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Two new studies demonstrate both the promise of CT-based lung cancer screening and the obstacles to reducing the harms it may cause.
As hoped and expected, low-dose CT scans in the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST) for detecting lung cancer led to increased detection of early-stage tumors, study leaders said.
Compared with screening conducted with conventional chest x-rays during the first round of incidence screening, CT scans had greater sensitivity for malignant tumors (94.4% versus 59.6%) and twice as many CT-detected tumors were stage IA (47.5% versus 23.5%), whereas 31.1% of the CT-detected tumors were stage III or IV compared with 59.1% of tumors found with x-rays," according to Denise Aberle, MD, of the University of California Los Angeles, and colleagues.
But, the researchers reported in the Sept. 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, specificity and the predictive value of positive findings were greater with x-ray screening.
In a separate report appearing in the same issue of the journal, researchers led by Stephen Lam, MD, of the British Columbia Cancer Agency in Vancouver, described a predictive model that shows promise for predicting the likelihood that a CT-detected lung lesion is malignant, based on such factors as patient age and sex, family history of lung cancer, and nodule size and location.
Areas under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve for the model's accuracy ranged from 0.894 to 0.960, depending on the data set used for testing and how the model was tuned. (An area of 1.0 means perfect specificity and sensitivity.)
Together, the two reports demonstrate both the promise of CT-based lung cancer screening and the obstacles to reducing the harms it may cause.
In July, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force gave a cautious endorsement to such screening, but only when confined to a relatively narrow group of high-risk individuals -- current and ex-smokers ages 55 to 79 with a heavy smoking history. Although supported by earlier results from the NLST and some other studies, the recommendation was a long time coming and remains controversial because a huge proportion of positive findings are false.
Those false positives create untold patient anxiety and, in nearly all cases, inconvenience, cost, and physical risk associated with follow-up testing. Many patients undergo lung biopsies and/or surgery for lung nodules that prove to be nonmalignant.
However, the first results from the NLST, focusing on mortality, the primary outcome, appeared to justify these adverse effects of screening. An interim finding found a significant advantage for low-dose CT screening, prompting an early halt to the trial in 2010. A full report on the mortality findings was published in 2011.
NLST Screening Results
The new NLST report presents detailed screening results from the first two rounds of screening -- dubbed T1 and T2 -- performed annually in more than 50,000 current and ex-smokers with a smoking history of at least 30 pack-years to detect cancers after participants underwent an initial baseline scan (T0). They were randomized 1:1 to undergo screening with low-dose CT scans or conventional x-rays.
In the T1 screen, 6,901 (27.9%) of those screened with CT had a positive finding, compared with 1,482 (6.2%) of the x-ray group. At T2, positive findings were made in 4,054 (16.8%) and 1,174 (5.0%) of the CT and x-ray groups, respectively.
Positive findings were defined differently with the two screening methods because of their differing capabilities. In the CT group, findings of indeterminate (noncalcified) nodules at least 4 mm in the longest dimension, mediastinal masses, pleural disease, or atelectasis of more than one segment were considered positive results. For x-ray, a noncalcified nodule of any size or any other abnormality potentially related to lung cancer qualified as a positive finding. Radiologists also could exercise judgment on whether a nodule seen in a previous round had changed significantly over time, calling it "positive-stable" or "negative" at their discretion.
There was no standardized follow-up procedure for positive findings. Further tests were chosen by treating clinicians who then recorded diagnoses of lung cancer using their own judgment.
Of the 6,901 participants with positive results in the CT group at T1, 168 received a diagnosis of lung cancer during the following year. At T2, only 211 of 4,054 positive results led to a lung cancer diagnosis.
CT screening was very sensitive, though, with lung cancer diagnoses in 10 of 17,814 participants with negative screens at T1 and in 16 of 19,968 at T2.
Low Positive Predictive Values
These numbers translated to positive predictive values of 2.4% and 5.2% at T1 and T2, respectively, for CT screening.
With conventional x-rays, 65 of 1,482 positive results at T1 led to lung cancer diagnoses. Corresponding findings at T2 were 78 lung cancer diagnoses in 1,174 participants with positive screening results. These translated to positive predictive values of 4.4% and 6.7% at T1 and T2, respectively.
Such low predictive values have been at the heart of the controversy over lung cancer screening. But experts contacted by MedPage Today argued that the uniquely vital importance of early detection in lung cancer makes the high rate of false positives acceptable.
A positive predictive value of 5% "is a significant thing," said Farid Gharagozloo, MD, of the University of Arizona. He cited an earlier study indicating that patients with early-stage malignancies not undergoing surgical resection "were all dead" in 5 years. In patients who did undergo surgery at that point, 5-year survival was 92%, he said.
Reginald Munden, MD, of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and a principal site investigator in the NLST, told MedPage Today that he had no qualms about CT lung cancer screening.
"This has the biggest impact on lung cancer that we have ever seen in our lifetime," he said. "This will do more to save lives than anything else we have done to date in lung cancer" from a clinical perspective.
Aberle and colleagues pointed to the "shift toward early-stage, non-small cell lung cancers, which are potentially curable," as perhaps the most important finding in the new NLST analysis.
The study authors suggested several general strategies for improving the accuracy of screening results: "determining the most appropriate risk cohort, refining both algorithms for interpreting the results of screening and definitions of positive findings, and determining the appropriate duration and timing of screening."
Reducing False Positives
The other NEJM paper by Lam and colleagues represented an attempt to move forward in the second area, by identifying patient and nodule characteristics that could distinguish low- from high-risk nodules visualized in CT scans.
They drew on data from the previously published PanCanadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer (PanCan) Study, covering 1,871 participants who had a total of 7,008 lung nodules detected in low-dose CT scans, to identify such characteristics.
Resulting statistical models were then checked against data from the British Columbia Cancer Agency database of participants in chemoprevention trials, for whom similar baseline and outcomes data were available. In this group, 1,090 individuals had 5,021 nodules and 42 of the participants were diagnosed with lung cancer.
Analysis of the PanCan data showed that the 102 participants with malignancies were more likely to show the following characteristics (P<0.05):
- Older age
- Female
- Family history of lung cancer
- Emphysema diagnosis
- Large nodule size
- Part-solid nodule type
- Lower nodule count
- Nodule in upper lobe
- Nodule spiculation
Lam and colleagues generated two types of statistical models for predicting lung cancer diagnoses: a "parsimonious" model that incorporated only the factors listed above, which were found to be associated with cancer diagnoses at P<0.05, and a more liberal model that also included factors the researchers believed should be associated with lung cancer.
Also, the cancer agency data on chemoprevention trial participants did not include spiculation, so Lam and colleagues produced separate models that included or excluded it as a variable.
Even without spiculation included in the model, applying the parsimonious model to the cancer agency data led to an area under the ROC curve of 0.960, the researchers reported.
Limiting the model to nodules of 10 mm or less in diameter reduced the accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.907 in the cancer agency data.
Munden commented to MedPage Today that the effort was revealing in some ways -- such as the inclusion of part-solid nodules as a risk factor -- but far from ready to be applied in the clinic.
"This is a model based on a small subset of all the people screened, so it's got to go through a lot more validation before it becomes a clinically accepted tool," he said.
The NSLT was supported by the National Cancer Institute. The study of the predictive model was sponsored by the Terry Fox Research Institute, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer, the U.S. Public Health Service, and the National Cancer Institute.
Aberle and most co-authors reported no relationships with commercial entities. Two co-authors reported relationships with firms including Wilex, Genentech, Mela Sciences, and Vucomp.
Authors of the modelling study reported relationships with Pfizer, Roche, Siemens, Toshiba, Olympus, Lilly, and Med Biogene. Two reported providing expert testimony in malpractice cases. Several reported holding patent rights related to the study topic.
- Reviewed by Robert Jasmer, MD Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner
last updated
Primary Source
New England Journal of MedicineSource Reference: Aberle D "Results of the two incidence screenings in the national lung screening trial" N Engl J Med 2013; 369: 920-931.
Secondary Source
New England Journal of MedicineSource Reference: McWilliams A "Probability of cancer in pulmonary nodules detected on first screening CT" N Engl J Med 2013; 369: 910-919.


