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To assess the efficacy and safety of sodium oxybate (SXB) in narcolepsy-cataplexy patients.
Systematic review and meta-analysis.
Adults with narcolepsy-cataplexy.
Electronic databases (e.g., MEDLINE) and references of included studies were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the efficacy and safety of SXB for patients with narcolepsy-cataplexy. Risk of bias was appraised using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Meta-analysis was conducted in Review Manager Version 5.
Six RCTs and 5 companion reports were included after screening 14 full-text articles and 483 citations. All were private-industry funded. SXB (usually 9 g/night) was superior to placebo for reducing mean weekly cataplexy attacks (n = 2 RCTs, mean difference [MD]: −8.5, 95% CI: −15.3, −1.6), increasing maintenance wakefulness test (MWT) (n = 2, MD: 5.18, 95% CI: 2.59-7.78), reducing sleep attacks (n = 2, MD: −9.65, 95% CI: −17.72, −1.59), and increasing Clinical Global Impression scores (n = 3, relative risk, RR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.77-3.32). SXB did not significantly increase REM sleep versus placebo (n = 2, MD: −0.49, 95% CI: −3.90, 2.92). Patients receiving SXB had statistically more adverse events versus placebo, including nausea (n = 3, relative risk [RR]: 7.74, 95% CI: 3.2, 19.2), vomiting (n = 2, RR: 11.8, 95% CI: 1.6, 89.4), and dizziness (n = 3, RR: 4.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 16.4). Enuresis was not significantly different from placebo (n = 2, RR: 2.6, 95% CI: 0.8, 9.8). All meta-analyses had minimal statistical heterogeneity (p-value > 0.1).
Narcolepsy patients on SXB have significant reductions in cataplexy and daytime sleepiness. SXB is well tolerated in patients with narcolepsy, and most adverse events were mild to moderate in severity.
Alshaikh MK; Tricco AC; Tashkandi M; Mamdani M; Straus SE; BaHammam AS. Sodium oxybate for narcolepsy with cataplexy: systematic review and meta-analysis. J Clin Sleep Med 2012;8(4):451-458.
Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleeping (EDS) associated with irresistible attacks of sleep, sudden loss of muscle tone (cataplexy), disrupted nocturnal sleep, hypnagogic/hypnopompic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.1 Cataplexy is specific to narcolepsy and is the most accurate diagnostic marker of the disease. It is characterized by a sudden, usually bilateral, partial or complete loss of muscle tone that is provoked by emotional stimuli. Studies have shown that 65% to 75% of patients with narcolepsy have cataplexy.2,3 The prevalence of narcolepsy with cataplexy is approximately 25 to 50 per 100,000 people, with an incidence of approximately 0.74 per 100,000 person-years.2,3 It is often extremely incapacitating, interfering with every aspect of life, including work and social settings.1,4,5
Currently there is no cure for narcolepsy, with treatment focusing on symptom control. Pharmacological management of EDS commonly involves medications that increase wakefulness, including non-sympathomimetic stimulants, (e.g., modafinil) and sympathomimetic stimulants (e.g., amphetamine, methamphetamine, dexamphetamine, and methylphenidate. Several drugs have been used to treat cataplexy, such as tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors; however, none of these medications are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for cataplexy treatment.
SXB was recently approved by the FDA to treat patients diagnosed with narcolepsy and symptoms of cataplexy. It is currently authorized by the European Medicines Agency to treat narcolepsy with cataplexy as a whole disease in adults, and by the FDA to treat cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy, with an "expanded indication" for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness.6 It is the sodium salt of γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), an endogenous cerebral inhibitory neurotransmitter.7 Its mode of action is uncertain, but it may involve stimulation of γ-aminobutyric acid B (GABA [B]) receptors.8,9 SXB is rapidly absorbed and eliminated, having a mean elimination half-life of 30-60 minutes.10 Strict regulations have been established with regard to the prescription and dispensing of the drug and patients usually receive extensive education on its use.
In this article, we aimed to systemically review the efficacy and safety of SXB on EDS, cataplexy, quality of life, and the associated side effects among people with narcolepsy and cataplexy through a systematic review and meta-analysis.
The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) Statement was used to guide the reporting of this review.11
The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of participants with narcolepsy and cataplexy, which examined the use of SXB. We did not limit inclusion by comparator, language, publication status (i.e., unpublished reports could be included), or year of publication. When multiple study publications reported data from the same population (i.e., companion reports), the trial reporting the primary outcome of interest was considered the major publication and the other report(s) was used for supplementary data.
The primary outcome was elimination of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) according to subjective or objective indicators. Objective laboratory tests included the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT), which is a validated objective measure of the ability or tendency to fall asleep.12,13 In addition, it allows documentation of sleep onset rapid eye movement sleep (SOREM). Another objective laboratory test is the maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT), which is a validated objective measure of the ability to stay awake for a defined time that measures the mean time latency of falling asleep during 4 to 5 sessions of trying to stay awake.12 Subjective validated scales included the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), which is a specialized, validated sleep questionnaire containing 8 items that ask for self-reported disclosure of the expectation of dozing in a variety of situations. Scores ≥ 10 indicate an abnormal result.14 The subjective outcome of elimination of cataplexy or reduction of the symptoms by > 50% from patient diaries was also included.
Secondary outcomes included quality of life using the short-form (SF-36) scale, Clinical Global Impression of change (CGI-C), and harms, including the type of adverse event and number of adverse events per treatment group.
Medical Subject Headings and text words related to SXB for narcolepsy with cataplexy were used to search MEDLINE (OVID interface, 1950 to October 2010), EMBASE (OVID interface, 1980 to October 2010), CINAHL (EBSCOhost interface, 1997 to October 2010), PsycInfo (Scholar's Portal interface, 1806 to October 2010), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Wiley interface, inception to October 2010). To supplement the search, we searched a clinical trial registry (www.clinicaltrials.gov), scanned the reference lists of included studies, searched the authors' personal files, and contacted narcolepsy experts via email to identify further studies to be included, as well as the manufacturer of SXB (Jazz Pharmaceuticals).
An experienced information specialist conducted all of the literature searches. The search strategy for the main electronic search (MEDLINE) is presented in the appendix; details on the other searches are available from the authors on request.
To ensure reliability, a training exercise was conducted prior to commencing the screening process. Two independent reviewers screened the search results for inclusion using a pre-defined relevance criteria form and obtained the full text of potentially relevant articles and screened them to determine inclusion, independently. Discrepancies at any stage were resolved by discussion or the involvement of a third reviewer. The level of agreement during screening was assessed using a κ statistic.15 We determined a priori that an acceptable level of agreement would be > 60%.15
A draft data extraction form was developed, piloted, and modified as necessary. Two reviewers assessed study quality and extracted all of the data using the standardized data extraction form, independently. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion or the involvement of a third reviewer.
The extracted data included study characteristics (e.g., study period, sample size, geographic location, setting), participant characteristics (e.g., population, narcolepsy diagnosis, mean age, gender), and results from the primary and secondary outcomes.
The risk of bias in individual studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool.16 This tool consists of 6 items pertaining to sequence generation, allocation concealment, blinding, incomplete outcome data, selective outcome reporting, and other sources of bias. The risk of bias across studies was assessed using the outcome reporting bias criterion from the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Publication bias was to be assessed using funnel plots,17 but there were too few studies included in each meta-analysis to assess publication bias sufficiently.
The summary measures were the relative risk (RR) and the mean difference (MD).
The studies were plotted in a forest plot to examine heterogeneity visually. Statistical heterogeneity was examined using the I2 and χ2 statistics.18 Pooled estimates were derived using a random-effects model, and 95% CIs were derived based on a normal distribution.19 All analyses were conducted in Review Manager Version 5 (The Cochrane Collaboration, available from http://ims.cochrane.org/revman/download).
The literature search resulted in a total of 483 citations (i.e., titles and abstracts; Figure 1). We excluded 469 of these because they were not RCTs (n = 373), they did not include patients with narcolepsy and cataplexy (n = 82), or they did not examine the effects of SXB (n = 14). Fourteen full-text articles were retrieved and examined for relevance, and 6 RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria,20–25 along with 5 companion reports (Figure 1).25–28 Two articles were excluded at the full-text level of screening because they were not RCTs,29,30 and one study was excluded because it did not report any relevant outcomes.31 There was excellent agreement between reviewers at level 1 screening (κ = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.81 to 1.03), and lower agreement at level 2 screening, due to the small number of studies included at this level (κ = 0.46, 95% CI: −0.08 to 1.00).
Study flow
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Except for 2 studies,24,25 all studies were published after 2002 (Table 1). Most of the studies were conducted in clinics in the USA, Canada, and Europe. Duration of the RCTs ranged from 4-8 weeks, except for one study25 that lasted for 12 weeks. SXB at a dose range between 4.5 to 9 g/night was the dose examined in most of the studies.24,25
Study characteristics
The number of patients ranged from 20 to 228, and the percentage of females ranged from 50% to 65% (Table 2). The diagnosis of narcolepsy was based on classical symptoms of narcolepsy and an MSLT showing ≥ 2 SOREM periods. MSLT in one study was conducted at home.24 All studies excluded patients with other sleep disorders. One study that assessed the effect of SXB on excessive daytime sleepiness did not include cataplexy as an enrollment criterion.22 No paper analyzed all of the clinical features of narcolepsy or performed all diagnostic tests.
Patient characteristics
None of the included RCTs were assessed as having adequate sequence generation or allocation concealment (Table 3). All of the studies adequately blinded participants and addressed incomplete outcome data. Five of the 6 studies were free from selective outcome reporting.22 All of the studies scored unclear on other biases, as they involved private-industry funding. Four of the included studies were sponsored by the manufacturing company.20–23
Risk of bias results
Four studies reported cataplexy attacks,21,23,25,26 and 2 were included in the meta-analysis (Figure 2).25,26 The 2 other studies could not be included in the meta-analysis because the standard error was not reported and these data could not be obtained from the SXB manufacturer.21,23 The first study25 comprised 20 subjects, and the other study26 included 104 subjects. Compared with placebo, cataplexy attacks were statistically significantly decreased with 4.5 g/night of SXB (pooled results: MD: −8.5, 95% CI: −15.3 to −1.6). No statistical heterogeneity was observed, with an I2 of 0% and a χ2 p-value of 0.36 on the test.
Mean weekly cataplexy attacks meta-analysis
