text:
U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission
Oakdale Shop Manager Derided Women and Mexicans, Federal Agency Charges
SAN JOSE, Calif. — A San Joaquin/Stanislaus County, Calif., auto repair company violated federal law when it allowed its Oakdale shop manager to harass an employee due to her Mexican national origin and her gender and then fired her for reporting the discrimination, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.
According to the EEOC's suit, Rena Flores, age 26 and of Mexican ancestry, worked as a secretary at Oakdale Collision Center . The EEOC's investigation found that the store manager there publicly disparaged Mexicans, calling them "smelly," "greasy" and "wetbacks." He also regularly made sexist and sexually inappropriate comments, claiming that "women should clean the bathrooms, not men," and that "women belonged barefoot and pregnant." In addition, the manager asked Flores sexual questions and made sexually inappropriate comments, the EEOC said.
"His 'jokes' were painful and offensive," said Flores. "He went off constantly, over a period of months. And when I finally gathered the courage to tell him and his bosses that this behavior was not OK, the company laid me off within a month and hired a new employee to do my job. It's a relief to know that there is a law and a federal agency that say this is wrong and should be fixed."
Harassment due to national origin and gender violates Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964. The law also protects workers who report discrimination from retaliation. After first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through conciliation, the EEOC filed the lawsuit (EEOC v. Robert Morgan Enterprises, Civil No. C 10-4757 PVT) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and seeks monetary damages on behalf of Flores, training on anti-discrimination laws, posting of notices at the work site and other injunctive relief.
"Although the company had a written policy against harassment, clearly there was a failure to implement it," said Michael Baldonado, the EEOC's San Francisco District Director. "Our investigation revealed that some managers did not quite understand what conduct was prohibited by the policy, while others did not seem to be aware there was one to begin with ."
EEOC San Francisco Regional Attorney William R. Tamayo noted, " All workers have a federally protected right to a workplace free from unlawful discrimination . In addition, workers have the right to report discrimination without fear of reprisal. The EEOC will vigorously defend both rights and hold employers accountable for harassment and retaliation."
According to its website, www.morgancollision.com, Robert Morgan Enterprises is a Lathrop, Calif.-based business that owns and operates shops in Oakdale, Lathrop, Tracy, Stockton, Modesto and Manteca, Calif.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Additional information about the EEOC is available on its web site at www.eeoc.gov.


text:
A Comfortable Stay in Opelika
Easy access off I-85, close to downtown Opelika
For a refreshing family vacation or an energizing weekend getaway, book your room at Days Inn Opelika, near Tiger Town. Located off I-85, our pet-friendly hotel offers comfort and convenience. Our location provides quick access to Southern Union State Community College and Auburn University.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
On December 8, 1941 more than 12,000 people are lined up and marched out of the city to meet their death, creating "Bloody Sunday", the second largest massacre of Jews during World War II.
UP NEXTNazi Collaborators: Thousands Die on Bloody Sunday
UP NEXTNazi Collaborators: The Plot to Kill Jews
UP NEXTSecret War: Battle of Alam el Halfa
UP NEXTSecret War: Public Enemy Number 1
UP NEXTSecret War: The Mafia Joins the War
UP NEXTEdge of War: Poland Stands Alone
UP NEXTEdge of War: War Tactics
UP NEXTEdge of War: Order in Chaos
UP NEXTEdge of War: Negotiating with a Madman
UP NEXTWho Did I Marry: Fighting For My Life
Who Did I Marry: Fighting For My Life
Just as Susan felt like luck was back on her side, she would soon find herself in the greatest fight for her life - against a stranger hired to kill her by the very husband who vowed to love her forever.
Edge of War: War Tactics
Both sides of the border are preparing for war, and the Polish General decides to bring out its most powerful weapon.
Edge of War: Order in Chaos
Adolf Hitler and his regime work to create chaos in the streets of Germany. Unbeknownst to the public, chaos is part of Hitler's master plan to bring him to power.
Secret War: Public Enemy Number 1
Following the sinking of The Normandie naval ship, America is shocked when reputed New York mobster, Charlie "Lucky" Luciano, takes credit. The event sparks the beginning of one of the strangest relationships during World War II.
Secret War: The Mafia Joins the War
In May 1942 a strange group of mobsters, lawyers, and intelligence officers visit Lucky Luciano in prison. What occurred during this meeting prompts the Mob to pull together and help the war effort.
Edge of War: Poland Stands Alone
Germany's invasion into Poland begins and the Polish army stands alone as 600 soldiers battle more than 42,000 Germans, leaving devastating results.
Secret War: Battle of Alam el Halfa
July 1942, the Nazi's are on the march in North Africa, and if Cairo falls it could mean defeat by the British. The Battle of Alam el Halfa has officially begun.
Edge of War: Negotiating with a Madman
British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain travels to Germany in order to negotiate with what could potentially be the most dangerous man around, Adolf Hitler.
It's a convenient fiction that the Germans alone were responsible for the Holocaust. The awful truth is that some of the worst offenders were not German but were Latvian Viktor Arajs, a group who actively participated in killing of 30,000 Jews.


text:
Google Calendar Mode
Bundled page-mode
Google Calendar mode sets up a number of fallthrough keys to allow you to use Google Calendar's keyboard shortcuts.
Why can I only see the minimalistic mobile Google Calendar page?
As of no later than 2014-11-24, Google Calendar has started doing something called "browser sniffing" which mistakenly identifies Conkeror as a mobile device's browser. The result is that Google serves up the minimalist version of the Google Calendar page, a version which is effectively read-only, meaning you can't add or edit appointments.
See also changing your UserAgent string per-site.
This workaround reflects the difference between truly free (as in freedom) software, such as Conkeror, and software which does not respect your, the user's, freedom, such as Google Calendar.
With free software, nobody can stop you from fixing it.


text:
GSK706769/KALETRA Drug-drug Interaction Study
|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: NCT00723775
Recruitment Status : Completed
First Posted : July 29, 2008
Last Update Posted : July 21, 2017
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- No Results Posted
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
|Condition or disease
|Infection, Human Immunodeficiency Virus
|Drug: GSK706769 & KALETRA
|Phase 1
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|17 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Crossover Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Phase I, Open Label Drug-drug Interaction Study in Healthy Volunteers to Evaluate the Effect of KALETRA (Lopinavir-ritonavir) on GSK706769 Pharmacokinetics and to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetics of a New Oral Formulation of GSK706769
|Actual Study Start Date :
|July 24, 2008
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|November 8, 2008
|Actual Study Completion Date :
|November 8, 2008
Part 1
GSK706769 new vs. current formulation; GSK706769 alone vs. GSK706769 plus Kaletra
Drug: GSK706769 & KALETRA
GSK706769 alone and GSK706769 + Kaletra
Part 2
GSK706769 alone for 10 days; GSK706769 + Kaletra for 14 days
Drug: GSK706769 & KALETRA
GSK706769 alone and GSK706769 + Kaletra
- GSK706769 PK [ Time Frame: Part 1: 4 days; Part 2; 25 days ]
- GSK706769 safety parameters, including adverse events, clinical laboratory, ECG, and vital signs assessments. [ Time Frame: Part 1: 4 days; Part 2; 25 days ]
- Plasma GSK706769 AUC(0-∞), AUC(0-t), and Cmax following a single dose of GSK706769 50mg and following combined administration of a single dose of GSK706769 50mg with a single dose of LPV 400mg/RTV 100mg. [ Time Frame: Part 1: 4 days; Part 2; 25 days ]
- Plasma metabolite GSK1996847 AUC(0-∞), AUC(0-t), and Cmax following a single dose of GSK706769 50mg and following combined administration of a single dose of GSK706769 50mg with a single dose of LPV 400mg/RTV 100mg. [ Time Frame: Part 1: 4 days; Part 2; 25 days ]
- Metabolite GSK1996847 AUC(0-t) and Cmax following repeat dose administration of GSK706769 QD for 10 days and following coadministration with Kaletra (LPV 400mg/RTV 100mg) q12h for 14 days. [ Time Frame: Part 1: 4 days; Part 2; 25 days ]
- Plasma protein and mRNA expression levels of biomarkers before and after administration of GSK706769 QD for 5 days. [ Time Frame: Part 1: 4 days; Part 2; 25 days ]
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 50 Years (Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Healthy as determined by a responsible physician, based on a medical evaluation including medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests and cardiac monitoring. A subject with a clinical abnormality or laboratory parameters outside the reference range for the population being studied may be included only if the Investigator and the GSK Medical Monitor agree that the finding is unlikely to introduce additional risk factors and will not interfere with the study procedures
- Male or female between 18 and 50 years of age.
- A female subject is eligible to participate if she is of non-childbearing potential (i.e., physiologically incapable of becoming pregnant) including any female who:
- Is pre-menopausal females with a documented bilateral tubal ligation, bilateral oophorectomy (removal of the ovaries), or hysterectomy;
- Is post-menopausal defined as 12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea. A follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level will be performed to confirm a post-menopausal status. For this study, FSH levels > 40 mlU/ml is confirmatory. Females on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and whose menopausal status is in doubt, HRT should be discontinued for 2 weeks and then the subject rescreened, as HRT can suppress FSH. Following confirmation of their post-menopausal status, they can resume use of HRT.
- Male subjects must agree to use one of the contraception methods listed in Section 8.1. This criterion must be followed from the time of the first dose of study medication until 14 days after the last dose of medication.
- Body weight >= 50 kg (110 lbs.) for men and >=45 kg (99 lbs) for women and BMI within the range 18.5-31.0 kg/m2 (inclusive).
- Capable of giving written informed consent, which includes compliance with the requirements and restrictions listed in the consent form.
Exclusion Criteria:
- As a result of the medical interview, physical examination, or screening investigations, the Investigator considers the subject unfit for the study.
- The subject has a positive pre-study drug/alcohol screen. A minimum list of drugs that will be screened for include amphetamines, barbiturates, cocaine, opiates, cannabinoids and benzodiazepines.
- Unwilling to refrain from the use of illicit drugs and adhere to other protocol-stated restrictions while participating in the study.
- History of regular alcohol consumption within 6 months of the study defined as:
An average weekly intake of >14 drinks/week for men or >7 drinks/week for women.
Note: One drink is equivalent to (12 g alcohol) = 5 ounces (150 ml) of wine or 12 ounces (360 ml) of beer or 1.5 ounces (45 ml) of 80 proof distilled spirits.
- Unwilling to abstain from alcohol for 48 hours prior to the start of dosing until collection of the final pharmacokinetic sample during each treatment period.
- History or regular use of tobacco- or nicotine-containing products within 3 months prior to screening.
- History/evidence of symptomatic arrhythmia, angina/ischemia, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PCTA) or any clinically significant cardiac disease.
- History/evidence of clinically significant pulmonary disease.
- History of significant renal or hepatic diseases.
- Subjects with a pre-existing condition interfering with normal gastrointestinal anatomy or motility, hepatic and/or renal function, that could interfere with the absorption, metabolism, and/or excretion of the study drugs. Subjects with a history of cholecystectomy should be excluded.
- The subject has participated in a clinical trial and has received an investigational product within the following time period prior to the first dosing day in the current study: 30 days, 5 half-lives or twice the duration of the biological effect of the investigational product (whichever is longer).
- The subject has received GSK706769 in a previous clinical trial.
- Use of prescription or non-prescription drugs, including vitamins, herbal and dietary supplements (including St John's Wort) within 7 days (or 14 days if the drug is a potential enzyme inducer) or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) prior to the first dose of study medication, unless in the opinion of the Investigator and GSK Medical Monitor the medication will not interfere with the study procedures or compromise subject safety.
- History of sensitivity to any of the study medications, or components thereof or a history of drug or other allergy that, in the opinion of the investigator or GSK Medical Monitor, contraindicates their participation. In addition, if heparin is used during PK sampling, subjects with a history of sensitivity to heparin or heparin-induced thrombocytopenia should not be enrolled.
Note: "Study" or "investigational" drugs include GSK706769 or Kaletra
- Where participation in the study would result in donation of blood or blood products in excess of 500 mL within a 56 day period.
Note: this does not include plasma donation.
- A positive pre-study Hepatitis B surface antigen or positive Hepatitis C antibody result within 3 months of screening.
- A positive test for HIV antibody.
- The subject's systolic blood pressure is outside the range of 90-140mmHg, or diastolic blood pressure is outside the range of 45-90mmHg or heart rate is outside the range of 50-100bpm for female subjects or 45-100 bpm for male subjects.
- Exclusion criteria for screening ECG per protocol.
- Exclusion Criteria for 24-Hour Screening Holter per protocol (conducted only if telemetry is warranted from findings on telemetry from an ongoing repeat dose study):
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): NCT00723775
|United States, New York
|GSK Investigational Site
|Buffalo, New York, United States, 14202
|Study Director:
|GSK Clinical Trials
Additional Information:
|Responsible Party:
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00723775 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|July 29, 2008 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|July 21, 2017
|Last Verified:
|July 2017
healthy volunteers
RNA Virus Infections
Virus Diseases
Slow Virus Diseases
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
HIV Infections
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes
Immune System Diseases
Lentivirus Infections
Retroviridae Infections
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
HIV Protease Inhibitors
Protease Inhibitors
Enzyme Inhibitors
Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action
Anti-HIV Agents
Anti-Retroviral Agents
Antiviral Agents
Anti-Infective Agents
Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A Inhibitors
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors