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French Route stage 23: León - Villadangos del Páramo
Camino de Santiago
This stage passes through...
León, Trobajo del Camino, La Virgen del Camino, Fresno del Camino, La Aldea de la Valdoncina, Robledo de la Valdoncina, Estación de Villadangos, Oncina de la Valdoncina, Chozas de Abajo, Villar de Mazarife, Villavante, Valverde del Camino, S. Miguel del Camino, Villadangos del Páramo
Outstanding destinations
- Route belonging to:
- The Way of Saint James
- Name of route:
- French Route
- Distance:
- 22,20 km
- Mode of transport
- 4,50-5,50. Horseback
- 1,50-2,00. Bicycle
- 2,00-2,50. Walking
- Main difficulties
- On this stage there are several alternative routes. The southern route through Fresno del Camino has gentle slopes.
- Flora, fauna and crops
- It is a flat area which has been much altered by human intervention, and the construction of a series of channels has transformed the river plain into a fertile agricultural land with a wide range of irrigated crops.
- Gastronomic products, cakes and pastries
- This area is especially productive in fruits, vegetables and cereals, as well as pulses, meat and fish, particularly trout.
- Rest areas
- La Virgen del Camino (in the Fuentina area): there is a wooded area with tables and a drinking fountain. Villar de Mazarife (in the park): drinking fountain, trees and bench. Villadangos del Páramo (at the artificial lake known as El Estanque).

subset: commoncrawl


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Call for nominations: MCV's Top 50 Women in Games
In two weeks MCV will publish a list of the Top 50 women in the UK games industry.
Put together in association with Women in Games Jobs, the list will recognise women from all areas within the games industry working within the UK.
It will be published on March 8th, International Women's Day.
Call for nominations for the list are now open - but hurry, we've got a panel of judges ready to decide the final line up next week.
If you know a woman who inspires, makes a difference and deserves to be recognised please nomination her by sending details to email@example.com.
Get your nominations in by 11am February 27th.
The list will be decided by a panel including: Gina Jackson, games consultant and CEO of Women in Games Jobs; Debbie Bestwick managing director of Team 17; and Siobhan Reddy, studio director of Media Molecule.
International Women's Day IWD has been running since the early 1900s and is an official holiday in many countries from Afghanistan to Zambia.
According to the latest statistics available from Creative Skillset the number of women in the games workforce is just six per cent, having dropped from 16 per cent in 2000.


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It appears that Mark Richt is on the verge of filling a significant vacancy on his defensive coaching staff… and it's a doozy.
First reported by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and subsequently confirmed by ESPN's Mark Schlabach, Florida State defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt is expected to accept the same position at Georgia. Pruitt would replace Todd Grantham, who left just two days ago to take the coordinator job at Louisville.
The Journal-Constitution reported that the 39-year-old Pruitt is in Athens Tuesday, where he was meeting with Richt and the rest of the coaching staff. There's been no official word from UGA on filling the coaching void, although that should come at some point this week if not today.
Pruitt, who's expected to sign a contract worth $850,000 annually, spent just one season with the Seminoles, but what a season it was.
The Pruitt-led defense played a significant role in FSU's BCS title, finishing at or near the top of every major statistical category. Following the 2013 regular season, Pruitt was named as one of five finalists for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach.
Prior to his short stint with the 'Noles, Pruitt had spent the previous six years at Alabama, including the last three as Nick Saban's defensive backs coach.
UPDATED 4:44 p.m. ET: Following up on reports from earlier in the day, Georgia confirmed via a press release that it has hired Florida State defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt to the same post with the Bulldogs.
"I'm ecstatic," said UGA head coach Mark Richt in a very brief statement.
"This is an outstanding professional and personal opportunity," said Pruitt. "I'm looking forward to meeting the current players and getting on the road to visit with recruits."


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From PostgreSQL wiki
The PostgreSQL fundraising group will typically decide matters via general consensus on our discussion list. However, should a matter be of enough concern group members may submit a motion and follow the guidelines as listed below.
- All current members of the Fundraising Group are eligible to vote.
- All current members of the Fundraising Group may submit a motion.
- The chair is either the SPI Board Observer or the SPI Liason.
- Deliberations shall occur once the motion is seconded.
- Debate should take place in a new thread on the mailing list.
- Debate should end no sooner than 3 days after the question has been stated by the chair.
- Deliberations may be closed at the chair's discretion should the debate appear completed.
- Resolutions shall be adopted by a simple majority vote.
- Votes may be collected in either of two ways. The voting method may be determined by the member who makes the motion. If no voting method is thus determined, the chair must specify a method before the vote is opened. Only one method will be used per vote.
- The possible voting methods are: Email Members will send their ballot to both the Liason and Observer using the email address subscribed to the Funds mailing list. Both Liason and observer will tabulate the votes independently. Votes which do not appear on both lists will be discarded after contacting the member involved to allow them to re-vote. Although not required, email voting should utilize use PGP to sign the vote. Web Members will log in and vote on an authenticated web interface.
- A web vote is required should the vote pertain to one of the following:
1. The appointment of a Fundraising Group representative. 2. The removal of a Fundraising Group representative from their position. 3. The chair determines that the vote is one of a controversial or sensitive nature.
- Both voting methods will allow the option to "abstain". Members may abstain either by submitting a ballot indicating the abstention, or by not submitting a ballot. Votes of "abstain" are counted as participating only.
- Voting will remain open for 7 days.
- Ballots are confidential. They may not be shared except by the Liason and Board Advisor for verification purposes.
- The Liason or Observer should post an email to the Funds mailing list no later then 48 hours before the end of the vote, listing who has voted as a reminder to all to vote and those whose ballot may not have been received.
- The vote results should be posted to the mailing list within 24 hours of the vote closing.


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A valuable local resource
Running along one of the finest limestone trout streams in the nation, our Nature Trail helps highlight a hidden local gem. LeTort Spring Run is a visible expression of the health of the entire watershed, and it tells us when the hidden tributaries that feed the stream are tainted by carelessness, accident or ignorance. Oh, it's also a prime location for fly fishing!Learn about our Nature Trail


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Moderators: Three Stars, dagny, pfim, netwolf
Rylan wrote:I really want to go to Burgatory for lunch. Doubtful it will happen.
mac5155 wrote:Rylan wrote:I really want to go to Burgatory for lunch. Doubtful it will happen.
B.O.D. Lent Burger...Clam & Potato Cake with Sharp Cheddar, Clam Chowder, Puff Pastry and Mixed Greens on Toasted Wheat Bun.
PensFanInDC wrote:Went to a local restaurant for a fish sandwich. At first glance it looked delicious. It was bigger than the bun and about 2.5 inches tall. When I bit into it I discovered it was about 1/2" of fish and 2" of breading. It tasted good but not enough meat...
PensFanInDC wrote:It tasted good but not enough meat...
Eismann wrote:Salad.
Up yours.
columbia wrote:shafnutz05 wrote:I've tried grits a half dozen times, just can't get myself to like them
You need to find an old southern lady to make them for you.
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests


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Bozeman Area Winter Storm Warning Through Sunday Morning For Snow And Wind
Blustery conditions for the higher elevations around Bozeman with most snow falling above 6,500 feet. Gusty winds up to 30mph at times could make visibility very poor while traveling.
The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Winter
Storm Warning for elevations above 6500 feet for heavy snow and
blowing snow which is in effect until 11 am MST Sunday.
Timing and main impact: periods of snow... heavy at times will
continue through this evening. The combination of snow and
gusty winds will cause difficult travel and outdoor conditions.
Snow accumulations: total snow accumulations of 8 to 14
inches can be expected.
Winds and visibility: west winds of 15 to 20 mph with gusts up
to 30 mph will cause areas of blowing snow and reduced visibilities
to less than one half mile at times.
Locations affected include: the mountain ranges of Beaverhead
... Madison ... and Gallatin counties. The warning also includes
the city of West Yellowstone... and Monida... targhee... and Chief
Joseph Pass.
A Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather
conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of
snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in
an emergency. If you must... keep an extra flashlight... food... and
water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
For specific Road and travel conditions in Montana... dial 5 1 1.