Two studies reported the benefit of SXB on excessive daytime sleepiness which was measured by MWT and both were included in the meta-analysis (n = 101 and 91 subjects; Figure 3).20,22 At a dose of 9 g/night, SXB increased sleep latency significantly in the MWT compared to placebo (pooled results: MD: 5.18, 95% confidence interval, CI: 2.59-7.78). No statistical heterogeneity was observed, with an I2 of 0% (χ2 p-value = 0.69). The above 2 studies used different protocols for the MWT. While the Xyrem International Study group used the 40-min version of the protocol,32 Black and Houghton used the 20-min version of the protocol.22 Theoretically, this may influence the sleep latencies obtained, particularly in patients who do not fall asleep very fast.
Maintenance of wakefulness test meta-analysis
One of the included trials examined combination therapy trial of SXB and modafinil.22 The mean MWT values were statistically different in the SXB monotherapy and modafinil monotherapy and combination therapy (SXB + modafinil) compared to placebo.22 The median ESS scores decreased significantly in a dose-related manner in the international trial in patients receiving SXB (4.5 g, 6 g, and 9 g/night) compared to placebo.20
Black and Houghton (combination-therapy trial) reported a significant reduction by 20% and 27% in the median ESS scores in the SXB monotherapy and SXB + modafinil combined therapy recipients, respectively.22 On the other hand, the ESS scores did not change significantly in the placebo or modafinil monotherapy recipients.22 However, we could not conduct a meta-analysis on the ESS score because the standard error was not reported, and these data could not be obtained from the SXB manufacturer.
Two studies reported the number of weekly sleep attacks and both were included in the meta-analysis with a total of 105 and 98 participants (Figure 4).20,22 Sleep attacks were statistically significantly decreased with 9 g/night of SXB compared to placebo (pooled results: mean difference, MD: −9.65, 95% confidence interval, CI: −17.72, −1.59); low heterogeneity was observed, with an I2 of 13% (χ2 p-value = 0.28).
Mean sleep attacks meta-analysis
Three studies reported the Clinical Global Impression of severity and Change (CGI) of "very much improved" and all were included in the meta-analysis (n = 106, 69, and 105; Figure 5).20,22,23 CGI scores significantly increased with 9 g/night of SXB (pooled results: mean difference, MD: 2.42, 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.77-3.32). No statistical heterogeneity was observed, with an I2 of 0% and a p-value of 0.7 on the χ2 test. In the combination-therapy trial "very much improved" was seen only in the arms SXB monotherapy and the combination therapy (SXB + modafinil), while the modafinil monotherapy arm did not differ from that in the placebo arm.22
Proportion of patients "much improved" or "very much improved" on the Clinical Global Impression of Change versus all other categories meta-analysis
Two studies reported the percentage of REM sleep before and after SXB and were included in the meta-analysis with a sample size of 22 subjects24 and 20 subjects,25 but there were no significant differences between groups (pooled results: MD −0.49, 95% confidence interval, CI: −3.90, 2.92; Figure 6). No statistical heterogeneity was observed, with an I2 of 0% (χ2 p-value = 0.37).
Polysomnographic data for nocturnal sleep meta-analysis (REM)
All harms meta-analyses included SXB at 9 g/night versus placebo. Patients receiving SXB had statistically more adverse events versus placebo, including nausea (3 studies, relative risk [RR]: 7.74, 95% CI: 3.2, 19.2; Figure 7), vomiting (2 studies, RR: 11.8, 95% CI: 1.6, 89.4; Figure 8), and dizziness (3 studies, RR: 4.3, 95% CI: 1.1, 16.4; Figure 9). Enuresis was not significantly different from placebo (2 studies, RR: 2.6, 95% CI: 0.8, 9.8; Figure 10), yet there was a trend towards favoring placebo versus SXB. In the US Xyrem study, 10 patients (7.4%) withdrew because of adverse events.23 Side effects were significantly more common in the SXB recipients compared to placebo and included nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and urinary incontinence.23 In the international Xyrem trial, 21 (9.2%) patients withdrew due to adverse events; however, in that trial, there was no difference in the incidence of urinary incontinence between SXB and placebo recipients.32 In the combination therapy trial, adverse events were reported in 70% of placebo, 54% of modafinil monotherapy, 60% of SXB monotherapy, and 79% of SXB + modafinil combination therapy.22 In this latter trial 1, 2, 4, and 6 patients withdrew from the placebo, modafinil monotherapy, SXB monotherapy, and SXB + modafinil combination therapy, respectively, due to adverse events.22 Serious side effects were reported infrequently. Acute confusion was reported in one patient in the US trial at a dose of SXB 6 g/night.23 In the combination therapy trial, one patient developed a serious psychotic disorder related to narcissistic personality disorder.22
Adverse events: gastrointestinal/nausea
Adverse events: vomiting
Adverse events: dizziness
Adverse events: enuresis
This systematic review assessed the efficacy and safety of SXB in narcolepsy patients and included six randomized controlled trials. All patients were diagnosed as having narcolepsy based on established criteria. This is the first meta-analysis that we are aware of to assess the effect of SXB in narcolepsy patients. Due to the short follow-up (2 to 12 weeks), we were unable to investigate long-term efficacy and harms.
We found that SXB in all trials resulted in significant reduction in cataplexy attacks and EDS. SXB reduced the frequency of cataplexy in a dose-related manner compared to placebo. Two studies have demonstrated beneficial effects on cataplexy attacks even with a smaller dose of SXB (4.5 g/night).20,25 EDS was reduced and sleep latency increased when evaluated by MWT in the SXB arm compared to placebo. The improvement was dose-related; however, the benefits documented in the MWT were statistically significant only in the higher dose (9 g/night). The improvement in the EDS appeared after 8 weeks of treatment.22,26 Although SXB reduces the frequency of sleep attacks, it did not eliminate them completely. Surprisingly, in the study by Black and Houghton, modafinil monotherapy had no significant effect on sleep latency in the MWT and or on the ESS scores.22 These results contradict previous studies, which demonstrated that modafinil in comparison with placebo results in significant improvement in daytime sleepiness when assessed by ESS, MSLT, and MWT.33
In a recent report, four patients with narcolepsy treated with sodium oxybate were followed for approximately 2 years.34 The beneficial effect on cataplexy and daytime sleepiness persisted during the follow-up period.34
The Clinical Global Impression of Change (CGI) scores, which are commonly used measures of symptom severity, treatment response, and the efficacy of treatments were dichotomized to responders as "very much improved" or "much improved." "Much improved" and "very much improved" were statistically significant in all the doses (4.5, 6, and 9 g/night) compared to placebo.20 It was interesting to note that in the combination-therapy trial, "very much improved" was seen only in the arms SXB monotherapy and the combination therapy (SXB + modafinil) versus modafinil alone.22
Only one study examined quality of life indicators.27 Improved quality of life was observed for SXB at 9 g/night versus placebo in all subscales of the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire, except for intimacy and sexual relationships. A statistically significant and clinically relevant result was found for SXB at 9 g/night versus placebo.
Sleep is frequently disturbed in patients with narcolepsy. Polysomnographic studies have documented several changes in patients with narcolepsy including prolonged awakening after sleep onset, increased stage N1, increased stage shift, and reduced stage N3.35 Several studies have shown that nightly SXB improves subjective and objective measures of nocturnal sleep and sleep architecture, with robust increases in stage N3 and delta power.24,25,28,34,36–41 Two recent randomized trials have shown that SXB resulted in significant dose-related improvements in slow wave sleep, total sleep time, and a decrease in stage N1, wake after sleep onset, and nighttime awakenings.28,41
SXB is generally well tolerated, with mild-to-moderate side effects that are dose-related. There is a concern about a narrow margin between efficacy and toxicity of SXB.42 In general, the incidence of side effects increases with dose, and most side effects subside upon reducing the dose.
Long-term follow-up data on adverse events are limited. A 12-month extension study reported adverse events in 93% of patients, including dizziness, headache, nausea, urinary incontinence, viral infection, somnolence, and pain.21 Dizziness was the only adverse event that was statistically more common in the SXB group.21
All of the trials included in this systematic review excluded patients with sleep disordered breathing (SDB). Therefore, caution is advised when treating narcoleptics with concurrent SDB, and physicians should confirm that patients with concurrent obstructive sleep apnea are compliant with positive airway pressure therapy before starting SXB.
We identified two review articles assessing the efficacy and tolerability of SXB in patients with narcolepsy. The authors did not conduct a systematic literature search or meta-analysis and included fewer trials than we do here. The findings of both reviews were consistent with the findings of this systematic review.10,42 Both reported improvement in cataplexy and daytime sleepiness and good tolerability of SXB. Evidence-based practice parameters of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for the treatment of narcolepsy and other hypersomnias of central origin considered SXB as an acceptable patient-care strategy that reflects a high degree of clinical certainty for cataplexy, daytime sleepiness, and disrupted sleep due to narcolepsy; our review supports this recommendation.43 For the treatment of hypnagogic hallucination and sleep paralysis, they considered the evidence as uncertain.
There are a number of limitations of this report. One limitation is the fact that the included studies have a relatively short follow-up period. Nevertheless, the effect of SXB in the assessed outcomes was obvious during the follow-up periods. Another limitation is the small sample sizes of the included trials. Limitations in the systematic review process include that it was limited to the English language; no unpublished trials were identified (although we did contact trial authors and searched for unpublished material), we could not obtain data for all the outcomes from the SXB manufacturer, and we were unable to formally assess for publication bias because too few trials were included in the meta-analyses.
On the basis of this review, it can be concluded that patients with narcolepsy on SXB have a significant reduction in cataplexy based on diaries and significant improvement in daytime sleepiness based on objective (MWT) and validated subjective (ESS) assessment methods. Reviewed data suggest that SXB is well tolerated in patients with narcolepsy, and most adverse events were mild to moderate in severity. The study raises further questions that need to be explored in the future including; the long-term efficacy and tolerability of SXB, the effect of SXB in patients with concurrent sleep disordered breathing, and the effect of different dosages on patients with milder form of narcolepsy.
This was not an industry supported study. The authors have indicated no financial conflicts of interest.
The authors thank Laure Perrier for the literature searches and Kevin Thorpe along with Maggie Hong Chen for their statistical analysis consultation and the University Sleep Disorders Center, King Saud University for logistic support. This review was conducted as part of a systematic review course taught Drs. Tricco and Straus through the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael's Hospital. This systematic review was funded, in part, by the National Plan for Science and Technology, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology at King Saud University.
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Mamelak M, Black J, Montplaisir J, Ristanovic R, authors. A pilot study on the effects of sodium oxybate on sleep architecture and daytime alertness in narcolepsy. Sleep. 2004;27:1327–34. [PubMed]
Black J, Pardi D, Hornfeldt CS, Inhaber N, authors. The nightly use of sodium oxybate is associated with a reduction in nocturnal sleep disruption: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with narcolepsy. J Clin Sleep Med. 2010;6:596–602. [PubMed Central][PubMed]
Robinson DM, Keating GM, authors. Sodium oxybate: a review of its use in the management of narcolepsy. CNS Drugs. 2007;21:337–54. [PubMed]
Morgenthaler TI, Kapur VK, Brown T, et al., authors. Practice parameters for the treatment of narcolepsy and other hypersomnias of central origin. Sleep. 2007;30:1705–11. [PubMed Central][PubMed]