text:
Toward Heaven
Toward Heaven
acrylic on canvas
24 x 30 in.
Add To Cart
acrylic on canvas
24 x 30 in.
Growing up in the beautiful Wasatch mountain community of north Ogden Utah, Rob's creative spirit was encouraged and nurtured by his parents. With the added influence of some outstanding teachers, he knew his life's occupation would be art.
Rob graduated cum laude from Utah State University in 1984 with a degree in Illustration. This was followed by a successful twenty-year career in that field. At the age of thirty-nine Rob began to pursue the idea that his art needed to be more than the production of images to meet market demands, so he shifted his focus to fine art, painting the landscape he loves.
Rob has become known for his beautiful compositions which sensitively express the form, scale and beauty he sees in the land. His work depicts the patterns and shapes of nature, emphasizing design over minutiae. Exhibition jurors and the public have responded to the unique feel of his exceptional canvases. His work is represented in many public, private and corporate collections.
Rob's studio is located in his Morgan, Utah home. He enjoys working from home and the freedom it has given him to spend time with his wife and six children.


text:
Blurred lips – how to do this season's coolest trend
Grungy, romantic and very 2017.
Start with your base makeup. To avoid looking all goth and drama in your matte lipstick, give your skin a healthy, natural glow by using a lightweight product for the base. We love the NATURAL SATIN FOUNDATION, or for even less coverage the BB CREAM BEAUTY BALM.
Prepping the lip is the most important part of this look, says makeup artist Emi Kaneko. Give your lips a gentle exfoliation with the CLEAN CANVAS LIP SCRUB. The nourishing formula combines vitamin E and vitamin B5 with sugar granules and almond oil. Then you need to moisturise – but not too much. Too much lip balm will make your lips slippery and you won't get the right texture. Apply a moderate amount of lip balm and blot any excess with a tissue.
The MATTE LIP COLOUR lipstick is perfect for the blurred lip look. Pick a shade that's right for you – on Zarina we used Ziggy. Normally you would start by lining your lip and then fill it with colour, but for this look you'll want to do the opposite. Start by applying lipstick in the centre of your lips and build outwards, but stop before you get to the edges of your lips! Apply a lip liner in a matching colour just under your lip line, and then feather it out using a cotton bud. When you're done, dust your lips very lightly with some loose powder and a fluffy brush to make sure the result is really soft and blended.
If you want an even more dynamic lip look, swap your matching lip liner for one in a darker shade than your lipstick, like Cherry Tart. Focus on the corners of your mouth and let the centre be lighter.
PHOTOGRAPHER: Alexandra Nataf | Bridge Artists
STYLIST: Columbine Smille | LundLund
HAIR: Conrad Dornan | Bridge Artists
MAKEUP: Emi Kaneko | Bryant Artists
MODEL: Zarina Nares | Vision Models LA


text:
We all know that $|\mathbb{N}| = \aleph_0$. Since $|\{-1\} \cup \mathbb{N}| = \aleph_0$ as well, I guess you could say that $\aleph_0 + 1 = \aleph_0$.
You can go on to derive that $\aleph_0 + \aleph_0 = \aleph_0$, and by induction $n \times \aleph_0 = \aleph_0$ (assuming that $n$ is finite, anyway).
Now, here's a thing: What is $\aleph_0 - \aleph_0$?
Well, $|\mathbb{P}| = \aleph_0$, and $|\mathbb{P} \backslash \mathbb{N}| = \aleph_0$, so perhaps $\aleph_0 - \aleph_0 = \aleph_0$?
No, wait. Consider the set $S = \{n \in \mathbb{N}: n > 5\}$. Now we have $|S| = \aleph_0$, and yet $|\mathbb{N} \backslash S| = 5$. So maybe $\aleph_0 - \aleph_0 = 5$?
But that is absurd, since we can redefine $S$ to make the result any finite number we wish. Or we can define $S$ such that the result is countably infinite.
Does this mean that the notion of $\aleph_0 - \aleph_0$ simply has no definite answer? Or am I just being too simplistic here?


text:
Which Longtime Late-Night Host Will Be Craig Ferguson's Last Late Late Show Guest?
Nov 6, 2014 6:57 PM EST
Craig Ferguson will bid farewell to late-night TV next month when he steps down as host of The Late Late Show on Friday, Dec. 19. The good news is that he'll be able to get plenty of advice about what to do next from his final guest. Longtime Tonight… Read more