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Since reading Global Warming's Terrifying New Math and a few articles such as Earth facing imminent environmental 'tipping point' says report, where scientists plainly state "all ecosystems are nearing sudden and irreversible change that will not be conducive to human life" I've gone through my own personal tipping point. For years I've been among the "alarmed by climate change" population segment. However, now that the gloves are off, I can no longer compartmentalize.
Every topic and image make a connection to the overwhelming Ecological/Moral crisis into which we've begun to wade. I see a zombie image, and join Dark Atheists to post my fantasy of a Zombie Apocalypse political action against the Corporate Executives of Climate Change. I see an article on Teen gratitude and feel compelled to post about psychologists being out of touch with climate realities teens face. More and more, when I welcome new members, it makes sense to invite them to Eco-Logical, even if they've expressed no green values in their About Me.
In short, something has shifted inside of me, realigned.
Views: 821
I think it's a great thing Ruth to educate others about the environment and climate change. It's wonderful that you are reaching out to new members to consider environmental issues.
By sudden, they meant "several generations". I think we all understood that to be true (at least, people who believe in global warming). I'm cynical; I don't think there is anything we can do about it, in our current capitalist mindset. It would take a royal smack in the face, maybe like the Hoover Dam drying up -- something that majorly affects our economy, reducing our global domestic $$$$ -- in order for anything to change.
Jonathan, I agree with you that something catastrophic will have to happen to make people realize how serious these changing events are. Hoover Dam drying up is a real possibility, or some such thing. More people losing their jobs and homes and lifestyles surely gets people's attention.
My fear, and I see evidence of it all around me, people will do foolish, useless things. Kind of like calling in a rain maker, or scapegoating some innocent group, or mass prayers ... OH! these have already been going on! I think I make my point.
Problems are too big for individuals or groups to overcome the forces that include corporate legal thievery and all branches of government bought and paid for by special interests. For me to feel stable, I need to face the problems realistically, honestly, no delusions or denial, no make-believe. Then keep my communication lines open with family, friends, neighbors, grow and preserve food, cut down on carbon production in my life, walk very carefully and thoughtfully on the Earth. If you have any ideas, I would love to read them.
Well, Jonathan, it looks as if that royal smack in the face is immanent. You're hearing no doubt about the Arctic Death Spiral. Today I learned that Professor Peter Waldhams of Cambridge says the Arctic will be ice free in summer by 2015 or 2016. And The Cambridge University Sea ice researcher Nick Toberg says that's about the same as adding 20 years of CO2 at current [human-caused] rates into the atmosphere.
So my head's spinning. By 2015 or 2016 we'll be dumping a two decade load of carbon into the air in addition to our regular dangerous amounts.
Perhaps by 2017 it will be obvious to even the most adamant Climate Deniers that the world is out of control, just in time for us to not be able to stop it. Because by then our window of opportunity will be closed. Yeah we can still get our asses into gear and change from fossil fuel to green energy, and maybe even begin to limit overpopulation. But it will be too late because the postive feedbacks will be in full swing.
There will be no going back to a safe liveable planet.
Ruth, Powerfully stated, excellent referrals, there is no relying on myths or historical records or memories. This is an example of remembering the future, an Ed Lindaman phrase.
Thanks, Joan.
I've been reading denialist attempts to downplay the dangers of the Arctic Death Spiral. One Denialist reassurance is
...two previous interglacial periods were warmer than the Holocene.
Clearly, warming periods release large quantities of methane trapped in frozen marine and terrestrial sediments. Yet in none of the previous interglacials — including the two that were warmer than the present — did warming produce a self-perpetuating, climate de-stabilizing spike in atmospheric methane levels.
from Should We Fear the Methane Time Bomb (Part Deux)?
This isn't convincing to me because those interglacials had no human CO2 input, only slow natural greenhouse gas production. That makes them like a control group, whereas the Anthropocene Era is an experimental group, with much faster than natural CO2 and methane injection, plus some man made trace gases that are very powerful. The Vostock data say the previous integlacials CO2 and methane weren't as high as current levels.
Present-day atmospheric burdens of these two important greenhouse gases seem to have been unprecedented during the past 420,000 years.
Climate and atmospheric history of the past 420,000 years from the ...
The second reassurance Denialists offer is that bacteria will eat the excess methane. I don't know if we have any data on how much gets consumed in the ocean when subsea deposits melt. I do know that flyovers of areas where such melting occurs find elevated methane levels in the air. Methane bubbles rise fairly quickly through water.
It's not like the Gulf oil spill where the oil stays in the water to be consumed slowly by bacteria.
Perhaps a little will be consumed by bacteria.
Yes Ruth, this is a critical time, important changes take place in so many areas of our lives. Your writing is so powerful, and your intensity sincere, it causes people to stop and think. Some with curiosity, others with fear, still too many don't see what you see. Stress, anxiety, fear, confusion ... where will this all end? A valid and responsible question.
It seems to me there are so many things out of control, the population grows crazier with all kinds of magic talk, denial talk, delusion talk, and all these responses seem foolish and stupid and worthless. Given the reality that a lot of bad things happen now, this year, this decade, this century, in order to stay sane and feel as stable as possible, I try to keep focused on what I intend to do. You know better than most my goals; you do better than most getting the word out in ways that others hear and think and maybe make some changes. Your talent to inform and enlighten inspires me. Your writings mean a great deal to me and I want you to know how important you are in my life.
Thanks for the kudos, Joan. I'm honored.
The Climate Change debate is just like the Evolution debate. The evidence does not seem to matter to most people, they believe what is most convenient for them. Opinions are easy to hold, knowledge is hard to acquire, and like evolution, climate change is difficult to understand in full detail so people would rather listen to some charismatic ass-hat who tells them what to believe.
It's is funny how the same people who resort to Pascal's Wager in the name of religion, and say, "Think of the consequences if you are wrong!" will not do so on climate change. It's only the Earth, the planet we live on, no big whoop, so let's consider the econmics first... grrrrrr. It's infuriating.
Thankfully, science to the rescue. There are many CO2 sequestering technologies on the rise that will bail us out (I hope). Much like the Haber method prevented mass starvation, and the development of high yield dwarf wheat prevented another possible world shaking famine, science is our only way out.
Dan, powerfully stated. I like your reference to Pascal's Wager and how its use for salvation does not extend to hunger, climate change, diseases, poverty, fascism of all kinds.
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The League of Women Voters for the Hilton Head Island and Bluffton area is hosting a bus tour of lands preserved through bond referendums a fresh round with November's election.
The bus tour includes stops at the Bluffton Oyster Company and Widgeon Point on Lemon Island. Garrett Budds, conservation director for the Beaufort County Open Land Trust, will serve as guide.
The ballot November 6 will include a measure authorizing another $25 million in bonds to buy up land and leave it undeveloped for environmental and aesthetic reasons.
Running from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 12, the tour will start at Fish Hall Creek Park, 10 Fish Haul Rd, on Hilton Head Island.
The cost is $5 for League members and $7 for non-members. For reservations and additional information, please call Fran Holt at 837-3436.


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Hut 1 – 2 – 3Monday, March 18th, 2013
This just in from Dawn Shawley, the translation manager around here (i.e. at Lexiteria):
"Chris and I were talking about the hut-hut in football, and where it comes from. Sometimes I say, "Zak zak!" to the kids in German, which was always used as a "hurry up/let's go" in my memory, and that reminded me of hup, which lead to hut in football."
No. We know nothing about the origins. This is a Yankee mispronunciation of hup, which is a Redneck mispronunciation of hep ;-). Hep has been an interjection accompanying marching cadence for centuries. No one has any idea of why the marines or the quarterback says hup, two, three, four rather than one, two, three, four.
There is one interesting parallel, though, in Russian: Russians also avoid the equivalent of one in counting anything: raz, dva, tri, chetyri rather than odin, dva, tri, chetyri—in cadences or otherwise. I would imagine these interjections emphasize the cadence to attract attention to them. Hup does have a slight suggestion of the sense Zak zak in your mind: "hurry up/let's go".


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If you haven't experienced this part of Texas, you should know all those tall, beautiful green things are not funny-looking cacti. Sure, they have pointy needles too, but they're actually pine trees. Believe it or not, Texas has huge tracts of land bathed in the dappled light beneath these steeple-high pine trees, as well as broad hardwood forests too. Dotted with uniquely charming towns, this area contains a mixture of beauty, culture and history that draws immense interest.Read more
Texas is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet, and this region hosts several tremendous national and state forests. As one heads south, towering pine forests slowly yield to lush wetlands around Caddo Lake and Big Thicket National Preserve. Trails of blooming azaleas and dogwoods are widely celebrated during their spring bloom.Then in the fall, many of Texas' most epic landscapes put on a real show when the sassafras, persimmon, maples, sweet gums, dogwoods, elms and oaks reveal their dazzling autumn colors.Black Gold, Texas Tea
Oil is a fundamental part of this state's fascinating development. In towns like Kilgore, Marshall, Joinerville and Longview, they're still gushing over the East Texas oil tradition. And don't forget the World's Richest Acre in Kilgore, where they celebrate the holiday season with star-topped oil derricks. Explore the oil boom days with museums and a variety of attractions marking the state's impact on the industry, the evolution of the state's economy and America's growth.Old South Charm
Many parts of East Texas, such as Tyler and Nacogdoches, still possess graceful elements of the Old South. It's fascinating to explore the stately plantation homes and mansions under the shade of magnolia and cypress trees. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride in Jefferson, or a relaxing voyage on a paddle-wheel riverboat in a town called Uncertain, Texas. (We have some of the best city names in the known universe, don't we?) The abundant Southern hospitality and charm of this region are just unmistakable. Oh, and don't forget to stop and smell the flowers when you're in Tyler. There's no larger municipal rose garden in the nation.Texas Means Friendly
The Piney Woods region also is rich in the state's history and friendly tradition. The name Texas comes from the Caddo word tejas, meaning "friend," that the early Spanish visitors called the first Texans. Learn all about how these Native Texans lived at the ancient Caddo Mounds State Historic Site in Alto. For a taste of this state's history during the time of its struggle for independence, visit Nacogdoches, one of the state's oldest communities. It was originally a Spanish fort in the mid-1700s, and was even the site of three short-lived republics.