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Statewatch article: RefNo# 32558
EU: Europe's justice and interior ministers push for closer relations between internal security authorities and industry
Statewatch News Online, July 2013
The Council of the European Union is hoping to strengthen the involvement of Europe's internal security agencies in "security-related research and industrial policy", calling on Member States' authorities to provide more support for the European Network of Law Enforcement Technology Services (ENLETS), a working group that last year agreed on a series of "priority areas" that include drones, covert surveillance, remote vehicle stopping and non-lethal weapons.
A set of conclusions on the issue was published on 10 July, following agreement at the early June meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council, which is made up of Member States' Justice and Interior ministers. [1] The conclusions include concrete proposals for developing closer relations between internal security authorities, industry, and research institutes, although they are not legally binding on Member States.
ENLETS, the body that will be given the job of developing closer relations between internal security authorities and industry, was established in February 2008. More than four years later, at a meeting in Cyprus in September 2012, the group - made up of representatives of police forces' science and technology departments from across Europe - agreed upon seven "priority areas" for further work:
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) Systems, led by Cyprus;
UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle or drone, led by the Netherlands);
OSINT (Open Source Intelligence, such as that from newspapers or websites, led by Romania);
Covert listening, in which Poland, the UK and the Netherlands (leader of the group) will exchange info and join an unspecific "running project";
ISINT (Instrumentation Signals Intelligence, a subset of SIGINT or Signals Intelligence, led by Romania);
Remote vehicle stopping, led by the UK;
"Protective vest/materials and non-lethal weapons", led by France. [2]
There is no reference in the conclusions to fundamental and human rights, civil liberties, data protection or privacy. There is one mention of "better integrating the societal dimension", a term used within the EU institutions to refer to the social and ethical issues raised by security research.
Nevertheless, the Council clearly indicates that drones, riot gear, eavesdropping equipment and other "adequate technologies" will be given increased attention in the years to come:
"ENLETS if properly supported could further enhance proper coordination between Member States to public procurement and become a leading European platform for strengthening the internal security authorities' involvement in security-related research and industrial policy and thus bridging the gap between the end users and providers of law enforcement technologies."
If the Council's conclusions have the desired effect, the ENLETS 'Core Group' will "be the EU technology watch function for internal security research and industrial policy", and the Council hopes it will undertake a number of tasks:
"Monitor closely and coordinate the development of new technologies and support a proactive involvement with research institutes and industry";
"Develop an EU overview of the internal security authorities' user needs";
"Share knowledge of best practices, innovative ideas and research projects in the Member States and Agencies";
"Assist in defining technical standards (guidelines and best practices)";
Provide advice to Member States issuing tenders for technology purchases;
Give the Commission "technical advice… in relation to relevant procurement procedures"; and
"Explore funding opportunities" - for example with the forthcoming €4.6 billion Internal Security Fund and the €80 billion Horizon 2020 "research and innovation" programme - and ensure that these are followed up by internal security authorities.
In order to carry out these tasks, the Council says that the Core Group should:
Act as "the central contact point for the Member States' law enforcement technology services" and for "close cooperation with the Commission's relevant services, in particular the Joint Research Centre", both of whom will be invited to Core Group meetings "as appropriate";
"Serve as the EU's central end users contact point for technology suppliers";
"Closely cooperate" with EU agencies such as Frontex, Europol, CEPOL, the EU Agency for Large-Scale IT Systems, all of whom should "as appropriate" be invited to participate in Core Group meetings; and
"Prepare proposals and joint initiatives for the ENLETS meeting".
The Council's conclusions also call upon the Commission to "take into account the need for a swift and flexible manner of financing the activities of the ENLETS Core Group" and to "to consider the organisation of regular meetings between the law enforcement community, the Commission Services and the technology suppliers." It should also "enhance the use of the 'pre commercial procurement' instrument" and "participate, where appropriate, in the activities of the Core Group".
Pre-Commercial Procurement is, according to the European Commission, "an approach for procuring R&D [research and development] services" through which public authorities, "acting as technologically demanding first buyers of new R&D… drive innovation from the demand side." [3] Put more simply, this means the procurement by public authorities of "goods that are on the market (or very close to it)", [4] which may or may not lead in the future to the development of wider private markets for such goods. The Commission clearly hopes that ENLETS will be able to make use of its procurement policies in beefing up the technology available to internal security authorities.
Member States, meanwhile, are called upon in the Council's conclusions to:
"Consider participation in ENLETS and nominate a National Contact Point (NCP) to the ENLETS network";
Ensure that at least five Member States "are represented at the Core Group to exercise its function";
Provide the "sufficient time and resources" for experts working on ENLETS-related projects;
"Request access for their NCPs to the Europol Platform for Experts which would serve as a platform for the dissemination of information concerning new technologies";
Ensure that there is "close coordination" between ENLETS, COSI (the Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security), the Law Enforcement Working Party and "other relevant Council bodies";
"Consider opportunities to enhance the cooperation between public authorities and the private sector"
EU agencies such as Europol, Frontex and CEPOL will also be welcome to "participate, where appropriate, in the activities of the ENLETS and in particular the security technology watch function."
While the Law Enforcement Working Party appears to have the closest links with ENLETS, COSI has also taken a clear interest. In February the group discussed the draft version of the Council's conclusions and "it was generally agreed that ENLETS should be reinforced and that the link to the scientific community should be strengthened." [5] The Lithuanian Presidency of the EU (which runs from July until December this year) outlined its priorities for COSI at the end of June, one of which is working with ENLETS. [6]
The Council clearly has hopes to advance the work of the network in the future. The conclusions state that:
"[T]he security technology watch functions for the internal security research and industrial policy could later extend its activities to fields of internal security other than law enforcement, such as civil protection, border control, or CRBN-E [Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear explosives]."
It remains to be seen whether the future work of ENLETS will be more attuned to the potential fundamental rights implications of new and emerging internal security technologies. So far they have been given little attention.
Further reading
Crystal balls: internal security authorities want "technology foresight"
, Statewatch News Online, 11 February 2013
European police step up cooperation on technological research and development
, Statewatch News Online, 26 November 2012
Eric Töpfer,
A new player in Security Research: the European Network of Law Enforcement Technology Services (ENLETS)
, Statewatch Journal, vol 21 no 2, April-June 2011
[1] General Secretariat of the Council,
Council Conclusions on strengthening the internal security authorities' involvement in security-related research and industrial policy
, 12103/13, 10 July 2013
European police step up cooperation on technological research and development
, Statewatch News Online, 26 November 2012
[3] Pre-Commercial Procurement,
[4] John Rigby,
Review of pre-commercial procurement approaches and effects on innovation
, Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, January 2013
[5] Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI),
Summary of discussions
, 6318/13, 13 February 2013
[6] Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI),
Summary of discussions
, 11265/13, 24 June 2013
© Statewatch ISSN 1756-851X
. Personal usage as private individuals/"fair dealing" is allowed. We also welcome links to material on our site. Usage by those working for organisations is allowed only if the organisation holds an appropriate licence from the relevant reprographic rights organisation (eg: Copyright Licensing Agency in the UK) with such usage being subject to the terms and conditions oof that licence and to local copyright law. Statewatch is not responsible for the content of external websites and inclusion of a link does not constitute an endorsement.