text:
New 2019 Alfa RomeoStelvio Ti LUSSO AWD Sport Utility
- Stock: K7C41665
- Fuel Economy
- 22.0/28.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Exterior Color
- White
- Interior Color
- black
- Body/Seating
- Sport Utility/5 seats
- Transmission
- 8 speed automatic
- Drivetrain
- Q4 AWD System all-wheel drive
- Engine Layout
- 2.0L 2.0L 280HP Turbocharged I4 Engine
Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Highlighted Features
- Leather upholstery
- Automatic temperature control
- Wireless phone connectivity
- Parking sensors
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Front dual zone A/C
- Rain sensing wipers
- Speed sensitive wipers
Detailed Specifications
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
La Superma
By Realoldnavy on Wednesday, December 20, 2017Looked at the field and was completely blown away by Stelvio. It has an amazing build, fun to drive, and handles like a sportscar. In fact, I was looking at Gulia and see very little difference in handling between it and Stelvio. It has all the safety features you can want, and great performance- a winning combination. Have had no new car glitches and runs well city or on the road. The lack of Apple or Android is my only disappointment. It will be available later this year. Should have waited but I would have missed the fun having it now. .
- 5.0
Best Driving Sports SUV Ever
By N8 on Wednesday, March 07, 2018If you want a sports car but have kids and need some utility, this is the SUV for you. It is so athletic and so fun to drive, I can not wait to get into the thing. Its 280 hp turbo charged 4 has everything. 25 mpg if you need it, 0-60 in 5.4 if you need it. It is so versatile. It is on the smaller side but it fits 4 adults easily and has enough room for luggage in the back. Highly recommend. This car is a beast. I have a Stelvio Sport with 20 wheels.
- 5.0
Smooth and fast
By TC on Monday, July 01, 2019A very smooth, fast, and responsive car. I got the 100,000 mile warranty with mine. I am very happy with this car and the dealership. I have had this car for 1 year and I still get people coming up to me and admiring and complimenting me on this car. I think when my tires eventually wear out I will get a little wider tire like are on the BMW or Mercedes SUV's. I like that wider tire look.
* The advertised price does not include sales tax, vehicle registration fees, other fees required by law, finance charges and any documentation charges.
* Images, prices, and options shown, including vehicle color, trim, options, pricing and other specifications are subject to availability, special offers, current pricing and credit worthiness.
New Arrivals
2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti LUS…
- $53,995
- Sport Utility
- White Exterior
- 2.0L 280HP Turbocharged I4 Engine Layout
2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti AWD…
- $48,990
- Sport Utility
- Blue Exterior
- 2.0L 280HP Turbocharged I4 Engine Layout
2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti LUS…
- $51,590
- Sport Utility
- Brown Exterior
- 2.0L 280HP Turbocharged I4 Engine Layout
2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio QUADRI…
- $77,990
- Sport Utility
- White Exterior
- 2.9L 505HP Twin-Turbo V6 Engine Layout


text:
Ruma V. Banerjee and Stephen W. Ragsdale are professors in the department of biochemistry at the University of Michigan and partners in life as well. Below, we look at their research and how they balance life and the lab.
Scientists are used to expecting the unexpected in their research, but sometimes the surprising discoveries occur outside the petri dish.
Such is the case of Ruma V. Banerjee and Stephen W. Ragsdale, both professors in the department of biochemistry at the University of Michigan.
In the halls of Medical Science Research Building III, which houses the biochemistry department, Banerjee and Ragsdale are independent researchers who tackle intriguing biological problems. Banerjee, the Vincent Massey collegiate professor of biological chemistry, focuses on mammalian sulfur metabolism and its reliance on enzymes utilizing the cobalt-containing vitamin B12, while Ragsdale studies the microbial metabolism of one-carbon compounds, which also relies heavily on metalloenzymes.
However, their connection goes beyond cobalt, nickel and iron. Banerjee and Ragsdale are partners in life as well as in the department; they have been married for nearly 20 years and share the successes and challenges that come with a life in research that intertwines with life outside the lab.
Their initial encounter occurred in 1989, when Stephen Ragsdale was a young assistant professor who had just established his own lab at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In graduate school, he became fascinated by microbes and the vast and unusual types of chemistry they could carry out and he decided to take up research in acetogenesis, the metabolic process used by certain anaerobic bacteria to create energy by converting carbon sources into acetate.
In particular, Ragsdale was examining the enzymes involved in the Wood-Ljungdahl pathway, which fixes organic carbon from carbon dioxide with the aid of coenzyme A. (Considering he did his graduate and postdoctoral studies with Lars G. Ljungdahl and Harlan Wood, respectively, Ragsdale certainly had the credentials to tackle this pathway.)
One day, he received a call from Rowena Matthews, a colleague and fellow microbial biochemist at the University of Michigan. The two had conversed previously at a microbiology conference, where she described her frustration at not being able to obtain redox measurements for a particular enzyme because the cobalt-containing cofactor had such a low redox potential.
"I had told her I'm sure I could get the measurements because my lab was working on a corrinoid/iron-sulfur protein with a similarly very negative redox potential, but we had managed to develop some techniques to overcome that, so she should let me know if she wanted any assistance," recalls Ragsdale.
In the phone call, Matthews took Ragsdale up on his offer and mentioned that she had just the perfect person, a bright and talented postdoctoral fellow, to come to Ragsdale's lab and collaborate on this effort.
***In Michigan, Ruma Banerjee was packing her bags for a trip. She had been working with Matthews for about a year and a half on methionine synthase, which adds a methyl group to homocysteine to complete the biosynthesis of the amino acid methionine.
Her initial experiments had gone quite well – Banerjee had managed to clone and characterize the gene from this enzyme in E. coli; however, her kinetic studies were stalling, as she was unable to analyze the transition of the vitamin B12 (cobalamin) cofactor from cobalt (II) to cobalt (I) during the reaction.
Matthews had arranged for Banerjee to do some measurements with a colleague in Milwaukee, Stephen Ragsdale. He had developed a new type of cell for spectroelectrochemical analysis (a method allowing spectroscopic detection of changes in oxidation state) that could analyze even minute changes.
After arriving, Banerjee and Ragsdale spent the next several days carrying out a host of experiments on methionine synthase. "It was intense," she recalls. "We did all these electrochemical and spectroscopy studies, and were getting great data.
"At the same time, there was definitely more than spectroelectrical chemistry going on in that lab."
If one subscribes to the theory that opposites attract, then certainly Banerjee and Ragsdale were destined to find a spark from the moment they met, as their histories up to that point were a contrast in styles if ever one existed.
Banerjee, for her part, had quite a transient youth; as the daughter of a general in the Indian army, her family moved around quite a bit across the country, and she had attended 10 different schools by the time she was getting ready for college – a dizzying journey made even more astounding by the fact that Banerjee graduated high school at the age of 14.
Despite this constant fluidity, her goals solidified early on, and by the time Banerjee was 11, she had developed a strong desire to pursue scientific research, which she subsequently did, obtaining a bachelor's and master's degree in plant science from Delhi University.
"I can't really put my finger on any event or influence that seemed to steer me to science," she says. "It was more of a subconscious unfolding in that I always had a sense I was going down the right path."
Ragsdale, by comparison, grew up in rural Rome, Ga., and spent his formative years in constant intellectual flux. He did enjoy science a great deal, but the manner in which science was typically taught – involving the rote memorization of terms and concepts – kept it as a secondary interest.
"I've always had a mind that was better at understanding things than memorizing things," he says. "So in high school and college I was always drawn more to arts and humanities classes, though it was really hard to corral myself to any one discipline."
Ragsdale's other great passion was music; in fact, he took a few years off from full-time studies at the University of Georgia to pursue a music career, singing at various bars and coffeehouses while working odd jobs to support his dreams of folk stardom.
But some chance encounters steered these distant partners a little closer together, both in physical distance and in academic fields.
Banerjee came to the United States to conduct her doctoral work at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in upstate New York after she met someone affiliated with the university in India who encouraged her to attend, noting it was a fine scientific institute.
The only problem, Banerjee discovered, was that RPI did not have a botany program, so she switched her studies to chemistry, one of the school's strengths. At first, she considered switching schools, but she quickly became enamored with medicinal chemistry and synthesis reactions and decided to stay.
Meanwhile, Ragsdale had reinvigorated his science interests through personal readings and eventually decided to return to university full time. Not long after, he bumped into renowned scientist Marion M. Bradford at a soda machine.
As it happens, Bradford (inventor of the Bradford protein assay) and Ragsdale shared the same hometown and knew each other from church, so Ragsdale mentioned that he needed work to help pay for school and wondered if Bradford had any jobs in his lab for an undergraduate.
"He said sure and told me to stop on by," remembers Ragsdale.
Ragsdale took up a project studying the acrosome reaction in sperm, and immediately, the concept of research – using deductive skills and reasoning to solve a daunting biological problem – struck a chord. "It was like solving a puzzle," Ragsdale says. "It only took one day for me to get hooked."
More than two decades later, Banerjee and Ragsdale still are hooked, both on each other and on their research in metabolism and enzymology, though they certainly have had to maneuver through the delicate balancing act of family and research.
Their first significant challenge was finding a suitable destination once Banerjee had finished her postdoc and was ready to start her independent career. The main goal was to find a place together, for, despite the relative proximity of Milwaukee and Ann Arbor, the constant travel between the cities was a hassle.
"We also made the conscious decision that we would not work in the same lab," Banerjee says. "Steve was a little ahead of me in his career, so when I started my independent work, I did not want to be seen as riding his coattails or risk working in his shadow."
They eventually found a suitable joint destination at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and both took positions there in 1991. "Initially, it was a compromise destination," Banerjee says, "but we quickly felt right at home, and the time we spent there was extremely positive."
Along the way, they also helped bolster Nebraska's research reputation through their prolific research and numerous honors; Banerjee even helped establish the National Institutes of Health-funded Redox Biology Center at the university in 2002 to explore redox metabolism and its connection to disease.
Such outstanding work received notice, and the pair eventually was recruited back to Michigan in 2007 (though Ragsdale never officially attended Michigan, he says he felt like an adopted member of Matthews' lab, so it felt like a return trip).
Today, they continue exploring the frontiers of redox enzymology and one-carbon metabolism, though in different ways – Banerjee through studying mammalian pathways and clinical applications and Ragsdale through his work on microbial chemistry and applications in biotechnology.
"We do have joint lab meetings, so our students benefit from the shared expertise in our groups," Banerjee says. "But over the years we have managed to keep our research aims different and maintain scientific independence."
There were a couple of moments when they considered running a lab in parallel, she notes, but in the end they thought the management involved would be a little too complex.
"It's kind of funny," Ragsdale adds. "We started our relationship with a scientific collaboration, but in the 20 years since, we've both had independent careers; we've only published one Annual Reviews article together."
Banerjee, who also serves as a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology council, has focused her efforts on looking at how sulfur enzymes operate in the framework of a network. "What are the traffic lights that govern the flow of sulfur to help furnish cells with some very important reagents?"
In recent years, her group has been particularly interested in the trafficking of vitamin B12, an essential vitamin that requires 30 dedicated enzymes to synthesize in bacteria. Although humans only have two B12-requiring enzymes, both of which support sulfur metabolism (methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and methionine synthase), this rare vitamin is extremely important for every cell, as evidenced by a complex protein network involved in B12 trafficking.
Banerjee's group has been busy identifying and assigning functions to the genes involved in B12 maintenance, which include chaperones that escort this highly reactive molecule to various destinations and some novel enzymes that tailor the cobalamin molecule to its enzyme-specific active form. For example, she recently solved a long-standing mystery by revealing that a B12 chaperone called MMACHC also was responsible for cleaving off the cyanide group in cyanocobalamin, the form that's most prevalent in vitamin supplements.
Ragsdale has expanded his field of research to include methanogenesis in addition to acetogenesis, and his group recently elucidated the reaction for the final step in methane synthesis, demonstrating that the process is nickel-dependent.
"I've been getting excited about that area because not only does methane have many wonderful chemical properties, but it could be a great source of future energy," Ragsdale says. "There's lots of stored methane available, it's got a great energy potential and it's clean burning."
Following an eye-opening Gordon Conference on metals in biology, the formerly inorganic-adverse Ragsdale also has become interested in other classes of metalloproteins. One intriguing area his lab has just started investigating involves a potentially novel type of metabolic regulation in which thiol/disulfide redox switches regulate a protein's affinity for heme; these heme-regulatory motifs respond to conditions like oxidative stress and subsequently adjust protein function. The heme functionality also allows the protein to respond to gas-signaling molecules like carbon monoxide and nitric oxide.
And, in a discovery that definitely pleased his music-loving soul, Ragsdale even found one such thiol/disulfide redox switch on a key nuclear hormone receptor involved in the circadian cycle called Rev-erb. "It was not a planned occurrence, and I didn't name the protein," he says, "but it kind of highlights the wonders of science and how the right protein, or person, seems to find you."
Banerjee, R. V., Harder, S. R., Ragsdale, S. W., and Matthews, R. G. (1990) Mechanism of reductive activation of cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase: an electron paramagnetic resonance spectroelectrochemical study. Biochemistry 29, 1129 – 1135.
Kim, J., Gherasim, C., and Banerjee, R. (2008) Decyanation of vitamin B12 by a trafficking chaperone. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 105, 14551 – 14554.
Padovani, D., Labunska, T., Palfey, B. A., Ballou, D. P., and Banerjee, R. (2008) Adenosyltransferase tailors and delivers coenzyme B12. Nature Chem. Biol. 4, 194 – 196.
Li, X., Telser, J., Hoffman, B. M., Gerfen, G., and Ragsdale, S. W. (2010) Observation of organometallic and radical intermediates formed during the reaction of methyl-coenzyme M reductase with bromoethanesulfonate. Biochemistry 49, 6866 – 6876.
Gupta, N., and Ragsdale, S. W. (2010) Thiol-disulfide redox dependence of heme binding and heme ligand switching in a nuclear hormone receptor Rev-erb{beta}. J. Biol. Chem. [Epub Dec 1 ahead of print].
More from the current issue