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Twin Cities Freestyle Cypher (10 Artists) [Unsigned Hype]
"Top Ten artists from Twin Cities, Minnesota. Rock Diamonds, Allan K, Flite, Kid Magic, Prince Fields, U-Sity, Jay Newz, Roma Taylor J and M.Dreams"
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If you think you've encountered some weird guitars, you ain't seen nothing yet. Ed Roman, owner of a huge guitar shop and self-proclaimed "Guitar King of Las Vegas," has put together a new online collection of some of the strangest axes ever to grace this planet. One example is the sexy "BC Rich Bitch" guitar you see above, whose long neck is a clever play on words. Gives new meaning to the term "tailpiece."
This gallery contains just a fraction of the crazy git-boxes Ed Roman has found, sold, commissioned or custom built. Some of these things have such sharp edges they're just downright dangerous, and speaking of dangerous, check out the Ted Nugent guitar with a compartment in the back for your Derringer. Might be handy to have that guitar on hand when you play one of those nightclubs where the stage is surrounded by a floor-to-ceiling cage. [Ed Roman]


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Veselin Topalov
|Photograph copyright © 2005 World Chess Championship Press.
NOTABLE GAMES: [what is this?]
Anand vs Topalov, 2005 1/2-1/2
Topalov vs Kramnik, 2008 1-0
Topalov vs Aronian, 2006 1-0
Topalov vs Anand, 2005 1-0
Topalov vs Ponomariov, 2005 1-0
Topalov vs Kasparov, 1996 1-0
Kharlov vs Topalov, 2004 0-1
Kramnik vs Topalov, 2005 0-1
Svidler vs Topalov, 2005 0-1
Topalov vs Kamsky, 2006 1-0
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS: [what is this?]
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament 2001/02 (2001)
FIDE World Championship Knockout Tournament (2004)
FIDE World Championship Tournament (2005)
Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match (2006)
Anand - Topalov World Chess Championship (2010)
NOTABLE TOURNAMENTS: [what is this?]
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text:
Tbe Mets were hot on this date in 1974 as Ray Sadecki beat the Cubs for their seventh straight victory and tenth in their last 11 games.
Then Bobby Parnell coughed it up the next day in the ninth inning at Washington. Ooops, that was last night. Another in a long line of excruciating defeats this season. And another kick in the gut after a hot stretch.
With the season lost, we're just trying to find things to hold onto over the winner and Parnell, as the closer, isn't providing us with the warm and fuzzies.
Parnell has the best stuff, but stuff is useless if you don't know how to use it. They are searching for answers younger than Jason Isringhausen, and the Mets are hoping Parnell will win the job.
Let's face it, there's really nobody else on the current staff that is inspiring.
Confidence is a fragile thing for a closer, and Parnell's over the past few years has been like china. Jerry Manuel gave up on Parnell as a starter in a lost September after a handful of starts, but at the time Manuel – and rightfully so – was worried about his job and needed every win he could get. Terry Collins isn't in the same position, so I'm hoping he'll ride with Parnell to see how he rebounds.
A pat on the back is essential for his development at this stage.


text:
Variegated foliage adds beauty
Not every garden needs to be full of blooming flowers to be a showstopper space. Sometimes we get locked into the idea that we need green leaves and flowers to create beauty in the yard. How can you add more interest to your yard? How about adding variegated foliage plants instead of high maintenance flowers? Another option is to baby the flowering plants in the sunniest spots of your yard and add variegated beauties into the shady and semi-shady areas.
Even the most avid gardener has places in his or her yard that don't allow for blooming buds. And even the most manicured of spaces just won't have blooms all of the time. Variegated plants are those that seem as though their green leaves are painted with white or light colored stripes, marbling or spots. True variegated plants must have the light markings go all the way through the leaf, not just paint the surface of the leaf.
A variegated plant like a hosta can provide a focal point in a sea of all green plants. It has a dreamy creamy colored outline all around its edges. Your eye cannot fail to see its striking contrasts as you wander through the garden. You can add variegated plants in containers for more excitement in green areas of your yard. Even when nothing is blooming, the variegated green leafy plants won't let you down
If you have an especially shady or semi-shady area that needs "something," you could plant these variegated options to highlight the area. Their bright contrasts look just like white flowers in the early morning and dusk.
Because variegated plants have less chlorophyll in the lighter areas of the leaf, you need to be careful not to place some varieties in full sun, especially in our scorching summer weather. They would love the scenario with full morning sun and a tree or larger shrub protecting them from afternoon sun. Avid gardeners say that occasionally a variegated plant will start to "turn" all green on a leaf or two. They suggest that it is best to clip those leaves or the whole plant could turn all green.
A variegated plant looks like the sun is reflecting off of them. Usually mass planting gives the most bang for your buck in the garden, but not with most variegated plants. They look best grown as a single standout specimen in a sea of green. Some great variegated options spotted by Gardengate's Jim Childs are porcupine grass, yucca, hostas, nasturtium, horseradish and Virginia creeper.


text:
Normandeau Associates Inc. says it has developed a spatial avian- and bat-collision-risk model for wind resource areas in the central U.S.
Wildlife managers, government agencies and wind energy developers can use this tool to conduct large-scale pre-construction studies and assist with federal and state regulatory compliance, the company says. Normandeau created and tested this empirical collision-risk model during a two-and-a-half year project funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
'The collision-risk model was based on identifying each species' preferred habitat and other environmental conditions that would increase exposure to wind turbines, such as weather and topography in the landscape,' explains Dr. Greg Forcey, Normandeau project manager and senior ecologist.
Potentially risky behaviors (e.g., migratory or mating display flights) are factored into the model, creating a spatiotemporal prediction of when and where particular species would be most at risk from collision.
The study examined landscape-level influences using a hierarchical spatial model, combined with existing data sets and life history knowledge, for six bird and three bat species (horned lark, red-eyed vireo, mallard, American avocet, golden eagle, whooping crane, eastern red bat, hoary bat and silver-haired bat) in the Upper Great Plains region.
Normandeau evaluated the tool's effectiveness by comparing model predictions with available mortality data for four focal species – horned lark, eastern red bat, silver-haired bat and hoary bat. For the three bat species, there was a 90% correlation between existing post-construction mortality data and predicted risk, and for the horned lark there was a 55% correlation, Normandeau says.
'Based on model results, developers can make informed large-scale decisions about wind turbine siting – ensuring the best outcomes for the wind industry, the public and wildlife,' Forcey says.
A Web-based interface allows users to identify higher-risk locations for the nine species studied. The tool can be adapted for other species and habitats in different geographic areas if desired.


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In the past year I have had my fair share of press related to some recognition I have received. I won't post anything here...but google me if you want to know. ;) A majority of it has been in the form of local newspaper articles or online blurbs. While it has been nice, it is not something I sought out or was initially comfortable with. I am nothing special and know plenty of amazing teachers that are far more worthy than I. That being said, I have embraced it recently as a way to tell my story and more importantly the story of teachers and students that don't get that chance.
Back in March, I attended my state technology conference and stepped in on a media roundtable. Sitting at this table was a key reporter from the four major TV networks in the Chicago market; NBC, CBS, FOX, and ABC. All of these individuals sat and told really nice stories about how they had some personal connection to the teaching profession and unanimously professed their love of the teaching profession. However, they all admitted none of their networks had an education reporter on staff. They went on to say they want teachers to bring stories to them so they can run some "good press" on behalf of teachers. Well, personally, I think it is garbage that we have to bring them a story…isn't that their job? Regardless, I walked away thinking I would try to bring them some stories and shed some rare positive media light on teachers and education.
Last month I was invited to Washington DC to attend a ceremony at the White House, meet President Obama, visit with Jill Biden and a whole host of other activities. Personally, I thought a teacher getting to meet the President of the United States was a newsworthy item. Let's be honest, regardless of how you feel about the man, this is an honor few ever get. I was really looking forward to sharing my experience as well as how my students are truly the ones that got me to where I am. So, I emailed every single one of the reporters that sat at that media round table…crickets…eventually one of them replied to tell me they were "passing it on". I even sent another email to members of each of their staff and again heard from just one with the "pass it on" line. To this day, I have yet to hear from any of these reporters that claim to love teachers and want to share the good word. Needless to say, I was frustrated by this. I was hand delivering a positive story and getting nowhere.
My frustration boiled over even further when I was actually in Washington DC having breakfast with all the other State Teachers of the Year. We were eating together and awaiting the first live TV interview with Rebecca, who was just named the National Teacher of the Year. I honestly don't recall which network was doing the interview but I remember distinctly what they did leading up to her interview. As they were announcing her coming to be interviewed, they ran a promo for an upcoming story on a teacher that fired a cap gun off in a classroom. Here we were about to celebrate one of the great teachers in our country, and the network decided to take a cheap shot and put a story about an ignorant teacher in first. To me this pretty much sums up our media's perception and priorities in terms of education.
We live in a country where the profession of teaching is rarely viewed as a profession. Teachers have come under fire in more places than we can even begin to count. This perception is largely due to a few bad apples that get all the attention. As with most things in our society, the media truly shapes popular opinion. Yes, I understand that we as teachers can blog, tweet, connect and share our own stories. I also understand that the mass media is in the business of making money and nice stories of great teachers doesn't make great news. However, I can't help but feel an intense level of frustration towards media who even to my face say they care for teachers when they clearly do not back that up. When was the last time you watched the news and heard a good story about teachers?
For fear of this post being a complete rant, I wonder what we can do as teachers to establish ourselves as a profession and change the public perception of teaching. How did teaching become an elevated status in other societies around the world? Does the media play a part in that or is it unfair to expect them to help?