subset: commoncrawl


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Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen made their debut as cute toddlers in the TV series 'Full House' and have since then taken the fashion world by storm putting their ideas into practice under the name of various labels such as The Row and Elizabeth and James. The designer duo channelled their energy mostly into bringing high-end fashion designs to the scene, but now Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have focused on bringing more affordable fashion pieces to the fashion scene, so check out the results of their efforts by taking a glimpse at the Stylemint by... Read More


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Chainsmokers to Perform Reimagined Songs from Music Icons
The Chainsmokers duo is looking to mesh their EDM-style with some of the most popular songs from music icons such as Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears and Beyonce during a one-night only performance in July.
The Grammy Award-winning duo told The Associated Press about its plans for the Pepsi Generations Summer Music Campaign at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles on July 24. The campaign honors music icons over the decades, also including Britney Spears and Ray Charles.
Alex Pall and Drew Taggart also will perform some of their own greatest hits as The Chainsmokers, including "Roses," ''Closer" and "Don't Let Me Down."
Tickets go on sale on Wednesday.
The concert will be livestreamed through Pepsi's Twitter page .
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Out of stock
The Wizard of Oz Yellow Brick Road Swarovski Crystals Stardust Pack
Limited Edition!
Follow the yellow brick road with Dorothy, Toto, the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion. The Wizard of Oz Yellow Brick Road Swarovski® Crystals Stardust Pack features genuine, sparkling Swarovski Crystals in Topaz, Golden Shadow and Metallic Sunshine. Add this Stardust Pack to your favorite Living Locket® and capture your Wizard of Oz story.
Product Information
- 15-piece pack
- 4 Topaz, 3 Golden Shadow and 8 Metallic Sunshine Square-cut Swarovski Crystals
- Approx. Size: Sizes Vary


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There have also been many difficult personal circumstances in my life lately, though I hate using these as an excuse and I feel absolutely terrible for letting you all down. I was totally unprepared for the popularity of this little book!
Anyway, thank you for your patience. I finally figured out how to get my manual online. I hope this works! If it doesn't, please comment. I will try to get back to you asap! (for real this time - i promise!)