text:
Awakening the nation to the contributions of mariners
Between Thanksgiving and the New Year, the Seamen's Church Institute (SCI) asks knitters to help increase awareness of mariners' contributions by making—and hiding in plain sight—mini mariners' watchcaps. The hats draw attention to the fact that mariners, whose work is often hidden in plain sight, deliver more than 90% of all imported goods.
SCI makes available a pattern for a miniature mariners' watchcap (along with an informational tag to attach) as part of a nationwide activity called #WATCHthisCAP. Knitters and their friends place completed knits in conspicuous places to educate the public about the world's maritime workforce.
SCI's #WATCHthisCAP movement will have folks discovering these handknit creations, revealing a fact that many don't realize: much of what shoppers purchase on a day-to-day basis comes courtesy of the men and women of maritime commerce.
Track the placement of the mini hats and monitor their impact on Twitter, Facebook and other social networks using the hashtag #WATCHthisCAP. Watch this space for the project's development.
Want to Participate?
Fill out this form, and SCI will send you a pattern with instructions and a tag. (See sample tag below.)
- Knit the Miniature Watchcap.
- Punch out, sign and attach the tag included with the pattern.
- Put the tagged watchcap in a place others will see between Thanksgiving and New Year. (Position your cap responsibly.)
- Share photos, videos and stories online using the hashtag #WATCHthisCAP.
The miniature hat requires only 0.2 oz. of worsted weight yarn (~12 yards) and knits up with US size 5 or 6 dpns. If you want to make multiple hats, let us know to send extra tags.
A small donation—although not necessary—helps SCI offset the costs of printing and postage. If you would like to make a contribution, use the green DONATE button on this page.


text:
- This event has passed.
CycleMania Thursday Night Mountain Bike Ride
May 2 @ 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm
CycleMania Thursday Night Mountain Bike ride is an all-abilities ride leaving from the shop at 6:00 pm. It will be guided by several experienced riders who are there to help keep the group together while creating a fun learning atmosphere as well. It will cater to men and women alike, and only assumes that you have mountain bike, and an enthusiastic disposition for riding it. The ride will begin at CycleMania, and will navigate easy to moderate mountain bike trails totaling approximately 15-20 miles. Leave at 6, usually return around 8 – 8:30. Whether you're a road rider looking to mix things up mid-week, a once-was mountain biker looking to get back out there, or just an average rider that isn't looking to bump elbows with a bunch of racers, this is your ride. Lights will be necessary for all but peak summer rides.


text:
Pictured: (From left to right:) Angela Ruggiero '02-04, Anna
McDonald, Julie Chu '06-07, Cori Bassett, Caitlin Cahow '07-08 and
Kate Buesser.
Photo courtesy: John Hassett Photography
Complete USA Hockey Recap
HAMDEN, Conn. -- Senior forward Anna McDonald scored a goal, while senior defender Cori Bassett and junior forward Kate Buesser each handed out an assist for the ECAC Hockey All-Stars in an exhibition game against the U.S. Hockey Women's National Team Sunday afternoon at the TD Bank Sports Center. Team USA emerged with an 8-2 victory.
With the ECAC Hockey All-Stars trailing 5-1 late in the second period, Buesser connected with McDonald for a goal at 16:51, cutting the deficit to three goals. Bassett, a co-captain of the Crimson, dished out an assist earlier in the second period on a tally by Bray Ketchum at 12:12.
Former Crimson skaters Caitlin Cahow '07-08, Angela Ruggiero '02-04 and Julie Chu '06-07 figured prominently in the scoring for Team USA. Cahow found the back of the net for two goals, one each in the first and second periods, while Ruggiero opened the game by lighting the lamp only 21 seconds into action. Chu had two assists in the game, including one on Ruggiero's goal.
Team USA will continue to prepare for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and will open competition at the Olympics against China Feb. 14.
No. 5 Harvard will return to action by visiting Princeton and Quinnipiac in ECAC Hockey action next weekend. The Crimson will visit the Tigers Jan. 8 and travel to Hamden, Conn., to face the Bobcats Jan. 9.
McDonald Scores for ECAC Hockey All-Stars in Exhibition Against Team USA
Pictured: (From left to right:) Angela Ruggiero '02-04, Anna
McDonald, Julie Chu '06-07, Cori Bassett, Caitlin Cahow '07-08 and
Kate Buesser.


