCloud storage plan – all without sharing accounts. It includes the ability to set up an Apple ID for kids, set permissions remotely with Screen Time, and approve spending and downloads from a parent's device. Your family can also share a photo album, a family calendar, and even help locate each other's missing devices.
Get started
You can be a part of only one family at a time. Here's what you need to set up Family Sharing:
- An Apple ID signed in to iCloud and iTunes
- iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8 and later, or Mac with OS X Yosemite and later
If you need to, you can create an Apple ID for your child, then add them to your family group.
Start a family group
One adult in the family—the family organizer—can set up Family Sharing for the group from their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac. If you turn on purchase sharing, you'll be asked to confirm that you agree to pay for purchases initiated by the family members you invite and that you have a valid payment method on file. Valid payment methods for setting up Family Sharing include credit cards and debit cards.*
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Go to Settings > [your name]. If you're using iOS 10.2 or earlier, go to Settings > iCloud.
- Tap Set Up Family Sharing, then tap Get Started. Follow the onscreen instructions to set up your family and invite your family members.
- If you're using iOS 11 or later, choose the first feature you'd like to share with your family. Then follow the instructions to invite your family members using iMessage.
On your Mac:
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
- Click set up Family.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
After you set up Family Sharing, you can invite your family members to join.
Invite people to join your family
As long as you both use iOS 8 and later or OS X Yosemite and later, you can add anyone who has an Apple ID to your family. If you have children, use these steps to create their Apple ID and add them to your group. Use the steps below to add someone who already has an Apple ID.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing. If you're using iOS 10.2 or earlier, go to Settings > iCloud > Family.
- Tap Add Family Member.
- Enter your family member's name or email address and follow the onscreen instructions.
- If you're using iOS 11 or later, choose whether you'd like to send an invitation via Messages or to invite them in person. Then follow the onscreen instructions.
On your Mac:
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
- Click Manage Family.
- Click +, then follow the onscreen instructions.
If your family member is with you, they can enter their Apple ID password on your device to accept the invitation. You can also send them an invitation, and they can accept from their device. If you have multiple Apple IDs in iTunes, you can invite each of your accounts to the group, so you can share purchases from your other Apple IDs with your family.
See if your family member accepted the invitation
After you send the invitation, you can check its status under the person's name.
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
Go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing. If you're using iOS 10.2 or earlier, go to Settings > iCloud > Family.
On your Mac:
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family.
Then select that person's name to see the status of the invitation. If you need to resend the invitation, select Resend Invitation.
Join a family group
Accept or decline an invitation to join a family directly from your device. You'll get an invitation sent to you by email or in a text message. Then you can respond right from the invitation. If you miss the email or text invitation, no problem. You can respond from your device Settings or System Preferences:
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:
Go to Settings > [your name] > Invitations. If you're using iOS 10.2 or earlier, go to Settings > iCloud > Invitations.
On your Mac:
Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family.
To accept an invitation, follow the onscreen instructions. When you join a family, you might be asked to confirm your account information and to opt-in to any features or services your family set up.
If you can't accept the invitation, see if someone else joined a family with your Apple ID or is sharing purchased content from your Apple ID. Remember, you can only join one family at a time, and you can only switch to a different family group once per year.
Get help
- Get help if you don't see your family's shared content. To share purchased content, you need to turn on Share My Purchases and use the iTunes Store in the same country or region as your family members.
- Learn how purchases work with Family Sharing.
- Learn about Family Sharing.
Family Sharing requires a personal Apple ID signed in to iCloud and iTunes. If your family has purchase sharing turned on, music, movies, TV shows, and books can be downloaded on up to 10 devices per account, five of which can be computers. iOS 8 or OS X Yosemite or later are required to set up or join a Family Sharing group. Not all content is eligible to be shared. Content can be hidden by family members; hidden content is not available for download. Content downloaded from family members or acquired via redemption codes is not subject to Ask to Buy.