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NASCAR Fans in California Support Troops
American Forces Press Service
FONTANA, Calif., Sep. 5, 2006 - For the sixth time since a California teenager began her quest two and a half years ago to collect and distribute a million thank you letters to U.S. servicemembers, the "A Million Thanks" organization set up its booth at a Nextel Cup NASCAR race.
This race was the Sony HD 500 NASCAR Race at California Speedway here over Labor Day weekend. Shauna Fleming, now 17, set up A Million Thanks to collect thank you letters for troops.
The Labor Day weekend race had temperatures over 110 degrees, but hundreds of letters were collected from the thousands of race fans who attended the races.
The booth space, donated by the club that sponsors champion driver Mark Martin's No. 6 car, owned by Roush Racing, allowed Fleming's organization to collect thank you letters at the race.
Rick Lalor, Automobile Club's motorsports manager, is responsible for the A Million Thanks presence at the races. Rick is also a member of the California National Guard.
"It's great having Shauna's A Million Thanks booth with us at the races. It gives race fans a place to say thank you to our troops," Lalor said.
The A Million Thanks booth will collect letters at upcoming drag races in November. Lalor has invited Shauna to bring her booth to the NHRA Winter Nationals in Pomona. The Auto Club sponsors the race, as well as the funny car driven by champion John Force.
A Million Thanks is a member of the Defense Department's America Supports You program, which highlights corporate and grassroots support for U.S. military members and their families.
Shauna was challenged last year by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers to collect 2.6 million thank you letters and e-mails for the troops. She is only 75,000 letters from that goal, which has been nicknamed "2.6 in 2006." Fleming said she expects to reach that milestone very soon.
[Web Version: http://www.defenselink.mil/News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=701]


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Discuss the operation of Weber Spirit, Genesis, and Summit gas grills. Share Weber gas grill restoration, rebuild, and refurbishment projects.
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Best in TV: The Greatest TV Shows of Our Time with Barbara Walters is a two-hour television special that aired on ABC on September 18, 2012.
The special presented the results of a nine-category poll conducted by ABC News and People. For the "Best Non-Human Characters" category, Kermit the Frog ranked #1 while Miss Piggy made #5. ALF, Spock from Star Trek, and Lassie also made the list.
Both Kermit and Piggy were interviewed by Walters. Among the other celebrities interviewed include Carol Burnett, Tim Conway, Tina Fey, Mariska Hargitay, Florence Henderson, Ron Howard, Lorne Michaels, Rob Reiner, Ryan Seacrest, Keith Thibodeaux (a.k.a. Little Ricky from I Love Lucy) and Betty White.
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Guess what just arrived into the warehouse? Our Fall bulbs for Spring blooming, direct from Holland! Didn't think they'd make it in until later next week, but they are hear and they look perfect. The bulbs are available on Amazon or through Buy Wholesale Cheap. Make sure you get some of our Paperwhite Daffodils to […]
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Kubota F2690
Double tap to zoom
Kubota Diesel Engine
Powerful Kubota diesel engines mean faster, more efficient job performance. These F-Series engines have power to spare. Their high torque rise ensures faster, smoother recovery under sudden loading, letting you power through tall or wet grass without skipping a beat. They're also environmentally and economically friendly thanks to their compliance with the EPA's Tier IV emissions regulations, enhanced combustion efficiency, low vibration and noise levels, and reduced fuel costs.
Clean Emission
The F-Series diesel engines are built for greater power with cleaner emissions. The F3990's liquid-cooled E-TVCS (vortex combustion system) engine delivers increased power and high torque for all the tractor strength you need while lowering emissions. Its combination with the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) Muffler further reduces emissions to make it compliant with the Tier IV Emissions regulations.
Electronic Governor
The F3990 diesel engine features an electronic governor that stabilizes the engine speed at 2,500rpm with the PTO switched on for enhanced cutting and discharge performance, and increases engine speed to 2,700rpm with the PTO switched off for faster traveling speed.
High Lift Capacity
A high lifting capacity gives the F-Series the versatility to handle an array of implements, including a grass catcher, snow blower, rotary sweeper, debris blower and the 100" flex mower.
Large Capacity Fuel Tank
A large, 16.1 gallon fuel tank not only keeps you working longer between fuel stops, it also reduces the number of fueling stops needed to complete long jobs. That means more time working and less time fueling up. The refueling pipe is now conveniently located right behind the ROPS.
4WD and Auto-Assist 4WD
Auto-Assist 4WD works in forward and reverse, automatically controlling the drive loads on the wheels during turns. Auto-Assist 4WD lets you turn with greater efficiency and ease with less wear and tear on the turf. Full-time 4WD can also be engaged.
Hydrostatic Power Steering
Hydrostatic power steering reduces operator fatigue and makes it easier to mow around trees and other obstacles.
Single HST Pedal
A powerful hydrostatic transmission provides quick response, excellent working speed, and more muscle for tough mowing jobs. The single pedal design lets you easily change the direction as well as control the speed (4WD: 12.5 mph max. forward speed, 6.8 mph in reverse), keeping your hands free for steering and implement control for increased productivity.
Large Tires with Wide Tread
Four large-sized tires provide a wide tread for greater stability and maneuverability on slopes, better flotation and less ground compaction.
Tilt Steering Wheel
The tilt steering wheel can be quickly adjusted to several positions for optimum operator comfort and further driving ease.
High/Low Lever
The handy Hi/Low lever is standard equipped on all models so you can adjust the mower speed to better match the terrain or situation.
Pro-Commercial Mower Deck
The Pro-Commercial mower deck comes with an inner baffle to prevent cut grass from discharging to the front. A larger discharge chute improves discharge performance. Also need less power to run mower.
PTO Shaft Drive
Shaft drive means no belts or pulleys – just smooth and direct power transfer from the engine to the deck and other PTO-driven attachments. Shaft drive also requires less maintenance and provides greater dependability.
Multi-V-Belt and Steel Pulleys
In addition to providing greater wear resistance, the heavy-duty cast-iron pulleys and a multi-V-belt drive system effectively distribute and reduce tension while transmitting power to the mower blades. The multi-V-belt won't twist or slip, thus reducing the chance of damage to the mower. You get more performance and power – and fewer problems.
Fabricated Deck with Sturdy Steel Construction
Stronger and more durable than conventional pressed steel decks, the F-Series' fabricated steel decks are designed to provide years of reliable cutting performance with minimal maintenance.
Swivel Anti-Scalp Wheels
The mower deck is equipped up front with two large wheels that swivel independently through 360 degrees. The wheels ensure that the deck remains above the turf, preventing unsightly turf damage.
6.0" Deep Mower Deck
Tall grass is no problem for this side-discharge professional mower deck. Its 6.0"-deep deck design lets tall grass stand up so that it can be cut more efficiently. This results in a faster cut and a cleaner appearance.
Rear Discharge Mower
When side discharge won't do, mount a rear discharge mower deck. Two sizes—60" and 72"—are available. Both decks tilt up 90 degrees for easier cleaning and blade sharpening. They also feature sturdy steel construction for greater durability and front lift arms that attach directly over the center of gravity for better control. Mulching kits are also available.
Easy Maintenance
Downtime is unproductive time, so the F-Series is designed for quick and simple maintenance. From the quick-release engine cover to the 90-degree tilt mower deck, every detail has been geared towards getting you back on the job as quickly as possible and keeping you there as long as possible.
90-degree Tilt Mower Deck
The mower deck lifts a full 90 degrees, providing unobstructed access to the blades and deck underside for easier cleaning and maintenance.
Dual-Element Air Cleaner
The dual-element air cleaner helps keep the engine running smoothly and efficiently. Only the outer filter needs to be replaced—the inner filter can be cleaned with a pressured air—helping to reduce maintenance costs. The F3990 air cleaner is equipped with a choke indicator that turns red when the filter needs cleaning or replacement.
Integrated Radiator Screen
The new, easy to clean radiator screen is integrated into the engine cover to help keep the engine running cool and efficiently. A water temperature gauge and overheating alarm are also provided to help prevent overheating.
Tool Box
Conveniently located under the seat, the tool box provides fast access storage for your tools. It's also an ideal place to store your operator manual for quick and easy reference while on the job.
New Digital Panel
The new easier to read LCD digital panel provides vital information about the F-Series mower at a glance, including DPF-related information, engine speed, remaining fuel, water temperature and hour meter.
Deluxe Seat
The F-Series' high level of comfort starts with a deluxe high-back seat with four separate adjustments—weight control, lumbar support, back angle, and arm rests—to provide every operator with a custom fit and optimum comfort.
Operator Levers
For easier operation and greater convenience, the High/Low speed lever and deck-lifting lever are positioned beside the operator's seat. The lever guides have also been designed for quick, at-a glance identification.