text:
In need of online-shopping accompaniment that doesn't feature sleigh bells or mistletoe? Consider the soundtrack to Quentin Tarantino's upcoming "Django Unchained," which you can stream below.
As with most of Tarantino's soundtracks, the album features bits of dialogue and some classic film music, including several themes by spaghetti-western kingpin Ennio Morricone.
But in a first for the director, the set also contains newly commissioned tracks by Rick Ross, John Legend and Anthony Hamilton, as well as a strangely effective mash-up of James Brown's "The Payback" and "Untouchable" by 2Pac.
At Power 106 FM's Cali Christmas concert


text:
Midori House
18 May 2012
00:00 / 00:00
18 May 2012
Episode 145
51 minutes
Our week-day news and comment show from the Monocle headquarters in London, bringing you views from Monocle's editors.
18 May 2012
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Tuesday 22 January
Linda Yueh and Ivor Gaber join Monocle's Daniel Bach to discuss the likely global impact as China posts the slowest rate of growth in nearly 30 years. Plus: a discussion on bonds within the EU as France and Germany resign…
Monday 21 January
With global and corporate leaders arriving in Davos for the World Economic Forum, Michael Goldfarb and Robert Fox discuss some notable absences – and what they might mean. Plus: cynicism in the arms trade, and Robert Mue…
Friday 18 January
Monocle 24's Carlota Rebelo, Fernando Augusto Pacheco and Ben Rylan discuss some of the week's top stories: the tug of war between Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump; EU states preparations for no-deal Brexit; and why sales of…
Thursday 17 January
How the US government shutdown is affecting Donald Trump's State of the Union address. Plus: what to make of the meeting between Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro and Argentina's Mauricio Macri and a spotlight on France ahead of the…
Wednesday 16 January
Ahead of a motion of no confidence tonight, we look at the future of Theresa May's government. Plus: Emmanuel Macron's national debate tour, Germany's intelligence agency starts monitoring members of the AfD and, in a blow…
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As British MPs prepare to vote on the Brexit deal, our guests Stephen Dalziel and Peter Goodman try to make sense of what's to come. Plus: Germany's economic slowdown and the latest on the row between China and Canada.
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Alessio Patalano and Carole Walker on Theresa May's push for her Brexit deal ahead of tomorrow's vote. Plus: Japan and Russia's foreign ministers meet and what should happen to coins retrieved from Rome's Trevi fountain?
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text:
Universal Music Goes To War Against Popular Hip Hop Sites & Blogs
from the bizarrely-misguided dept
While there are many oddities on the list, we wanted to explore one aspect of the list, which is that it appears to show that Universal Music has decided to declare war on the online hip hop ecosystem that promotes its music in a big way -- and some of those sites are hitting back. First of all, it's worth noting that these blogs and sites are considered instrumental to promotion in the hip hop world, and Universal Music knows that. In talking to some of the folks at sites involved, you learn pretty quickly that they get sent tracks and other promotional info from insiders at Universal Music -- including high level execs -- all of the time. On top of that, hip hop artists themselves regularly rely on these same sites, and link people to them via their own blogs and twitter feeds. And yet, a whole bunch of these sites are on GroupM's list... and they got there because Universal Music told GroupM to put those sites on the list:
GroupM's own content producing clients -- such as Warner Bros, Paramount, Universal Music and Summit Entertainment, which produced the popular Twilight series of vampire movies -- have shared their own lists of pirate websites to help create a master copy.While I don't know which of those companies may be responsible for some of the other headscratchers on the list, the attack on hip hop sites is being pinned squarely on Universal Music by many of the sites involved, and they're not happy. Among those on the list, for example, is Vibe.com, the online site for Vibe Magazine, founded by Quincy Jones of all people, and still considered one of the key sources for news and information about the hip hop and R&B worlds. And yet it's on the list as a pirate site? Really?
Back in 2009, Vibe produced a big list of the "50 hottest rap blogs." This is basically a who's who list of the top sites in hip hop, and the places that most music producers want to see their music appearing, because it's how they get attention these days. Yet, if you run down that list, you start to notice a pattern. An awful lot of those sites are on GroupM's "banned" list. I went through the top 12 sites on that list, and seven of them are "banned" as piracy sites, despite being some of the most popular promotional vehicles for artists and labels alike. Also, a bunch of the top hip hop blogs teamed up a while back to form what was called the New Music Cartel -- and every one of those sites is on the "banned" list.
And, of course, that Vibe list is a couple years old. There are plenty of other top music/hip hop sites that for unclear reasons were also put on the list, and they're not happy about it. For example, there's Complex, an up-and-coming and incredibly popular lifestyle magazine for the 18-34 male demographic. Somehow, they're on the list, and the magazine/site's editor-in-chief recently took his frustration to Twitter, calling out Universal Music and saying this means Universal Music will get less coverage:
Either way, this seems like more evidence of how ridiculous it is to claim it's easy to define "rogue sites." Given the chance, it looks like Universal Music has defined it as sites it doesn't like. The fact that this list includes all sorts of sites that clearly are not piracy sites should give anyone who supports bills like PROTECT IP pause. Defenders of these laws like to say that it's obvious what is and what is not a rogue site -- yet here you have Universal Music and GroupM showing how that definition can be quite broad, and extremely questionable.
No matter what, it seems likely that this move is going to backfire on Universal Music in a big bad way. It's like what would have happened if a record label suddenly declared radio as "piracy" and said that its artists couldn't appear on radio any more. It suggests a company so out of touch with how people find out about new music these days that it has no business being in the business of promoting artists. It also should serve as a warning sign to any artist thinking of signing with Universal Music. Why would you sign to a label that is actively working to kill some of the best sites for promoting your music? I reached out to Universal Music, asking for some comments and answers to a few questions raised in this article, and (not surprisingly) have heard absolutely nothing in response.


text:
patterns > Amy Herzog Designs and 1 more...
> Caulfield
buy it now or visit pattern website
Photo credit: Caro Sheridan Technical Editing: Sue McCain
Caulfield is named after the actress who plays Anya, my favorite character on the popular show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. One-time vengeance demon turned world-saving heroine, Anya is a flexible girl--and I knew that any sweater inspired by her needed to be flexible as well. Caulfield includes several options to suit your every whim: Sleeves or sleeveless? Scoop-neck pullover or V-neck cardigan? And since Caulfield calls for delectably soft, beguilingly shaded hand-dyed sock yarn, you can make one in every style and color your wardrobe requires.
The cardigan sample for Caulfield is worked in Indigodragonfly's amazing MCS Sock yarn, a gorgeously drapey blend of merino, cashmere, and silk. It positively glows, and I highly recommend this yarn for either version. The pullover sample is worked in Indigodragonfly's Merino Sock, a slightly lighter-weight but more traditional wool. The fabric blocks out beautifully and gives a slightly more delicate appearance. You can't go wrong with either base, but should you desire to substitute yarn you will need approximately 1059 (1163, 1271, 1365, 1500, 1602, 1727, 1930, 2140, 2372) yds/966 (1062, 1159, 1246, 1369, 1462, 1576, 1761, 1953, 2165) m for the cardigan (with sleeves) and 645 (713, 776, 841, 919, 988, 1060, 1198, 1343, 1479) yds/589 (651, 709, 768, 839, 902, 968, 1094, 1226, 1350) m for the (sleeveless) pullover.
The sweater is worked in pieces from the bottom up, with set-in sleeves. The fabric is a simple allover slip-stitch eyelet pattern that looks far more complicated than it is. (I am able to read a book while working this stitch pattern--no joke!) The back is the same for all versions; the front can be worked as a v-neck, open cardigan or scoop-neck pullover (or you could swap necklines if you'd prefer--just watch those stitch counts!). Sleeves are 3/4-length but optional.
Caulfield offers great options for all body types. The V-neckline option trimmed in Reverse Stockinette Stitch is a narrower silhouette and the scoop neck with narrow garter trim is wider; the open cardigan slims the entire torso while the pullover places more emphasis on the wearer's waist curve. The sleeves also highlight a waist curve--as shown, both samples offer a balanced silhouette. Top-heavy shapes might want to consider lengthening the sleeves; bottom-heavy shapes might consider shortening the sweater to ensure it falls above the widest point of their hips.
Vertical darts enable easy customization to fit your needs. The cardigan option is worked with waist shaping on the back only, allowing the fronts to fall smoothly from shoulder to hem. The pullover option is worked with waist shaping on both front and back. Should you desire less waist shaping than specified, either omit the shaping rows entirely, or omit/reduce only the shaping on the front of the sweater. Bustier women can work more increases on the front of the sweater, and not in the back. Extra stitches should be decreased into the neckline.
As with all patterns, compare the schematic against your own measurements and make alterations as necessary.
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text:
Efficacy and Safety of Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT)
|The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details.
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01012882
Recruitment Status : Unknown
Verified November 2015 by Roxall Medizin.
Recruitment status was: Not yet recruiting
First Posted : November 13, 2009
Last Update Posted : November 3, 2015
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Allergic Rhinitis
|Biological: sublingual immunotherapy with allergen extract Biological: sublingual immunotherapy with placebo
|Phase 3
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Estimated Enrollment :
|120 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Parallel Assignment
|Double (Participant, Investigator)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|A Multicenter Randomized DBPC Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Sublingual Immunotherapy (SLIT) With Allergen Extracts From Pollen in Patients With Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis
|Study Start Date :
|November 2016
|Estimated Primary Completion Date :
|November 2017
|Estimated Study Completion Date :
|November 2017
|Experimental: sublingual application of allergen extract
Biological: sublingual immunotherapy with allergen extract
sublingual application
|Placebo Comparator: sublingual application of placebo
Biological: sublingual immunotherapy with placebo
sublingual application
- Symptom and medication score [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
- Safety of the treatment [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
- Documentation of adverse events [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
- Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
- Clinical global improvement [ Time Frame: 1 year ]
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|18 Years to 60 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Positive history of allergen specific seasonal allergic rhinitis
- Positive screening skin prick test (wheal diameter > 3 mm)
- Compliance and ability of the patient to complete a Diary Card for self-evaluating of the symptoms and antisymptomatic medication
- Signed and dated patient´s Informed Consent,
Exclusion Criteria:
- Previous immunotherapy within the last 3 years,
- Simultaneous participation in other clinical trials,
- Other reasons contra-indicating an inclusion into the trial according to the investigator´s estimation (e.g. poor compliance),
- Auto-immune disorders,
- Severe chronic inflammatory diseases,
- Malignancy,
- Alcohol abuse,
- Existing or intended pregnancy, lactation and/or lack of adequate contraceptive protection,
- Treatment with beta-blockers (incl. local application) and/or other contra-indicated drugs.
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01012882
|Contact: Roxall Medizin
|Roxall Medizin
|Not yet recruiting
|Hamburg, Germany
|Responsible Party:
|Roxall Medizin
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT01012882 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|November 13, 2009 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|November 3, 2015
|Last Verified:
|November 2015
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Rhinitis, Allergic
Nose Diseases
Respiratory Tract Diseases
Respiratory Tract Infections
Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases
Respiratory Hypersensitivity
Hypersensitivity, Immediate
Immune System Diseases
Immunologic Factors
Physiological Effects of Drugs