text:
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Cinelli: The Art and Design of the Bicycle
The new book titled "Cinelli: The Art and Design of the Bicycle" is now available in English in bookstores. The publisher is Rizzoli, ISBN: 978-0-8478-3867-7.
A beautifully illustrated survey of more than sixty-five years of work by one of the most pioneering and influential names in bicycle design. Since Cino Cinelli began making frames in Italy in the 1940s, Cinelli has set the standards for bicycle and component design. Cinelli has led the evolution of professional cycling and defined the ideal of the classic bicycle: from the classic Supercorsa racing frame to the cutting-edge MASH fixed-gear pursuit bikes ubiquitous on the urban riding scene; from innovations such as the first plastic racing saddles to the controversial Spinaci handlebars, banned from competition; and from timeless components, such as the Alter stem, to iconic meetings of art and design such as Keith Haring's treatment of the hour record-setting Laser.
With contributions by legendary riders such as Felice Gimondi and Gilberto Simoni, and by collaborators, from artists like Mike Giant to designers such as San Francisco's graphic impresario Benny Gold, and featuring a conversation between fashion designer Sir Paul Smith and Cinelli president Antonio Colombo, Cinelli is the definitive look at how beauty and technology can meet in this simplest form of design.
About the Author
Lodovico Pignatti Morano is a writer and consultant based in Milan. Antonio Colombo has been the President and owner of Cinelli and Columbus since 1973, and is the director of a contemporary art gallery in Milan. Felice Gimondi is one of only five cyclists in history to win all three Grand Tours: the Tour de France, the Giro d'Italia, and the Vuelta a España. Benny Gold is a graphic designer and artist living in San Francisco. Barry McGee is a painter and graffiti artist from the Bay Area whose work has been exhibited in galleries worldwide. Sir Paul Smith is an icon of international style and fashion, and a passionate cycling enthusiast.
Stories for the Italian Cycling Journal about rides, granfondos, touring, having a good time cycling in Italy, Italian cycling history, racing, etc. are always welcome.
Follow on Twitter: ITALIANCYCJOURN
Contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com. There are more than 2,600 stories in this blog. The search feature to the right works best for finding subjects in the blog. There is also a translate button at the bottom so you can translate each page.
1 comment:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Obama Talks Toxic Clouds And Runaway Trains, But The Real Cybersecurity Solution Is Still Simple And Obvious
from the and-what's-blocking-that-now? deptEven as we're encouraged by the direction of the latest cybersecurity bill (with significant caveats), lots of folks have been asking from the beginning for two things: an end to "Hollywood-style" FUD claims of planes falling from the skies, and a clear statement on what existing laws make the kind of information sharing the government desires impossible today. President Barack Obama took to the Wall Street Journal Op-Ed pages today to explain why we need cybersecurity legislation... and unfortunately he failed on both accounts. The opening part is positively cinematic:
Last month I convened an emergency meeting of my cabinet and top homeland security, intelligence and defense officials. Across the country trains had derailed, including one carrying industrial chemicals that exploded into a toxic cloud. Water treatment plants in several states had shut down, contaminating drinking water and causing Americans to fall ill.He goes on to point out that some of the things mentioned have "already happened," except that's not quite true. It is true that some hackers accessed systems they shouldn't have had access to, but it's not clear if they were ever able to actually do any damage. Here's Obama's summary of the details:
Our nation, it appeared, was under cyber attack. Unknown hackers, perhaps a world away, had inserted malicious software into the computer networks of private-sector companies that operate most of our transportation, water and other critical infrastructure systems.
Last year, a water plant in Texas disconnected its control system from the Internet after a hacker posted pictures of the facility's internal controls. More recently, hackers penetrated the networks of companies that operate our natural-gas pipelinesWhat's amusing is that the story in Texas came about because a hacker was trying to show that the feds were ignoring and downplaying threats to critical infrastructure. From the details, it looks like the system was vulnerable because of poor password choices, and the stupid decision to connect the system to the internet. So the fact is that "disconnect its control system from the Internet" is the solution. Not more laws. Meanwhile, the story about targeting natural-gas pipelines involved some basic social engineering (spear phishing) rather than any technical hackery. In both cases, the issue appears to be the same: critical infrastructure like that which controls the functioning of water treatment plants and gas pipelines shouldn't be connected to the internet.
But do we need a 211-page law to share information just to recognize that?
The bigger problem is that while the President's Op-Ed highlights how we want to avoid the cinematic story he tells at the beginning, where it fails is that it never explains why the kind of information sharing he's talking about is blocked today. Which rules and regulations are blocking that from happening? No one seems to want to say. Instead, we get legislation that just assumes there must be regulations blocking information sharing and wipes them all away.
We appreciate that Obama says that he'll veto any bill that doesn't include strong privacy and civil liberties protections, but we should never be passing legislation based on made up scary stories.
Filed Under: cybersecurity, internet, obama, privacy, regulations, risks, threats


text:
Let $U_1, U_2, \ldots, U_n$ be a set of random variable uniformly distributed over some box in $\mathbb{R}^3$ and let \begin{equation} R = \frac{1}{2 n(n-1)}\sum\limits_{i,j< i} |U_i - U_j| \end{equation} be the random variable corresponding to the average distance between the random points. What is the distribution of $R$? If no answer to that is available, then what is $E(R)$?
I have found somewhat similar questions, but couldn't related them to this one.
Thank you very much in advance.


text:
The number of foreign students attending British universities rose by nearly 2
per cent last year despite the row over student visa restrictions, according
to new statistics. We look at the 10 countries sending the most students to
the UK:
10. Cyprus
Cyprus remained the tenth-most common country of origin for non-UK domiciled
students at British universities in 2011/12, with 11,620 enrolled here –
that's up 2.7 per cent from the previous year. They follow in the footsteps
of Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the Greek Cypriot-origin easyJet founder who went
to the LSE
to study economics in 1984.
This information is taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency report "Students in Higher Education Institutions 2011/12"Picture: Tom Stockill


text:
Canopus Corporation has announced EDIUS SD, a real-time online content creation workstation targeting post production and broadcast studios with a direct upgrade path to EDIUS HD, Canopus's high-definition nonlinear editing platform. The EDIUS SD workstation provides real-time editing and content creation capabilities with connectivity to integrate into existing post-production or broadcast studio environments.
EDIUS SD includes EDIUS Pro editing software for real-time mixed editing of uncompressed SD, MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DVCPRO50, and HDV; an RS-422 connector to provide accurate VTR control; an SDI input connector; two SDI output connectors; and a reference input connector to provide real-time performance and standard connectivity options.
For studios requiring additional connectivity, Canopus is offering the multi-I/O processing unit for EDIUS SD. This 3U rackmountable unit includes video connections such as SD-SDI with embedded audio, eight-channel AES/EBU, RS-422A I/O, SD reference in, sync generator, embedded TC, LTC in/out, four-channel balanced audio, and analog component video out (BNC and D-connector).
Additionally, Canopus has announced HDSC1, an SDI-to-component signal converter that converts HD-SDI signals to HD component output or SD-SDI signals to SD component output. Both component YUV and RGB format signals are supported, making the HDSC1 compatible with all component video devices. HDSC1 provides instant output of HD content to HD component displays such as HDTVs and RGB computer monitors, and SD content to component, S-Video, and composite displays. HDSC1 also incorporates a sync generator for both HD (tri-level sync) and SD (black burst).
HDSC1 also includes embedded audio support, conversion of SD-SDI to S-Video and composite, HD-SDI conversion to RGB for PC monitors that feature BNC inputs, and front-panel displays for video format and audio-level outputs. HDSC1 automatically detects the video format currently being output and also supports SDI signal pass-through.
HDSC1 is an eight-inch, half-rackmount unit with outputs for YPbPr, RGB, S-Video, and composite. The unbalanced RCA stereo output can be configured to output any pair of eight-channel embedded audio via the front control panel. An optional 19-inch rackmount kit is available for standard A/V rack installation.


text:
Flagler's Journalism Excellence Award
Author, Renee Flagler, won the award for Excellence in Journalism by the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ).
Freelance writer and author, Renee Daniel Flagler, won the award for Excellence in Journalism by the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ). The awards were presented during the NYABJ Annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at Columbia University
"I am completely honored by this award. Being recognized by NYABJ in this manor is the highlight of my writing career thus far. I love to write and that is why I do it. To receive recognition for excellence was a humbling experience and a heck of a validation for my work," stated Renee Flagler, who has written for several print and online publications.
Flagler received the award for an article she penned for The Network Journal Magazine about disparities within the publishing landscape as it pertains to the black book market.
The event was be hosted by WABC's Sade Baderinwa and WCBS' Maurice Dubois. During the annual gala, NYABJ recognizes the best in Print, New Media, Radio, Magazine and Television reporting of issues that affect the Black diaspora. Premier journalists throughout New York City, representing all mediums attended the gala. Special Honorees for this year also included TV Legend, Roz Abrams, the late Gerald Boyd, Alphonso Van Marsh of CNN, Rosalind McLymont, Author and Editor-in-Chief of The Network Journal and Wilbert Tatum of The Amsterdam News.
Past winners include Black journalists from some of the nation's most premier publications such as Black Enterprise and Newsweek as well as major radio and TV broadcast companies.
For more information, logon to www.nyabj.org.
About Renee Flagler
Renee Daniel Flagler is an award winning journalist and the author of 'Miss-Guided,' 'Mountain High, Valley Low,' and the forthcoming 'In Her Mind' (Spring 2008), the highly anticipated sequel to 'Mountain High, Valley Low.' As a freelance writer and marketing professional, her writing has been featured in business and consumer newsletters and magazines, nationwide. Flagler's company, Aspicomm Media , founded The Self Publishing Symposium an annual business conference for self and independent publishers along with the S'Indie Awards, which honors the works and accomplishments of self and independent publishers. In 2007 Flagler launched the Divas of Literature Tour , a multi-city mall tour featuring five authors. Flagler and her books have been featured in Ebony Magazine, Black Issues Book Review, Black Star News, Mahogany Baby, The Columbus Post, and The Amsterdam News. She was also profiled in Literary Divas, The Top 100+ Most Admired African American Women in Literature.
About the New York Association of Black Journalists
With more than 450 members, the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ) is a group of black media professionals organized to pursue common concerns and goals. NYABJ is one of the largest and most vibrant local chapters of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), which boasts 3,300 members and is the world's largest organization for journalists of color.
Founded in 1976, NYABJ has a legacy of providing professional and moral support to its members. Our ranks include reporters, editors, photographers, graphics editors, art directors, public relations professionals, students and journalism instructors. Throughout the year, we offer professional development workshops like writing and editing seminars, career assessment sessions and informational forums on fellowships nationwide.
To subscribe to or advertise in New York's leading Pan African weekly investigative newspaper, please call (212) 481-7745 or send a note to email@example.com
Also visit out sister publications Harlem Business News www.harlembusinessnews.com and The Groove music magazine at www.thegroovemag.com
"Speaking Truth To Empower."
Latest comments
- Ann GarrisonFebruary 22,2018 @ 08:03 PM
I think you have "Filtered HTML" turned on here. If you switch to "Full HTML," it will probably...
googletag.pubads().definePassback('6785150/BENN/BlackStarNews', [[300,250]]).setTargeting('fold',['BTF']).display();