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WASHINGTON — As she begins her second Congress as leader of the opposition in the House, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California is confident that Democrats will get behind President Obama on the big clashes with Republicans. But she thinks the president should aggressively line up much wider support for raising the federal debt limit and enacting new gun rules.
"He has to communicate with the American people on it," Ms. Pelosi said about the debt-limit increase during an interview in which she looked ahead to the issues facing the 113th Congress. She urged the president "to bring everyone to a place where we can say we are going to remove all doubt that the full faith and credit of the United States of America will be honored."
Ms. Pelosi, 72, who is leading an expanded House minority, offered similar advice for the president in building momentum for gun restrictions in the aftermath of the Newtown, Conn., school shootings. If lawmakers balk, she said, take the issue to the public.
"There has to be a national conversation," said Ms. Pelosi, who was active in the House in 1994 when Congress passed an assault-weapons ban that has since expired. "The safety of our country cannot go as slow as the slowest ship in the House of Representatives or even the United States Senate."
"If we come out of the Newtown experience and all we do is talk about it and not have a result," she added, "that would be a dereliction of duty on the part of us in public office. We must find a place where we can come to agreement on this."
With the year-end fiscal pileup over taxes and spending concluded after Democrats provided the majority of support for House passage, Ms. Pelosi enters the latest Congress with 49 new Democrats and a net gain of 8 seats in the November elections. She said the infusion of new blood in the rank-and-file has brought energy and gives Democrats a "fresh start." Over all, Republicans outnumber Democrats in the new House, 233 to 200, with 2 vacancies.
After prompting some discussion that she might retire after Democrats failed to retake the House in November, Ms. Pelosi, who served as the first female speaker from 2007 to 2011, gave no impression that she is winding down as she enthusiastically gamed out the policy that will figure into the coming months as well as the politics.
"While I'm in it, I'm in it," she said "When I go, I'll go." She is far from ready to say that she will go.
"We just finished a lame-duck session," she said. "I don't want to be a lame-duck leader."
The president's party traditionally takes a hammering in the midterm election of second term, but Ms. Pelosi is cautious about making presumptions about 2014, particularly given the fundamental changes in political communications and strategy.
"Any assumption of past performance when it comes to elections in this day and age is stale," said Ms. Pelosi, who said she would make her judgment on the electoral landscape about a year from the election.
Given the issues in Washington, plenty could change between now and then with Congress veering toward multiple fiscal showdowns as well as difficult debates over gun control and immigration law.
Ms. Pelosi said she and her fellow Democrats wholeheartedly support the president's declaration that he will not horse trade with Republicans over the need to raise the debt limit as early as next month.
"It is bigger than just the accounting, it is about who we are as a country, how we professionally deal with the challenges," she said.
Democrats are willing to entertain spending cuts, she said, but the reductions need to be considered separately from the debt-limit discussion. And cuts that go too deep or are aimed at the wrong programs can, she said, hurt the nation in crucial areas like education, technology, science and energy.
On gun rights, Ms. Pelosi said Democrats are no longer talking about gun control but refer instead to what she calls gun violence prevention — an effort by Democrats and their allies to find a less politically charged term, one that suggests a broader range of approaches beyond simply gun regulation.
She called it challenging to balance the rights of gun ownership with public safety and security but said Congress needed to find a way to reach consensus.
"We have to prioritize, get the votes and do something," said Ms. Pelosi, who identified limits on high-capacity ammunition magazines as one area that Democrats would explore.
She acknowledged a strong sentiment in Congress against gun law changes as well as the political risks usually associated with taking votes on gun restrictions. But in light of the Connecticut shooting, she said she expected the weight of public opinion to push Congress in the direction of new laws.
"I think you are going to see something outside of Washington have an impact on what happens inside of Washington," she said.


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|Linn Unidisk 1.1 Universal Disc Player
|Saturday, 01 October 2005
Page 2 of 3
Music and Movies
Linn's audio heritage has been to create an emotional musical experience. This has driven the design of some incredible hardware. The Sondek CD12 was arguably the best CD playback machine ever produced. A burning question is how well the Unidisk 1.1 can handle CD reproduction.
Once I played the first CD through the 1.1, the CD world as I knew it would never be the same. I found myself filing through my collection, curious to see how the Unidisk 1.1 would perform on some well-known favorites. INXS' Shabooh Shoobah (Atlantic Records) captured my attention with the use of driving synthesizer, guitar and catchy lyrics with a lot of energy. The musicians could actually perform without the use of computers, and did so quite well. Michael Hutchence's vocal textures rise to the top of the mix on "Spy of Love," defining the midrange textures of his voice with oodles of information. The pinpoint location of his voice between the speakers had tons of air around the image of the vocals and laid back nicely in the soundstage. The body of the synthesizer benefited greatly from the improved resolution, revealing more detail and texture within each note, fleshing out even the subtle nuances that I had no idea even existed in the recording. Dynamics at first seemed a bit polite, but the more I listened, the more I realized that what I had heard prior to having the Unidisk 1.1 in my system was in fact some of the brittleness and harsh, edgy digital sound that other players had me accustomed to hearing. The Unidisk 1.1 also had a pronounced affect on the pitch accuracy of the recording. The music opened up and was free of any noticeable compression. Guitar strings sounded more natural, cymbals decayed more realistically and bass notes exhibited more character than I have heard from any other player.
The driving bass line in "Soul Mistake" was a case in point. Deep, taut and well-extended, the Unidisk 1.1 just kept getting better the louder I played it.
My favorite CD reference found its way into rotation next. Alice In Chains' Unplugged (Sony Music Entertainment) captured one of the premiere Seattle grunge rock acts just before the group came apart at the seams. Layne Staley managed to hold it together long enough to make this recording that set the bar for this type of project. Performing acoustic sets of their mostly electric repertoire thrilled fans with how well the songs transitioned over to that style. "Sludge Factory" is a heavy, dark tune that loses nothing when played acoustically. The action of the guitars is set so close that the strings rattle on adjacent frets. This came across extremely well with the Unidisk. I could actually hear the strings not only hitting the frets but also resonating in the body of the guitar. Midrange clarity and transparency were simply stunning. Pace and rhythm were maintained with authority and control. Staley's vocals were highlighted by the intricately detailed timbre of his unique sound, capturing the low-throated growl with a newfound sense of presence. The opening bass line on "Would" detailed the vibrating strings in space with an almost unreal palpability. The transient slap of each note remained fully intact at extremely high volumes.
"We Can Talk" on The Band's Music From Big Pink (Capitol Records) found its way to the top of the stack. This outing by The Band is a radically different direction than any of their previous work, pioneering a new and interesting genre of rock with country elements and roots style in a not quite jam type of approach. The 5.1 mix of this effort captures the earthy, soulful feel to the arrangements, better defining the artistic craft underlying the structure of the songs. The Unidisk 1.1 helped me understand the truth of the music on "We Can Talk," which portrays The Band's developing prowess as it might sound on the original analog tapes. Open, airy and transparent, this tune had clarity and soul that were mesmerizing.
The organ on "Chest Fever" sports a very articulate groove with Robertson's guitar playing along the same line. The vocals work to bring you within the song weaving in and out of the groove with so much body and detail that it's hard to believe how natural this sounds.
I love atmospheric music that can float you along and paint an aural soundscape within your mind. "Thousand Years" on Sting's Brand New Day (DTS Entertainment) seemed like a good test for the Unidisk 1.1. Sting's vocals were extremely focused. Sibilance was outstanding with a slight yet natural-sounding shimmer to the ends of the words I had not heard before. The bass was well extended and deep without any boominess or congestion at high volumes. All the 5.1 information remained intact. Leading edge transients were faithfully blended while traveling from one channel to the next in the most seamless presentation I have ever heard on the surround format. The Unidisk threw a much larger soundstage than I'm used to hearing on this or any of the previously mention 5.1 surround tracks. The Unidisk 1.1 was liquidly smooth, never seeming to bat a digital eyebrow, regardless of the nature of the assault.
To get a feel for female vocals, I enlisted the help of Sheryl Crow. The Globe Sessions (DTS Entertainment) is, in my opinion, one of Crow's best projects to date. "The Difficult Kind" displays how beautiful her voice can be. The slightly raspy quality and throaty croon of her voice is warm with a wonderful midrange bloom as she carries the note through completion. Dynamics, micro detail and transparency were all presented with alacrity by the Unidisk 1.1. The spaciousness of the soundstage once again made the tune much more engrossing.
Peter Gabriel's remastered to SACD of So (Geffen Records) has a stunning presentation of "Mercy Street," which the Unidisk 1.1 took to the next level. The bass and the synthesizer both exhibited a level of low-frequency control, grabbing the lowest octaves of the notes and eking out every ounce of extension and resonance. The intricate interplay of Gabriel's voice and the backing vocals are stunningly delineated, as is the non-linear bass playing of Tony Levin. Additionally, the Unidisk 1.1 will scroll the name of the tune of any SACD as the track starts playing, which is a very cool feature.
Next I switched gears to test the Unidisk's video prowess. My previous reference, the Toshiba SD9200, paled miserably in comparison to the video side of the Unidisk 1.1. The Unidisk 1.1 image was substantially improved in sharpness and clarity. Edge definition improved dramatically without any noticeable stair-stepping or blurriness. Contrast, color saturation and black level detail were top-notch, the best I've seen in my system.
"Appleseed" (Geneon) is a modern CG anime film with a vintage anime look. Colors are not blended for shadows but are composites of different colors to give the computer-generated characters the look of hand-drawn cells. This type of image gives video play quite a handful to deal with. The Unidisk 1.1 kept this sorted out in the opening melee where the main character, Deunan Knute, is waiting to ambush several mobile gun platforms amidst the burned-out ruins of a city. Shadows, bright flashes of gunfire and fast action remain coherent throughout this onslaught as the battle works through its paces. Color definition is further highlighted by the transitions from shadow to light as Deunan dodges between buildings in a twilight setting. There was no indication of chroma-bugs or digital artifacts in any of the scenes, and image depth was further enhanced, breathing new life into movie-watching. The rousing soundtrack by the Boom Boom Satellites keeps pace with the action, exemplifying the sonic dexterity that was displayed in the other listening tests.