*Accepted forms of payment vary by country or region.
**Age varies by country or region.


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El Segundo Fish Company a great place for locals to call their own
Merill Shindler, a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic calls El Segundo Fish Company, "A Great Place for Locals to Call Their Own" on the Daily Breeze.
As seen on Daily Breeze written by Merill Shindler.
There were unshelled peanuts on the table, a basketball game on the big screens and, of all things, a stack of New Yorker magazines sitting on a side table in the El Segundo Fish Company — which, despite the name, isn't a fish market.
Instead, it's somewhat of a rollicking seafood restaurant in a mini-mall, filled with people who all seem to know one another. (No, seriously — the couple at the table next to mine spent so much time greeting friends, I didn't think they'd ever get to their food.) This is a neighborhood restaurant, in a neighborhood that lives apart from the nuttiness of Los Angeles and the chillness of the beach cities. El Segundo really is a world unto itself, and a good part of that world congregates at the Fish Company.
The restaurant is a funny place where the service is erratic, but no one seems to mind, since they're so busy chatting with friends, watching the game and, I suppose, reading copies of the New Yorker.
As ever, once I've got a beer in hand, I'm a happy guy. The beer selection here is good, too — or at least good enough (with Rock & Brews around the corner, it's hard to compete). There are 16 bottled beers, along with four beers on tap. Among the selection of brews is White Dog IPA from the local El Segundo Brewing Co. Hey, support your local craft brewery, right?
And what's just perfect for locals? Nightly specials. On Taco Tuesdays, fish or chicken tacos go for $2 apiece, while Coronas are $3. On Wednesdays, kids eat free with the order of regular entrees by their folks. Every day from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., there's a Senior Special Combo for Two — four pieces of fish-and-chips and two drinks for $9.95. Hard to find fault with that.
When it comes to seafood, the menu at the Fish Company pretty well touches all bases — or at least, it pretty well touches all the old school bases. They aren't cranking out sushi in the kitchen, or doing clever things with sea urchin. The most modernist they get is an order of seared ahi with wasabi mayo, a seared ahi salad and a rock shrimp quinoa salad.
Otherwise, this is a restaurant defined by venerable favorites like their thick, ingredient-heavy New England clam chowder, their fried catfish with hushpuppies and their fish-and-chips. And yes, they've got five different fish tacos — the Fish Company, they do "heart" their fish tacos.
It needs to be mentioned that the prices here are as retro as some of the dishes. Order a seafood entree — grilled or blackened ahi, mahi, sea bass, salmon, swordfish, sole, snapper, tilapia, trout, catfish — and you get a choice of two side dishes with it, some of which are included, some of which add on a dollar or two.
I went with the cioppino, and thought they had made a mistake. I was expecting a cup. I got a bowl; a whole lot of cioppino, very red and moderately spicy. It was the sort of dish that by definition will land on whatever you're wearing. (I was so careful and I still wound up with a few red dots on my shirt.)
For the most part, the food is workman-like. Nothing leaps out as exceptional, but nothing offends either. I do wish an order of salmon were cooked a bit less, but I'm reminded that undercooked salmon is a modernist conceit. For an older demographic, the fish needs to be cooked all the way through. If I serve my mother-in-law salmon that's anything less than fully cooked, she'll have me put it back on the Weber. It's how it is.
Plus, this certainly is a restaurant where the choice of dishes is more than enough. I could see popcorn shrimp at lots of nearby tables, along with fried calamari, crab cakes, fried oysters and steamed clams. Those hush puppies appear a lot too. There's a house gumbo I'd like to go back for — shrimp along with chicken and sausage — though I'll make a point of wearing a shirt I don't want to wear again.
This is a restaurant that's full of good intentions and if I lived in El Segundo, I'd be a regular too. Everybody needs a place like this to call their own.
Merrill Shindler is a Los Angeles-based freelance dining critic. Send him email at [email protected]