text:
General Motors Co. has hired Kenneth Feinberg, a top compensation expert, to pay people harmed in crashes caused by faulty ignition switches in older-model small cars. GM says it's trying to do the right thing by making the payments. The company says at least 54 crashes and 13 deaths were caused by the problem, but lawyers and lawmakers say there will be hundreds of claims.
Here are details of the compensation plan announced Monday:
WHO'S ELIGIBLE: Drivers, passengers, pedestrians, and people in other cars involved in crashes with the GM vehicles who suffered physical injuries or relatives of people killed in crashes. Property damage claims and claims of psychological injury won't be included.
DEADLINE: People can begin applying for compensation Aug. 1. The deadline for filing a claim is Dec. 31. Feinberg expects most claims to be processed in 90 to 180 days.
COMPENSATION LIMITS: None for deaths or extreme injuries such as permanent brain damage, loss of limbs, paralysis and serious burns. Less serious injuries are limited by formulas similar to what Feinberg used to compensate those injured in the Boston Marathon bombings. People can get quick settlements based on formulas for death and extreme injuries, or they can try to prove to Feinberg that they should get more money by proving extraordinary circumstances. Feinberg says GM has placed no limit on the total he can spend. Lawyers say it will be in the billions.
BURDEN OF PROOF: Claims must show that the crashes were caused by faulty GM small-car ignition switches. The switches can unexpectedly slip from "run" to "accessory," shutting off the engines and causing loss of power steering and brakes. The air bags also are disabled. Crashes in which the air bags deployed likely won't be eligible, because if the air bags worked, the switch was working too. Feinberg said people with extenuating circumstances -- i.e. drivers who were drunk or speeding -- can still apply for compensation.
RIGHT TO SUE: Those who settle with Feinberg give up their right to sue.
AFFECTED MODELS: About 2.6 million small cars worldwide, including the 2005-2007 Chevrolet Cobalt and Pontiac G5; 2003-2007 Saturn Ion; 2006-2007 Chevrolet HHR, Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky; 2005-2007 Pontiac Pursuit; 2007 Opel/Vauxhall GT and 2007 Daewoo G2X. New models (2008-2011) of the same cars that got the switches as replacement parts are also included.


text:
He swam in the lough. He poured praise on his G8 partners, and lavished them with gifts such as 12-year-old bottles of County Antrim Old Bushmills Whiskey, Mulberry overnight bags and CD sticks, including music by Jake Bugg and Alt-J.
At a closing blustery press conference by the side of the lake, he sold Northern Ireland as if it were one of the seven tourist wonders of the world. If summit hosts can be marked for effort, British Prime Minister David Cameron deserves an A+.
Though tax campaigners accused the final agreement of lacking new, hard detail, the British prime minister may even have achieved a legacy, persuading his fellow G8 members to sign the Lough Erne declaration, a commitment to end corporate tax evasion and clear up tax havens. In years to come, the currently wordy declaration could prove to be a point of change. There is enough detail in the communique, say supporters, to keep the agenda going for years.
Outgoing Bank of England Governor Sir Mervyn King recently referred to "the audacity of pessimism" in reference to world summits — the backs of world leaders really have to be against the wall before they agree to do anything serious at events such as the G8, as they indeed did in 2007 during the banking crash.
Clearly, the most difficult issue at the Lough Erne summit, the crisis in Syria, is not yet deemed so bad that either Russia or the West feel sufficiently threatened to change previous positions. Cameron himself pointed out there had been predictions there would be no deal on Syria, or a communique signed by the G7 and not Russia, or else an agreement so weak as to be meaningless.
British officials were claiming manfully that the wording did have meaning, even though it contained no date for a peace conference, save for "as soon as possible," or any requirement that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stand aside to let the peace conference go ahead.
Cameron's aides said the wording entangled the Russians deeper in a commitment to a transitional government. They also pointed to acceptance of an independent investigation into al-Assad's alleged use of chemical weapons.
"The task now is to get on with the process of naming people from the regime, from the opposition, who can sit down and talk about a transitional authority that will take power in Syria," Cameron said.
Cameron also believes the planned peace talks can lure al-Assad's acolytes to break with their leader by vowing that if he goes, the existing military and security services would be preserved, saying the aim was "to learn the lessons of Iraq."
However, judging by the reaction of Russian President Vladimir Putin — his refusal to accept a capitulation by al-Assad, his assertion of his moral and legal right to continue to supply weapons to al-Assad, and his insistence that both sides in any peace talks should be able to pick their delegations — there is little reason for al-Assad's allies to believe the regime, or Russian support for the regime, is crumbling.
Indeed, after the summit US President Barack Obama focused on the need to strengthen the Syrian rebels with arms.
Cameron had promised a clarifying moment on Syria; it cannot be honestly said he secured one. It is not a breakthrough and as the French delegation said privately, such a breakthrough was never realistic.


text: New Hampshire, one of the original 13 colonies, was the first state to have its own state constitution. Its spirit of independence is epitomized in the state motto–"Live Free or Die." New Hampshire was the 9th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution–the final state needed to put the document into effect. It plays an important role in national elections, as it is the first state to holdnational primaries, and its primary results are thought to influence those in the rest of the nation, giving rise to the saying "As New Hampshire goes, so goes the nation." Source history.com


text:
Add cool, metallic dazzle to your Business Cards. With this tactile – and eye-catchingly shiny – special finish.
Extra-thick and extra fancy – these amazing Business Cards make a bold statement.
Turn heads by adding touchy-feely Gold or Silver Foil to your Postcards. Try it on text, photos, your logo – anywhere!
Not for throwaway ideas, Pearlescent Flyers are eye-catchingly metallic and luxurious.
Make all your meetings more inspiring. Find the perfect Notebook companion, in Soft or Hardcover options.
Feature your photography or business logo and use for marketing, packaging, or just for fun.
Keep all your Business Cards crisp and fresh, and ready for networking.
Find out how these 17 designers are taking their branding to the next level with gold foil.
Be the first to know about our latest products, and get a heads up on all our sales – so you'll never miss a discount.
We're always looking to link up with new people! Whether you're an aspiring reseller or have a big idea to share — let's chat!
Get a feel for MOO with a free Business Card sample pack. Touch the premium paper, marvel at the eye-catching finishes and find what works for you.
…when you sign up to our newsletter and spend over $40.00 on your first order.
Sign up to our weekly MOOsLETTER for free shipping, business tips, inspirational ideas, exclusive special offers and more.
Spend just $40.00 and your order will be shipped to you for free.
Check your email for a message from Little MOO, our friendly print robot. Once you confirm your email address, we'll send over a code for FREE shipping on your order. YAY!
The code will only be sent to new subscribers, and the minimum spend for free shipping is $40.00.


text:
I know there are a few of us out here who are trying to lose weight and get healthier for our next bout of treatment. I want to lose at least 28lb (2 stone) so i thought i would make a thread - somewhere where we can come and egg each other on, share our weight loss (or maybe gains lol) share recipies etc.
I wasnt sure what to call the thread, fatties didnt quite cut it, so good old weight watching it was lol.
Hope theres a few of us here, i could do with the support - Ive joined a slimming world class and am going to diet club later at 5pm (every Tuesday) i will let u know how much i put on (opps - i mean lost lol)
Catch ya later ladies ....
Becky Xxxxx


text:
php and MySQL Training in Fayetteville, AR for Beginners | MySQL with php P...
This Instructor led LIVE php and MySQL training course will be provided for a total duration of 16 hours spread across 3 weeks by our highly professional php and MySQL trainers.
php stands for Personal Home Page and is a widely popular multi-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for Web development and can be embedded into HTML.
Weekly Class Schedule
This class begins on Sunday evening, September 15, 2019 at 6:30 PM US Pacific time.
Please check your local date and time for the first session
- 16 hours of LIVE training
- 8 sessions | 3 weeks | 3 sessions first two weeks | 2 sessions during 3rd and last week | 2 hours per session
- Sunday, Tuesday and Thusday first 2 weeks
- Sunday and Tuesday during 3rd and last week
- US Pacific time 6:30-8:30 PM each day
Course Objectives
- Knowledge of high-level Architecture required for Web Page design.
- Handle the Web page development and support activities in the real-time
- Work independently and implement advanced concepts.
- Gain in-depth knowledge of various components related to PHP.
- Work with CMS system using WordPress, Joomla, etc.
- Work with any RDBMS operation.
- How to get involved in Development and Support as per Project Requirement.
Who should attend
This class can be taken by software developers, web developers and database professionals.
- Basic knowledge of computers, websites, any programming language, html
Course Outline
1. An Introduction to php and MySQL
- History of php and MySQL
- Installation and configuring Apache and PHP
2. php Basics, terms and terminology
3. Default Syntax
- Styles of PHP Tags
- Comments in PHP
- Output functions in PHP
- Datatypes in PHP
- Configuration Settings
- Error Types
4. php Variables
- Variable Declarations
- Variable Scope
- PHP's Superglobal Variables
- Variables
5. php Consants
- Magic Constants
- Standard Pre-defined Constants
- Core Pre-defined Languages
- User-defined Constants
6. Control Structures
- Execution Control Statements
- Conditional Statements
- Looping Statements with Real-time Examples
7. Functions
- Creating Functions
- Passing Arguments by Value and Reference
- Recursive Functions
8. Arrays
- What is an Array?
- How to create an Array
- Traversing Arrays
- Array Functions
9. Include Functions
- Include, Include_once
- Require, Require_once
10. Regular Expressions
- Validating text boxes,emails,phone number,etc
- Creating custom regular expressions
11. php Object-Oriented Programming
- Classes, Objects, Fields, Properties, _set(), Constants, Methods
- Encapsulation
- Inheritance, types
- Polymorphism
- Constructors, Destructors
- Static Class Members, Keyword Instances, Helper Functions
- Object Cloning and Copy
- Reflections
12. php and MySQL
- What is MySQL
- Integration with MySQL
- MySQL functions
- Gmail Data Grid options
- SQL Injection
- Uploading and downloading images in Database
- Registration and Login forms with validations
- Paging, Sorting
13. Strings and Regular Expressions
- Declarations styles of String Variables
- Heredoc style
- String Functions
- Regular Expression Syntax POSIX)
- PHP's Regular Expression Functions (POSIX Extended)
14. Working with the Files and Operating System
- File Functions
- Open, Create and Delete files
- Create Directories and Manipulate them
- Information about Hard Disk
- Directory Functions
- Calculating File, Directory and Disk Sizes
15. Error and Exception Handling
- Error Logging
- Configuration Directives
- PHP's Exception Class
- Throw New Exception
- Custom Exceptions
16. Date and Time Functions
17. Authentication
- HTTP Authentication
- PHP Authentication
- Authentication Methodologies
18. Cookies
- Why Cookies
- Types of Cookies
- How to Create and Access Cookies
19. Sessions
- Session Variables
- Creating and Destroying a Session
- Retrieving and Setting the Session ID
- Encoding and Decoding Session Data
- Auto-Login
- Recently Viewed Document Index
20. Web Services
- Why Web Services
- RSS Syntax
- How to Access Web Services
21. XML Integration
- What is XML
- Create an XML file from PHP with Database records
- Reading Information from XML File
22. MySQL Concepts
- Introduction
- Storage Engines
- Functions
- Operators
- Constraints
- DDL commands
- DML Commands
- DCL Command
- TCL Commands
- Views
- Joins
- Cursors
- Indexing
- Stored Procedures
- Mysql with PHP Programming
- Mysql with Sqlserver(Optional)
23. Protocols, HTTP communications, files,
- Protocols
- HTTP Headers and types
- Sending Mails using PHP
- Email with Attachment
- File Uploading and Downloading using Headers
- Implementing Chating Applications using php and Ajax
- SMS Gateways and sending SMS to Mobiles
- Payments gateways and How to Integrate them
24. php and MySQL with different web technologies
- MVC Architecture
- Drupal
- Joomla
- Wordpress
- Ajax
- Css
- Jquery
- Plugins
Refund Policy
- All Sales and purchase of tickets is final. There are no Refunds issued.
- If a class is rescheduled/cancelled by the organizer, students who have made the payment and registered for the class will be offered a credit towards any future course.