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This hands-on session prepares Canvas users to optimize content for accessibility. Participants learn to identify accessibility issues within content, use the Rich Content Editor, create extended deadlines for quiz and assignment submissions, and use recommended guidelines for accessible quizzes.
This Training on Demand can be delivered online via Zoom or in-person as a 2.5 hour hands-on session.


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NEW BRITAIN, Conn. (AP) Xavier Owens came off the bench for 18 points and Julian Norfleet hit four 3-pointers to lift Mount St. Mary's over Central Connecticut State 80-75 Saturday in Northeast Conference play.
Norfleet went 4 of 6 from deep for 18 points, Rashaad Whack added 13, Shivaughn Wiggins 12, and Kristijan Krajina 10 for the Mountaineers (7-10, 2-4).
Adonis Burbage hit a 3-pointer as Mount St. Mary's fell behind 60-52 with 9:29 left to play. From there, the Mountaineers used a 16-0 run to take the lead for good, 68-62. Whack capped the spurt with a 3-pointer.
CCSU (7-10, 3-3) cut the deficit to 72-71 at the 2:29 mark but Norfleet hit a layup and trey on back-to-back possessions to seal it.
Malcolm McMillan had 26 points to lead CCSU, which shot 56 percent (28 of 50) from the field but committed 17 turnovers.
The Mountaineers scored 22 points off those errors.


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Hopper:samgab:jtbthatsme: The question i'm wondering about is the streaming effected when their website is down and It's possible it's down due to high traffic. I'm gonna sign up when I get home and try out the free trial period get some legal TV for a change and watch season 1 of the newer Dr Who which I've never watched.
If the content doesn't increase or if Xnet doesn't jump on the unmetered traffic then it may just last that initial trial or maybe a month into it to show support of the concept as I can't afford to stream pay per gig traffic.
Yeah, they'll charge you NZD$18.49 immediately... No free trial period.?
My account shows next billing at 19 April so looks like 21 days free.
Can't get my PS3 to log in though, 'user name or password wrong'.
I'm also having problems with the login from the PS3


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All of the PHP code published in this WIKI is written by Jay Tanner (Web site and WIKI admin).
Contact: Jay.Tanner.x at PHPScienceLabs dot us (NO SPAM, unless it is the yummy edible kind.)
This WIKI is a work in progress, so it will take time to develop it. Please be patient as I figure out a WIKI works. Rome wasn't burned in a day.
All PHP source code published on this web site is provided under the
provisions of the GNU Affero General Public License (AGPL), v3
Functions INDEX
I study astronomy, astrophysics, general science, math and programming, among other things and, as a result, often encounter numerous related numerical problems that need solving. A programmable scientific calculator made in the 1990s can only go so far. This is the 21st century and my old calculator is becoming more and more insufficient in handling an increasing number of the computations I need to do today.
Much of the work on this web site involves making custom specialized scientific calculators in PHP. There are many such excellent calculators on the Internet, but by studying and modifying the source code of the functions and programs published on this site, anyone can learn to make their own custom calculators as well. It is not very difficult. Sometimes, whether for scientific reasons or simple curiosity, you may simply want the ability to transcend the limited resolution of double precision arithmetic. PHP easily allows this as some of the work published on this web site will demonstrate.
This WIKI is intended to serve as a basic educational resource for other PHP programmers who are looking for source code to solve similar problems and/or learn something about scientific PHP programming in general. Many of the functions I use in my work are published on this web site along with some examples and related PHP source code. Anyone with a PHP-enabled web site should also be able to execute, experiment with and modify the source code in any way they wish.
Instead of writing new programs for an aging scientific calculator, it seems more practical to turn to the Internet and use the powerful corporate computer that powers my PHP-enabled web site to perform the computations instead. This turned out to be a good move because I discovered that PHP web-programming language can be used to develop scientific software for the same things my old calculator did and infinitely more, the best parts being the ability to do arbitrary-precision arithmetic to thousands of digits and powerful string and file manipulating functions.
Jay Tanner - Site admin
There is nothing commercial here. No ads. Only the occasional blurb for non-commercial, open-source freeware, readily available to all, such as POV-Ray, which was used to render many of the images seen on this web site or PHP, the primary language used to program this web site and also freely available to practically anyone with a hosted web site or personal desk top web server.
If you wish to leave any comments, sentient registered users may do so below. I'm especially interested in collaborating with peers who like to do similar science and astronomy-related programming in PHP and perhaps share/compare code related to similar computations.
Registering is free and essentially anonymous. This is ONLY to help avert those ever-devious spam-bots-from-hell from automatically stopping by, dumping their excrement on the property and then merrily running off looking for their next victim. It already happened once. Practically any made-up handle/name and working anti-spam confirmation e-mail address is OK.
(No SPAM)