text:
Sept. 25, 2007
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - A pair of first-half goals was all Gordon College needed as it posted a 2-1 victory over MIT in non-conference field hockey action on Tuesday. The Fighting Scots' ledger improved to 5-4 following the win while the Engineers' record dropped to 3-6.
Gordon's attack quickly found its rhythm as it out-shot MIT, 3-1, before it found the back of the net in the 13th minute. Ariadni Niavradaki put the Fighting Scots on the board when she corralled a long rebound for her third goal of the season. The game became a defensive battle until Sarah Orlando dodged the Engineers' defense to score Gordon's final goal of the night with 34 seconds remaining in the half.
MIT countered the Fighting Scots' late goal by applying offensive pressure of its own during the second stanza. Following their fifth penalty corner attempt, the Engineers ended nearly 350 minutes of scoreless play when Cristina Stefanescu redirected a pass from Nirupama Yechoor with 7:46 left to play. MIT continued to attack, but Gordon's defense thwarted any attempts to tally the equalizer.
In net, Alexa Herman made one save for the Engineers while Chyanne Wilson collected three saves for the Fighting Scots.
Both teams will face conference foes on Saturday, Sept. 29. MIT will host Mount Holyoke College while Gordon will travel to Anna Maria College.


text:
by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
As the semester wound down, many of Associate Professor of Studio Art Anthony Cervino's students geared up, collectively installing 14 original artworks across campus during the past two weeks. Placed in high-traffic areas, the art provides opportunities for interaction and a respite from the stress of final papers and exams.
Seven are text-based works by students in Cervino's Post Studio Practices class and can be viewed in The Quarry, Union Station, The Underground, Biblio Café and Dining Hall. The rest were created by members of Cervino's spring Sustainable Public Art class. All were designed to deepen social sustainability on campus by encouraging passersby to actively engage with one another through art.
"It's about generating positive social practices and strengthening our sense of community," said Lauren Holtz '15, a double major in neuroscience and art & art history and a member of the public-art class.
During the last week of the semester, Holtz and fellow public-art students Ilana Unger '15 (environmental studies and art & art history) and Carley Zarzeka '15 (art & art history) installed major art pieces across campus that invited passersby to action.
Holtz's chair installations, displayed in the Rector Science Complex Atrium and on Weiss Plaza, highlight interdependence within communities. Those who sit on a seesaw-like structure retain personal space, but because their chairs are connected, they must cooperate, whereas a tall stool facing a standard folding chair creates or exaggerates social disconnect, or a need to bridge communication gaps.
Unger installed a "Kindness Well" on the Holland Union Building's patio and filled it with written directives like "Write a sincere thank-you note" and "Wish someone good luck on finals." Passersby were asked to dip into the well and do as requested. "We all get so wrapped up inside ourselves in college, especially at this time of year, because we're so busy, and it can be easy to lose sight of others," she said. "The point is not to tell people what to do but to get them thinking about what they can do to replenish acts of kindness on campus."
An art installation by Lauren Holtz '15 challenges participants to overcome social inequities, or perceived social inequities, through communication. Photo by Carl Socolow '77.
Zarzeka constructed a kitchen counter and placed it on Weiss Plaza. "You read in magazines that the kitchen is the 'heart of the home,' because it's where a lot of conversations take place," she explained, adding that she hoped to encourage the kind of in-depth discussions she has had in the kitchen with her stepmother.
While Zarzeka, Unger and Holtz created art that could be experienced without artist supervision and participation, Dana Angotta '14 (art & art history), Lizzie Wilford '16 (art & art history) and Stephanie Read '16 (English) brought participants into real-time art-making processes. Their works were displayed for one day only—the Sunday before finals.
"I wanted to concentrate on the fact that we're all a part of the Dickinson family and the human family," said Angotta, who made carnival cutouts—photo boards of faceless people that create photo ops at festivals and fairs. Each board depicted a family configuration (nuclear, single-parent, childless, etc), and passersby were invited to pose for a shot; Angotta would later digitally add backgrounds to the images, placing the subjects in different home environments.
Read sought more intimate collaborations when she created an easel and a device that connected two participants' hands. "That way, two strangers will be able to create the same painting together, and the painting will show the precise moments when they become part of each other's lives," she said.
Wilford posed a series of questions to passersby that ranged from the innocuous ("What's your middle name?") to the intimate ("What are you afraid of?"). Participants got to know one another better with every answered question, and all who answered were invited to throw a dart at a Masonite board, onto which Wilford had tacked a mass of paint-filled balloons. Whenever a balloon popped, paint splattered onto the Masonite, contributing to a communal work of art.
As Holtz points out, each of the artists had to address challenges that are unique to public art—the work must be weatherproof, site-appropriate and kid-friendly, for example—but they also reaped the rewards of immediate feedback. That the works drew people together added another level of satisfaction, she said.
"It's definitely different to create a piece that people will be sitting on and interacting with, and it forces you to think about the process in new ways," Holtz said. "In a museum, there are signs that say, 'Don't touch,' and here, we're saying, 'Please touch. Please interact!' "
Published May 7, 2014


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Wherever business travel takes you, it's comforting to know that your destination city offers something beyond staff meetings and sales pitches. Media outlets like Forbes and Kiplinger have released large amounts of info on which cities offer the best attractions for baby boomers and empty nesters: If you have a say in your business travel destination, make sure to check out one of these hotspots.
Phoenix, Arizona, has long been a favorite for recent retirees and unhappy snowbirds. Arizona's warm weather is perfect for those whose bones have simply grown too tired of cold weather. Business travelers heading into the silver and golden years will love Phoenix's golf courses, sunshine and business-focused attitude.
Portland, Oregon, has always offered a certain offbeat something, but lately, its appeal has been undebatable. Empty nesters will love Portland's downtown area, which might remind them of their own college and 20-something days. Park your business travel car rental near the upscale Pearl District and set off on foot to explore the area's shops and restaurants - bring your laptop along, because the local coffee scene caters to business personnel on the go.
If you're lucky enough to be assigned business travel in the city of Madison, Wisconsin, you're in for a treat. Empty nesters might not relate to fraternity row's antics, but they will love downtown Madison's unique isthmus setting, variety of local shops and easygoing attitude.


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RSA Conference 2013: What's Hot and What's Not, Talk By Talk
In my previous blog post, I discussed some key takeaways that I got from the talks I attended in the recently concluded RSA 2013 in San Francisco, California. This time around, I want to share in length, some of these noteworthy sessions.
Innovation Sandbox
Innovation Sandbox was a packed session that Hugh Thompson ran quite deftly. Ten startups were selected and given three minutes to explain their technology, followed by a two-minute question-and-answer session, with questions coming from the judging panel, made up of industry experts.
All the company representatives talked about what they were doing and had to prove why their solution would work and generate revenue in the future. A white board session followed where thoughts from the audience were taken and put on an online whiteboard.
The participants also had the opportunity to meet (or "date", as they put it) with potential investors in an igloo-styled hut. Winners from previous years were also present to share their experiences and mingle with the participants.
Panel discussion on future of end point security
This panel discussed how changes in end-points are changing the security landscape. Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) and Virtual Desktop Infrastucture (VDI) are ensuring that enterprises no longer have the same control over theirs networks and devices that they had in the past. Solutions such as traffic filtering, network access control (NAC), software defined security (SDS) vs. traditional solutions were discussed. There was no definitive answer – each technology has its uses, pros, and cons – but the points that came out from these discussions were quite insightful.
Awareness Doesn't Matter: A Behavior Design Approach to Securing Users
This session talked about how user behavior could be used to trigger potential security alerts. This is an interesting area for research, but in actual usage is prone to false positives. However, in situations where security is an absolute must and false positives can be tolerated, this may be of use.
Malware Hunting with Sysinternals
Mark Russinovich, the author of the Sysinternals tools suite, gave a brilliant talk about what's new with Sysinternals tools and how these can used for malware analysis. His aim was to show how to carry out a quick analysis if there are any suspicious files on a system. He also discussed future developments, like more color coding for faster visualization of event. Russinovich kept the tone of his talk light, thanks to his wit and sense of humor.
Panel discussion on cryptography
Some of the most well-known cryptographers today – Whitfield Diffie, Ron Rivest and Adi Shamir – talked about the present and future of cryptography. They discussed the practical applications of cryptography, and the possibility of some of the algorithms being broken in the near future.
Keynote by Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia
Probably the most engaging and entertaining talk this year, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales was full of energy, fun and wit. He shared interesting facts about Wikipedia and some statistics about its visitors and contributors. One remarkable and less known aspect about Wikipedia is its scope, even reaching places with no Internet access. How? Wikipedia is written on DVDs and sent to these areas, which are in parts of developing countries which have computers but no Internet access.
Keynote by Dr. Condoleeza Rice
Former US Secretary of State Rice is definitely a great speaker. She not only touched issues related with cyber or national security, but also some broader concerns. These include its educational system, the drop in skilled citizens, immigration, and allowing more foreign skilled workers to foster innovation in the US. She mentioned Canada and Australia as emerging innovators (and possible competitors) if the US doesn't keep up. She also mentioned the government's interest in improving cyber laws and working with other countries.
The Expo
The expo is definitely the key part of the show. The floor was a vibrant place, with every vendor talking about their innovations and announcements, showcasing their products, and offering goodies to their visitors. It was a good place to informally talk about products and solutions.
Overall, it was a great experience. Seeing so many perspectives was great which you tend to miss when working. The RSA conference was the perfect venue to meet colleagues, partners, customers and concerns and how companies and governments are working together to improve the situation.
Post from: Trendlabs Security Intelligence Blog – by Trend Micro
RSA Conference 2013: What's Hot and What's Not, Talk By Talk
Read more: RSA Conference 2013: What's Hot and What's Not, Talk By Talk