text:
VASS, N.C. - The King College men's golf team finished the first round of the St. Andrews Presbyterian College Spring Invitational in second with a Tornado in second individually while the Lady Tornado owns fourth Monday.
Josh Bamberger (Waterloo, Canada) fired a two-over-par 74 Monday to lead King's charge and own second by himself. He starts Tuesday's final round five shots behind Belmont Abbey (N.C.) College's Peter Tarver Jones.
King got a 76 from Richard Powell (Hixson, Tenn.) which has him fifth. Nick Carden (Hixson, Tenn.) used a 77 to share sixth while Tommy Ricker (Parrottsville, Tenn.) posted an 81.
The Tornado's team score of 308 has the squad a shot behind Belmont Abbey. Host St. Andrews was third with a 316 on the Par-72, 6,954-yard layout at the Woodlake Resort.
On the women's side Kirby Jones (Franklin, Tenn.) and Karissa King (Rockwood, Tenn.) both shot 96 in the opening round to share 12th. Malorie McBride (Brentwood, Tenn.) added a 98 with a 103 from Chelsea Gammon (Blountville, Tenn.).
King's 393 was good enough for fourth. Erskine (S.C.) College owns the team lead with a 350 which included a 79 from Janna Bontreger, the low round of the day.
The women played the Par-72 course at 5,943 yards. Limestone (S.C.) College's Ansley Smith was


text:
Muslim Population of Indonesia
President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Indonesia Nov. 9-10 as part of a 10-day trip to Asia. A new Pew Forum graphic shows that Indonesia is the country with the world's largest Muslim population (205 million).
Religion in the 2010 Elections: A Preliminary Look
A Pew Forum analysis of National Election Pool exit poll data reported by CNN shows that Republican gains among religious groups parallel the party's broad-based gains among the overall electorate and white voters in particular.
Hispanic Protestants Closely Divided Heading Into 2010 Elections; Hispanic Catholics Favor Democrats
Muslim Networks and Movements in Western Europe
Event Transcript: Muslim Networks and Movements in Western Europe
George Mason University Professor Peter Mandaville, Dilwar Hussain of the Islamic Foundation, and Maha Azzam of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House discussed key findings of a Pew Forum study containing profiles of some of the oldest, largest and most influential Muslim groups – from the Muslim Brotherhood to mystical Sufi orders and networks of religious scholars.


text:
On the evening of March 6, 1865, the Patent Office building was the site of President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural ball. This was the first time that a government building was used for such an occasion. The poet Walt Whitman called it "the noblest of Washington buildings."1 With the Civil War nearing its conclusion, the ball was a moment of euphoria amidst the tribulations of a horrible and exhausting war. Lincoln's triumphant re-election was celebrated in style and no expense was spared.
Begun in 1836 and completed in 1868, the Old Patent Office building served many purposes throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, mostly as offices for various federal agencies. In the 1950s, the building was scheduled for demolition, but the Patent Office was saved from the wrecking ball in 1955, and Congress gave it to the Smithsonian Institution three years later. Considered one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States, it became a National Historic Landmark in 1965. After an extensive renovation (1964-1968), the building opened to the public as Smithsonian museums in January 1968. It is now home to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery.
1 Walt Whitman, "The Great Army of the Sick," The New York Times, February 23, 1863.
About This Lesson
Getting Started: Inquiry Question
Setting the Stage: Historical ContextLocating the Site: Maps
Determining the Facts: Readings
Visual Evidence: Images
Putting It All Together: Activities
How the National Register
This lesson is based on the Old Patent Office Building in Washington, DC. It is among the thousands of properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places.


text:
A group of 12 people, all of whom use Apple devices, are seeking damages from the internet giant after claiming that their browsing habits were secretly tracked.
It is thought the case, being brought against Google by law firm Olswang on behalf of the internet users, is the first of its kind in the UK.
They say that cookies, small tracking files, were installed by Google on the Apple computers and mobile devices of those using the Safari internet browser without their knowledge.
Cookies are used by advertisers, and owners of other websites, to target advertising based on an individual's internet use. One example given by Olswang is that a person carrying out an internet search for an engagement ring could find that their partner, when using the same device, later encounters adverts for rings when browsing online.
Claimants thought that cookies would be blocked because of assurances given by Google in the time their devices were allegedly affected, from summer 2011 to spring 2012, and also because of Safari's default settings.
Dan Tench, a partner at Olswang, said: "Google has a responsibility to consumers and should be accountable for the trust placed in them.
"We hope that they will take this opportunity to give Safari users a proper explanation about what happened, to apologise and, where appropriate, compensate the victims of their intrusion."
Judith Vidal-Hall, former editor of magazine Index on Censorship, has issued proceedings against Google after claiming they had covertly tracked her use of the internet.
The 74-year-old said: "Google claims it does not collect personal data but doesn't say who decides what information is 'personal'.
"Whether something is private or not should be up to the internet surfer, not Google. We are best placed to decide, not them."
A campaigning group, called Safari Users Against Google's Secret Tracking, has been set up on Facebook and Olswang believes it could prompt others to come forward to take action. It is estimated there were 10 million users of Apple products in the UK at the relevant time.
Google was fined $22.5m (£14.2m) in the US in late 2012 for using tracking cookies on Safari.
Mr Tench described the matter as being "concerning", especially because of the size of the company involved.
He said: "One of the things about this case is the ubiquity of Google. It is ever-present in our lives.
"The fact that they are the ones who have acted in this way is a matter of concern."
He said claimants were entitled to an explanation about what had happened and how their personal information was used.
A Google spokesman said they were unable to comment.
Nick Pickles, director of civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: "This episode was no accident.
"Google tracked people when they had explicitly said they did not want to be tracked, so it's no surprise to see consumers who believe their privacy had been steamrollered by corporate greed seeking redress through the courts.
"This case could set a hugely important legal precedent and help consumers defend their privacy against profit-led decisions to ignore people's rights."


text:
Select a Location
LoginOpens in new window
* Required
An email has been sent to you. Please check your spam/junk folder if you are unable to find the email.
Due to some internal error, the mail has not been sent.
View our Privacy Notice
Comfort series heat pumps are designed simply to be reliable, efficient and affordable. As a heat pump they give you the benefit of summer cooling along with cooler season heating. This very affordable Comfort series model offers efficiency high enough to be ENERGY STAR® qualified.
Be sure to pair this outdoor model with the right, SEER-boosting indoor furnace or air handler to gain the most efficiency.
1 Quietest size within each model group during most common cooling operating condition.
2 To the original owner, when product is used in a residence, a 10-year parts limited warranty upon timely registration of your new equipment. Warranty period is 5 years if not registered within 90 days. Jurisdictions where warranty benefits cannot be conditioned on registration will automatically receive a 10-year parts limited warranty. See warranty certificate for complete details.
3 Ask your Carrier® dealer for details.
1 Proper sizing and installation of equipment is critical to achieve optimal performance. Split system air conditioners and heat pumps must be matched with appropriate coil components to meet ENERGY STAR criteria. Ask your contractor for details or visit www.energystar.gov..
2 Quietest size within each model group during most common operating condition.
{{ (((page*pageSize)+1) > reviewDetails.reviewCount) ? reviewDetails.reviewCount : ((page*pageSize)+1) }}-{{ ((page+1)*pageSize > reviewDetails.reviewCount) ? reviewDetails.reviewCount : (page+1)*pageSize }} of {{reviewDetails.reviewCount}} Reviews
Recommends this Product
California residents please see Proposition 65.


text:
Click BUY IT NOW button to Purchase!
Now Available as Men, Women, Unisex of T-shirt, Long Sleeve T-shirt, Ladies V-Neck, Hoodie, Classic and Premium Fitted T-shirt and Sweatshirt.
T-Shirt DescriptionHow to purchase
Make your friends Jealous. Every Item is made to order. Best birthday gifts, funny and perfect christmas gift ideas.
Step-by-step to purchase this T-Shirt:
- Click on green button BUY IT NOW.
- Select color and style and size
- Place order or next step
- Choose your payment method
- Fill out information
Tip: Share it with your friends, order together and save shipping fee.
Get yours Indian Wolf now!
If you want more awesome tees, you can use the SEARCH BOX and find your favorite


text:
Stamford, CT Food for Thought:
Consumers are continuing to make convenience a priority in the kitchen, but they are not willing to sacrifice quality to achieve quick results.
"Fresh" matters to Americans, with 55 percent of consumers saying it's important for food to be fresh, according to The NPD Group's 19th Annual Report on Eating Patterns in America.
"Consumers are looking for ways to reduce the quantity of processed foods they consume," says Mary Rodgers, Director of Marketing Communications for Cuisinart. "Yet at the same time, they want to simplify their lives in the kitchen. Cuisinart's SmartPower Duet™ addresses this focus on simplification while allowing home chefs to be creative with fresh ingredients."
What do consumers look for in combination kitchen appliances?
The Cuisinart SmartPower Premier Duet™ (CBT-500FP) combines the best features of Cuisinart's 600-Watt SmartPower Blender with the company's hallmark food processor technology. To convert from one product to the next, consumers simply remove the top of the appliance; the base remains the same. Versatility is the keystone of this product, delivering twice the performance options in half the counter space.
As a blender, consumers reap the benefits of one of Cuisinart's top selling models. The 600-watt SmartPower Premier Duet™ packs enough power to crush ice at any speed and handles a variety of culinary tasks such as blending, whipping and puréeing. As a food processor, consumers simply remove the blender jar and replace it with Cuisinart's 3-cup work bowl. The workbowl has a convenient handle for easy maneuverability and the workbowl cover has a feed tube which allows for the addition of ingredients without interrupting processing. The food processor comes with Cusinart's signature chopping blade and slicing/shredding disc. Home chefs will appreciate the ease of handling food preparation tasks such as chopping nuts, mincing onions and shredding cheese.
The blender jar has a generous 50-ounce capacity for ease of use when entertaining. A convenient pulse feature ensures that delicate ingredients are not over-processed. The blender also has a handy Count-up timer with a continuous beep after five minutes of blending time, so that recipes can be prepared with accuracy and consistently. The 3-cup capacity of the food processor is large enough to handle a ½ lb of meat or cheese, as well as other ingredients.
Cast metal and stainless housing are embossed with the Cuisinart logo and reflect today's most popular design trends.
Other benefits:
The SmartPower Premier Duet™ also comes with a recipe book that includes more than 38 recipes.
Just the Facts:
Suggested Retail Price: $194
Availability: Immediately
Warranty: Limited three-year
About Cuisinart:
Cuisinart, universally known for introducing the food processor in America, is a leader in culinary appliances, professional quality cookware, and kitchen accessories. The company, based in Stamford, Connecticut, manufactures a full range of products under the tagline, "Savor the Good Life®." These products include cookware, countertop cooking appliances, cutlery, hand blenders, hand mixers, coffeemakers, toasters and toaster ovens, as well as food processors, electric teakettles, kitchen textiles and scales. Cuisinart's website is www.cuisinart.com.


text:
Weekend Box Office: 'Thor 2' Still Number 1, But 'Best Man Holiday' Comes Out Strong
I hope you secured your shutters, Marvel fans, because Thor: The Dark World brought the thunder yet again over the past three days, besting all other box office contenders with a solid $38.5 million haul.
That's a 55.3% drop from the Disney sequel's monstrous domestic debut last weekend, which means Thor: The Dark World held up slightly better than Iron Man 3 with its 58% plunge earlier this year. What's more, thanks to another strong international turnout, Thor: The Dark World has now earned an incredible $479.8 million globally since its overseas launch just three weekends ago, easily exceeding the $449.3 million total garnered over 16 weeks by its 2011 predecessor.
There's a bigger winner this weekend
While that wasn't particularly surprising given the absence of any other new big-budget blockbuster films -- remember Lionsgate's The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will finally hit theaters this Friday -- there was another unexpected twist this weekend. Namely, that Comcast Universal's sequel The Best Man Holiday also enticed audiences to part with $30.6 million of their entertainment budgets in its own theatrical launch.
In fact, while that was "only" good enough for second place, remember The Best Man Holiday actually edged out Thor: The Dark World in Friday sales, and in the process earned a coveted "A+" CinemaScore from polled audiences.
All told, I'd even venture to say The Best Man Holiday was this weekend's true box office champ, especially considering Comcast only spent $17 million to produce the comedy, or roughly one-tenth of what Disney forked out to bring Thor: The Dark World to fruition. For further perspective, note The Best Man Holiday arrives 14 years after the original Best Man film, which itself cost Comcast around $9 million to make and earned a respectable $34.6 million in total ticket sales over 14 weeks on the big screen.
In other holdover news, CBS Films' Last Vegas held up exceptionally well in its third weekend, falling just 19.8% to earn $8.9 million. That brings its domestic-only cumulative to roughly $47 million so far -- not bad given CBS' reasonable $28 million production outlay.
Meanwhile, Relativity Media's animated Thanksgiving effort, Free Birds, fell by a quarter to $8.3 million, no doubt benefiting from its intentional holiday timing. Viacom's Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa also kept up the good work with $7.7 million in fourth-weekend U.S. sales, bringing its worldwide gross to a solid $119.2 million, or nearly eight times its paltry $15 million budget.
Finally, Warner Brothers' Gravity and Lionsgate's Ender's Game rounded out the sixth and seventh spots with $6.3 million and $6.2 million, respectively. That's great for Time Warner's enduring space thriller, which stands in its seventh weekend and has earned an awesome $514.9 million worldwide so far. It's not so encouraging for Ender's Game, however, which has only grossed $63 million in its first three weekends, far short of its $110 million budget.
I suppose the folks at Lionsgate can take some solace knowing they only financed 20% of the controversial film's total, and you can bet they're looking forward to the second installment of The Hunger Games franchise next weekend. Nonetheless, that's gotta sting given Enders Games' compelling story and loyal throng of sci-fi fans.
The battle doesn't end here
For all the focus on the big screen, its easy to forget many of these companies are also fighting to win your living room. The future of television begins now, with an all-out $2.2 trillion media war that pits cable companies like Cox, Comcast, and Time Warner against technology giants like Apple, Google, and Netflix. The Motley Fool's shocking video presentation reveals the secret Steve Jobs took to his grave, and explains why the only real winners are these three lesser-known power players that film your favorite shows. Click here to watch today!
The article Weekend Box Office: 'Thor 2' Still Number 1, But 'Best Man Holiday' Comes Out Strong originally appeared on Fool.com.Fool contributor Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of Walt Disney. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


text:
Apply Online
MSS & SSP: Click on ''Apply Online'', then pre-register on the next page (slide the cursor to unlock before submitting), after which you will receive a confirmation email. Then you should validate your pre-registration and login on the website using your email and password. This will give you access to your application form. Please read the content of each menu carefully before filling in the application forms. Click on each menu item to access details on admission requirements, tuition fees, funding and for instructions.
SHS-SP: Click HERE to apply.
ESC: Click HERE to apply.
For more information on how to apply, you can download the Admissions Brochure.


text:
Grand County community to lose only pediatric practice
WINTER PARK — Parents seeking specialist pediatric care will have to look closer to Denver or elsewhere after Grand County's only pediatric office closes June 13.
Peak Pediatrics, which has already limited its appointments to Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays in Winter Park, will close its Winter Park office permanently due to a dearth of nurse practitioners, said Dr. Brian Gablehouse, one of the practice's physicians.
"It's hard to stay open when there is nobody there to work," he said.
The practice, which has served the Grand County community for longer than nine years, still operates offices in Wheat Ridge and Thornton.
The Winter Park closing will affect more than 1,000 patients and their families, Gablehouse said. Records for patients will be held indefinitely.
Though parents may no longer have an option for pediatric care in Grand County, there are alternatives like family practitioners, said Jen Fanning, Grand County Rural Health Network executive director.
"All of the family practice doctors are confident they can handle this closure and take over those kids," Fanning said.
Dr. Jeffrey Lipke of Ten Mile Family Medicine in Granby said he already sees several children as their primary physician.
"Family medicine is a specialty training just like pediatrics is," Lipke said. "There are exceptionally few disease processes that a family physician would not feel comfortable treating."
Lipke said he felt t the scope of training that family practitioners have is advantageous when caring for an entire family, children included. When needed, they can always defer to a subspecialist, he said.
However, Gablehouse cautioned that some children with special medical needs may have trouble finding the care they need locally.
"Certainly for the kids with more serious chronic illnesses and mental health needs, I think it's going to be difficult to address all of those things in Grand County," Gablehouse said. "Not impossible, but difficult."
Meanwhile, Fanning said, the community would continue searching for other pediatricians.
"We are looking at recruiting pediatricians as a community, so hopefully that's on the horizon sooner rather than later," she said.
See accompanying story: "Grand County patients bid farewell to several health care professionals"
Hank Shell can be reached at 970-887-3334 ext. 19610
Start a dialogue, stay on topic and be civil.
If you don't follow the rules, your comment may be deleted.