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|2012-07-24, 08:16
|Link #1
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: "Sacrifice one to appease the few."
Fist of the North Star 2
Hopefully they take what they learned from the first game, DW7, and Orochi 3 for a vastly improved Ken's Rage. It was fun but it could use some love.
AS for content, apparently it's going to be massive compared to the first game which was pretty long on its own.
|2012-07-24, 10:48
|Link #2
癸亥 (guǐhài)
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ
Age: 35
i really love the first one; played it to DEATH and gotten platinum from it already. when this game comes to NA/EU, first day buys here.
i'm really happy that they announced Ken's Rage 2. cant wait for it now!
i'm excited to see who they're going to add for playable characters now. and more
contents are ALWAYS welcome.
|2012-11-12, 12:11
|Link #5
癸亥 (guǐhài)
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ
Age: 35
cool, i'm looking forward to this so call Versus play. i really hope it's like a 1-on-1 battle
against a human or CPU players offine and online. still waiting on Rin being playable or not.
EDIT: here's a link to the main site for more screenshots and some playable characters.
Last edited by Xefi; 2012-11-12 at 12:38.
|2012-11-14, 18:13
|Link #7
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Moe Land
Age: 38
New vid Kenshiro gameplay
Now attacks can be linked and it's much faster
|2013-01-08, 17:53
|Link #9
癸亥 (guǐhài)
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ
Age: 35
DLC costumes for some of the characters:
Rin. <3
only less than a month left. 2/05/2013 need to come faster. i cant hardly wait for this game.
|2013-02-06, 12:23
|Link #11
癸亥 (guǐhài)
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ
Age: 35
i downloaded this game yesterday on PSN. funny thing was, there were 2 versions to download.
One with no bonus and one with bonus: both $60. >______>
luckily i bought the one with bonus. if you have bought the one without, you're screw and probably
have to contact them for refund or something.
but anyways, i play a little with the story mode yesterday as Kenshiro. the combat
feels a little more faster pace now. i think the graphic is a little better than ken rage 1.
i'm not too sure much though since it looks kind of the same. i was playing Mamiya
for the free mode. i notice there was this HUGE boss on about stage 3, but forgive his name.
how in the world you beeat this thing? whenever i get close to him, he started pounding the floor.
if there are any advise to how to beat him, please tell me. also, Mamiya is really WEAK
when i play as her. took really long to just beat those little bosses.
|2013-02-06, 18:38
|Link #13
癸亥 (guǐhài)
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ
Age: 35
^ you'll LOVE Mamiya looks, bro. you getting the xbox 360 or importing for the ps3?
i think they made her look more shiny....her body that is...lol. i'll try out Rin once i have her
unlock first.
also, found that boss that i have trouble with. seems like he is annoying to fight against.
"Devil Rebirth @ 3:48"
|2013-02-11, 18:00
|Link #15
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Moe Land
Age: 38
Got the game finished Thouser/Souther chapter.
The graphics are still the same, but a bit more manga. Clothes do not rip anymore besides Mamiya's LOL!!! Haven't seen Rin's yet, no more jump button, became a dash, dodge button, a more simplier alignment system with using scrolls depending if you are getting A's you'll get better scrolls,some missions have you protecting Bat and Rin and other people from goons, finisher switching by a D-Pad and lastly the gameplay is a bit better than the first one. They traded the jump for dodge/dash.
Faster gameplay
More characters, unlockable to use
Graphics manga/anime based, but basically still the same
Easier scroll character upgrade system
No more stupid platforming jumps and obstacles on certain stages
Clothes don't rip anymore, you just get bruises
Tons of cutscenes, manga style in Legend mode
Lots of costumes DLC. $40 to download the others!
Camera problem in boss fights or with thugs
|Thread Tools


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JOHNSON CITY (April 11, 2012) – ETSU men's basketball head coach Murry Bartow continued to add to the Buccaneers' 2012-13 roster on Wednesday, announcing that junior college transfer Hunter Harris (Nashville) has signed a national letter of intent with the program.
Harris, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward who played his junior college basketball at Volunteer State, averaged 22 points and 13 rebounds during his time at the junior college level, and was named a NJCAA All-America second teamer in 2011-12.
"The first thing you notice about Hunter is that he has a great motor," Bartow said. "He plays with a tremendous energy, and he's very bouncy and athletic. He can score the basketball, he can really rebound, and we also like his versatility."
Volunteer State head coach Rusty Melvin said Harris is a special player and ETSU will be pleased with what he brings to the floor.
"To me, I think ETSU got a big-time player and a really good one in Hunter," Melvin said. "There were some highly-ranked Division I programs showing interest in him, and I think that says a lot about Coach Bartow and Coach (Thomas) Johnson for the job they did recruiting him.
"Hunter had a 40-point, 20-rebound game as a freshman, and over his two years he averaged 22 points and 13 rebounds a game. But the best thing about him is that even though he's that good, he doesn't show it. He is a really humble kid and he just plays hard all the time. If the ball is loose or he's going after a rebound, he's playing at one rate of speed and that's hard."
Harris said ETSU was simply the right fit.
"I just loved the campus, the gym, and the coaches were great," said Harris, who actually did not play basketball in high school, but rather excelled on the football field. "Everyone was easy to talk to and they wanted me. And that's what I was looking for – a program that wanted me. I look forward to getting there next year, winning championships and going back to the NCAAs."
Harris joins fellow junior college transfer Kinard Gadsden-Gilliard (Georgetown, S.C.), as well as high school guards Mario Stramaglia (Birmingham, Ala.) and Lorenzo "Petey" McClain (Mobile, Ala.) as the first four members of the Bucs' 2012-13 recruiting class. The team has two more open scholarships to complete their roster for next season.
For more on ETSU men's basketball throughout the summer months and during the off season, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's hoops link.


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Individual and family insurance plans with comprehensive benefits could see major price spikes in the coming months as more measures of The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act come into place.
Continue Reading Below
A new report found plan premiums that cover benefits like prescription drugs and maternity care, among others, will increase by nearly half this year. The "Cost of Comprehensive Health Benefits" report from eHealth, Inc. found the average monthly premiums for individual and family health insurance plans are 47% higher than average when they cover a comprehensive list of eight health benefits compared to2012. Deductibles are on average for plans that cover these benefits are 27% lower than the average for all plans.
The report compared 30,000 individual plans purchased across 32 states on eHealthInsurance.com. eHealth has released this report since 2005, and has tracked the percentage of plans that cover benefits it deems to be comprehensive including laboratory and X-ray, emergency services, prescription drugs, chiropractic, maternity, OB/GYN care, periodic exams and baby care.
Under the Affordable Care Act, there are 10 essential health benefits that all major medical health-insurance plans must cover at a value of 60% or more in order to fulfill the federal mandate for health coverage starting January 2014. According to eHealth, those benefits under the ACA include: ambulatory patient services; emergency services; hospitalization; maternity and newborn care; mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and pediatric services, including oral and vision care.
eHealth says the report's benefits list is not "apples to apples" with the ACA's requirements, but signals how the law will potentially impact costs, according to Carrie McLean, eHealth senior manager of Customer Service and Retention.
"The benefits in these plans will cost customers more," McLean says. "We didn't even look at all the essential health benefits. Currently these are covered at 80% and consumers by 20%-- under the ACA the actuarial value of these benefits [by insurance] will be at a minimum of 60%, so even with all of these benefits they are not being paid at as high a rate."
The people in the insurance system today are medically underwritten for coverage, which will also change under the new law, McLean says.
"Right now, they were considered healthy enough to be a good risk for the insurance companies to take on," she says. "Next year they will take on everyone, even though they may never use these essential health benefits."
Unless consumers are eligible for a government subsidy to lower their costs, it's unlikely their premiums will drop, she says.
Here is some of the data from eHealth's report:
Looking to save on health insurance under the new health-care reform? Here are some tips from Nancy Thompson, vice president in the employee benefits division of professional business support company CBIZ.
Look to employer coverage. Thompson says once employers are required to offer insurance, you should consider obtaining coverage through them, as costs will likely be more controlled. "There will be more options and more places to go to access coverage," she says. "The individual markets will still exist, but will likely decline because of restraints in regard to flexibility and pre-existing conditions."
Consider a Flexible Spending Account. These accounts allow you to put money into an account tax-free to cover approved medical costs and have potential to lower your costs over time, according to Thomspon. "Look at the cost of these plans in relation to your known expenses. It's better to put your dollars in an FSA plan or a higher-value plan."
Know your maximum out-of-pocket costs and risks. Evaluate the most you can afford to spend out of pocket on health coverage and choose a lower- value plan and supplement it with the right comprehensive voluntary offerings, she recommends.


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Mk1 Golf Cabriolet Retrim
With over 40 years experience and winning awards for the last 25 years, our work has frequently won Best Of Show and Best Interior at many of the major events such as the Volksworld Show, Bug Jam, VW Action and many more VW & custom car shows. We've also had well over 100 features & cover cars in Ultra VW, Volksworld, Hot VWs, Super VW, Performance VW, Customs Car, Street Machine and many many more.
Split Screen & Bay Window Campers, Beetles, Karmann Ghias, Type 3, T25, T4 & T5 vans & Golfs, as well as Audi, Porsche, other VAG, non VAG, Classic, Hot Rod, Custom and Modified cars. All work carried out on seats, door panels, carpets, headliners and hoods are undertaken with an extensive selection of leather, vinyl, pvc, alcantara, plaid, tweed, wool cloth, carpet (including square weave) and mohair.
Check out the gallery for all our recent work & projects. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, twitter & tumblr


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- Nov 10, 2017
10:15 pm
£10 entry
Doors 10.00pm Show Starts 10.15pm
Our resident MC Viv Gee hosts our late night comedy show, with some of the best comedians on the circuit. Every Friday and Saturday. Booking is essential.
With ..
Dave Williams
Jamie Dalgleish
Amelia Bayler
*If your having food before the show, please arrive before 8:30pm to order. Please note that for the late show food will be served in the main bar before the show
*Please note – All seating is unreserved unless you are dinning before the show. We highly recommend that you arrive as close to doors opening time as possible if you want to get a seat. Although the majority of the club is seated, those who arrive after all the seats are taken stand in the bar area. If you have a disability or are unable to stand for any reason then you must contact us in advance.
Venue: Yesbar Glasgow
Venue Phone: 0141 204 0060
Venue Website: yesbar.scotAddress:


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ANNECY-SEMNOZ, France (AP) — Chris Froome retained his big race lead Saturday to all but ensure he will become Britain's second consecutive Tour de France champion after Bradley Wiggins.
Only an accident or other freak mishap on Sunday's largely ceremonial final ride to Paris could stop Froome from winning the 100th Tour.
Froome finished third in a dramatic Stage 20 to the ski station of Annecy-Semnoz in the Alps.
Nairo Quintana from Colombia won the stage and moved up to second overall.
Joaquim Rodriguez from Spain rode in 17 seconds behind Quintana. He moved up to third overall. Froome's lead is more than 5 minutes over both.
Alberto Contador, who had been second at the start of the day, struggled on the final climb and dropped off the podium.
The 125-kilometer (78-mile) trek was the last of four successive stages in the Alps and the final significant obstacle Froome needed to overcome before Sunday's usually relaxed ride to the finish on the Champs-Elysees in Paris.
Froome first took the race lead and the yellow jersey that goes with it on Stage 8, when he won the climb to the Ax-3 Domaines ski station in the Pyrenees.
All that remains now is Stage 21, a 133-kilometer (82-mile) ride from Versailles to the Champs-Elysees.
Saturday's stage did a big loop south of Annecy, through the mountains of Savoie between the lakes of Annecy and Bourget. This is cheese-making country, with lush Alpine pastures and dense, naturally cool forests.
Unlike on Friday, when storms drenched the pack, the sun shone and the skies were blue. When a motorbike-borne television camera focused on Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde, he motioned that riding in such conditions was hot, tiring work.
The ride took the racers up six climbs. The last two of those were particularly tough. The last steep climb to Annecy-Semnoz, past ski lifts and ski slopes, was rated HC or "Hors Categorie", meaning it's considered too hard to classify.
It was the last really tough climb of this Tour. The riders have just two small humps to climb on their leisurely Sunday ride from the Versailles Palace to the Champs-Elysees' cobbles, where sprinters including Mark Cavendish will battle for the stage win.
Uniquely for the 100th Tour, Stage 21 will set off in the late afternoon, so the race finishes more or less as the sun is setting behind the Arc de Triomphe.
For a chunk of Saturday, the race was led by its oldest rider, Jens Voigt. The 41-year-old German was part of a group of 10 riders that broke away from the pack early in the stage.
But he was caught in the battle on the final climb. Quintana, Froome and Rodriguez rode off, leaving Contador to labor behind. The winner of 2007 and '09 who was stripped of his 2010 win and banned for a failed doping test ran out of legs.
Contador placed seventh in the stage, coming in more than 2 minutes behind Quintana. That dropped him to fourth overall, more than seven minutes back from Froome.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
CBS 8 invite you to play along with other San Diego football fans each week and pick the winners! See how you do against News 8's Sports Director, Kyle Kraska and win weekly prizes!


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Unfortunately, last week's prediction of a downside break came true – in spades! – on Thursday. Friday was a bit of a reprieve, and that lift might continue for a few days.
But, when the market takes a 300-point-plus knock, it usually means there's more downside to come in the future.
Continue Reading Below
Of course, there's always something interesting to buy, so let me show you a stock I picked up on Friday, and a stock with potential.
The latter is Facebook (NASDAQ:FB). It has stalled since the break from the downtrend, but I'd look to buy if it can clear that resistance.
As for the former, readers will know I shop at and buy Safeway (NYSE:SWY) stock whenever it droops. That droopiness happened shortly after the last gap up and I bought some early Friday near support. Now we'll see if it can rise a bit!


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Argentine rescuers find cat; 11 people yet missing
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — A cat was pulled alive from the ruins of an apartment building that collapsed in a huge gas explosion, but with 11 people still missing, hundreds of rescuers tried without success Thursday to find more human victims.
Authorities identified 10 of the dead, and by late Thursday rescuers were working to pull three out more bodies they had located in the rubble.
More than 60 people were injured as Tuesday's blast rocked Rosario, Argentina's third-largest city, and several remained in critical condition.
"Until we remove the last brick, we'll always expect to find people alive," federal police commissioner Angel Poidomani, leading one of the rescue teams, told Rosario's La Capital newspaper Thursday morning. But by late evening, he seemed less optimistic.
"We're working on three bodies in different places of the building. The extractions are difficult because of the kind of collapse, which requires a great deal of caution in the removal of the rubble," Poidomani said. "We're working with dogs and cameras to reach different places, but we still haven't found any more signs of life."
With damaged towers on both sides of the rubble pile in danger of collapsing on the rescuers, police and firefighters were working as carefully as possible, following the scents of the body-sniffing dogs and clues from a fiber-optic cable that captures sounds and movement.
Engineers were figuring out how to reinforce fire-damaged columns, and some heavy equipment finally got access to the pile.
Poidomani compared it to surgery. "These are nine floors of a building that ended up compacted, 5 or 6 meters high. Reaching the center of this heap is very difficult," he said.
Politicians nationwide canceled Thursday's closing campaign rallies ahead of Sunday's primary elections after President Cristina Fernandez, who visited the disaster site Wednesday, called for two days of mourning nationwide. Anti-government marches went on as planned Thursday night, with fewer people joining in than during previous protests.
Two repairmen are in custody as a judge probes possible criminal negligence. Residents had asked for a valve to be replaced after complaining to the Litoral Gas company that despite a previous repair days earlier, natural gas wasn't reaching their kitchens.
But the company said it wasn't advised before Tuesday's follow-up repair job, which involved replacing a valve, and wasn't asked to turn off the gas beforehand.


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COLUMBIA -- South Carolina officials are reporting the state's first probable fungal meningitis case.
More laboratory testing is pending to confirm the diagnosis and rule out other potential causes of meningitis, announced the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control Thursday. It is classified as "probable."
The case involves a state resident related to the ongoing multistate investigation of steroid injections from a potentially contaminated product called methylprednisolone acetate, according to DHEC. Agency spokesman Jim Beasley said he did not have information about the patient's city.
Nationally, 24 people have died and 317 cases of fungal meningitis have been identified. There have been nine deaths in Tennessee, five in Michigan, three in Florida, three in Indiana, one in Maryland, one in North Carolina and two in Virginia, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reported cases have reached as far west as Idaho.
"The patient is being treated with antifungal medications based on treatment guidelines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention," said Linda Bell, M.D. and interim state epidemiologist, in a DHEC news release. "Fungal meningitis poses no additional risk to others, as it is not transmitted from person to person."
The investigation implicates three lots of steroid injection prepared by the New England Compounding Company in Framingham, Mass.
All local area patients who received spinal/epidural injections from the Massachusetts company have been notified and told to contact their healthcare provider immediately if symptoms of meningitis or stroke occur. Symptoms include fever, headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, altered mental status and difficulty walking, speaking or moving.