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Rocky Mountain's goal for the latest iteration of their famed Slayer bike line was to create a world class All-Mountain/Enduro/DH adventure cycle machine. Easy to pedal, light weight, and fantastic on the downhills. Did they meet these goals?
- Pedals surprisingly well for the amount of travel
- Goes downhill like a rockstar
- Component spec is fantastic for price but could use some personal tweeking
- Fun to ride and immediately comfortable in the saddle and out
- Neutral body position makes corners, jumps, handling, very easy
- Traction up hill and down
- Front wheel comes up too easily on very steep climbs
- (edit into final comments)
To achieve this, Rocky Mountain needed to design the latest Slayer from a clean slate. The engineers at Rocky Mountain chose a slightly modified four-bar platform for the suspension. The Slayer 70 uses Rocky Mountain's SmoothLink™ suspension system, which is an extension of their ETS platform and is now used extensively throughout the Rocky Mountain bike lines.
The key features of the SmoothLink™ are minimal chain growth, for example a 140mm travel bike will have 9mm of chain growth, and a linear rising suspension rate. A benefit of this is that shock settings will be constant throughout the stroke and the suspension will have a limitless feel. The SmoothLink™ system puts the rear swing arm pivot 10mm above the rear axle, which allows the Average Chain Torque Line (ACTL) to follow more closely to the lower link of the system. Keeping these two lines closely in parallel allows the Instant Center of Rotation (ICR) of the suspension system to closely follow the ACTL, which means reduced pedal bob. But this isn't the only design advancement that the new Slayer would receive. Rocky also noted that optimum pedaling power comes from having a correct seated position, so the StraightUp™ geometry was developed. This means that when the suspension is set to the correct sag, the seat tube angle will be around 73 degrees. At this angle you shouldn't have to scoot up on the nose of your saddle when pedaling uphill. It will put your hips and legs in better alignment with cranks and pedals for optimal power. Obviously this geometry won't make up for having weak legs, but it can make the chore of riding up hills more enjoyable and efficient.
Other cool tricks in the new frame include a two-piece bottom bracket that is hollowed out to save as much weight as possible, an e-type front derailleur that bolts onto the frame, tapered head tube for optimum strength to weight savings, and a pretty trick little chain device that helps keep your chain from completely dropping off the double rings up front. Oh yes, and that one guy, Wade Simmons, famous for doing stuff on bike or something like that, had a lot of input into how the bike handles and rides.


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Their responses speak of a world that is connected deep within homes and well beyond borders. Pew collected the answers into theses buckets of a hopeful and not-so hopeful future (with some other random ideas ginned up, too).
Pew posed an open-ended question asking for predictions about the role of the Internet in people's lives in 2025, and what impact it will have on social, economic and political processes. "Good and/or bad, what do you expect to be the most significant overall impacts of our uses of the Internet on humanity between now and 2025?" Pew asked. The group polled researchers, entrepreneurs, writers, developers, advocates and others.
Here is a selection of responses plucked from the overview of "Digital Life in 2025." You can see the entire report with more anecdotes on Pew's site.
Invisible InformationDavid Clark, senior research scientist at MIT: "Devices will more and more have their own patterns of communication, their own 'social networks,' which they use to share and aggregate information, and undertake automatic control and activation. More and more, humans will be in a world in which decisions are being made by an active set of cooperating devices. The Internet (and computer-mediated communication in general) will become more pervasive but less explicit and visible. It will, to some extent, blend into the background of all we do."
The Potential of WearablesAron Roberts, software developer at the University of California, Berkeley: "We may well see wearable devices and/or home and workplace sensors that can help us make ongoing lifestyle changes and provide early detection for disease risks, not just disease. We may literally be able to adjust both medications and lifestyle changes on a day-by-day basis or even an hour-by-hour basis, thus enormously magnifying the effectiveness of an ever more understaffed medical delivery system."
The 'Ubernet'David Hughes, who has four decades of experience in digital communications: "All 7-plus billion humans on this planet will sooner or later be 'connected' to each other and fixed destinations, via the Uber(not Inter)net. That can lead to the diminished power over people's lives within nation-states. When every person on this planet can reach, and communicate two-way, with every other person on this planet, the power of nation-states to control every human inside its geographic boundaries may start to diminish."
Education for AllHal Varian, chief economist for Google: "The biggest impact on the world will be universal access to all human knowledge. The smartest person in the world currently could well be stuck behind a plow in India or China. Enabling that person — and the millions like him or her — will have a profound impact on the development of the human race. Cheap mobile devices will be available worldwide, and educational tools like the Khan Academy will be available to everyone. This will have a huge impact on literacy and numeracy and will lead to a more informed and more educated world population."
Daily Dark RealitiesLlewellyn Kriel, CEO of TopEditor International Media Services: "Everything — every thing — will be available online with price tags attached. Cyber-terrorism will become commonplace. Privacy and confidentiality of any and all personal will become a thing of the past. Online 'diseases' — mental, physical, social, addictions (psycho-cyber drugs) — will affect families and communities and spread willy-nilly across borders. The digital divide will grow and worsen beyond the control of nations or global organizations such as the UN. This will increasingly polarize the planet between haves and have-nots. Global companies will exploit this polarization. Digital criminal networks will become realities of the new frontiers. Terrorism, both by organizations and individuals, will be daily realities. The world will become less and less safe, and only personal skills and insights will protect individuals."
Savvier GovernmentPaul Babbitt, an associate professor at Southern Arkansas University: "Governments will become much more effective in using the Internet as an instrument of political and social control. That is, filters will be increasingly valuable and important, and effective and useful filters will be able to charge for their services. People will be more than happy to trade the free-wheeling aspect common to many Internet sites for more structured and regulated environments."
Geopolitics, UnpreparedRandy Kluver, an associate professor of communication at Texas A&M University: "The most neglected aspect of the impact is in the geopolitics of the Internet. There are very few experts focused on this, and yet the rise of digital media promises significant disruption to relations between and among states. Some of the really important dimensions include the development of transnational political actors/movements, the rise of the virtual state, the impact of digital diplomacy efforts, the role of information in undermining state privilege (think Wikileaks), and … the development of cyber-conflict (in both symmetric and asymmetric forms)."
Born OnlineVint Cerf, Google vice president: "There will be increased franchise and information sharing. There will be changes to business models to adapt to the economics of digital communication and storage. We may finally get to Internet voting, but only if we have really strong authentication methods available. Privacy must be improved but transparency about what information is retained about users also has to increase. More business will be born online with a global market from the beginning. Massive open online courses will become important revenue streams."
'Dystopian World'John Markoff, senior Science writer at the New York Times: "What happens the first time you answer the phone and hear from your mother or a close friend, but it's actually not, and instead, it's a piece of malware that is designed to social engineer you. What kind of a world will we have crossed over into? I basically began as an Internet utopian (think John Perry Barlow), but I have since realized that the technical and social forces that have been unleashed by the microprocessor hold out the potential of a very dystopian world that is also profoundly inegalitarian. I often find myself thinking, 'Who said it would get better?'"
You can see the entire report with plenty more anecdotes on Pew's site. What do you think the Internet will be like in 10 years — flowing invisibly in the background like electricity, a tangible and omnipresent part of every day life, something else? Tell us what you think in the comments.


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Chronicles of my Guatemalan birding adventures are still forthcoming but I thought it might be nice to focus on one special bird from the tropics. The Northern Jacana (Jacana spinosa) is a striking wader that ranges from Mexico to Panama. With its attenuated, spindly toes and day-glo orange shield, the jacana looks like a close relative of gallinues or moorhens, but it actually closer kin to plovers and sandpipers. If you visit any lake, pond, or wetland in northern Guatemala, you're quite likely to see one or several of these beauties. That's where the trouble begins…
How do YOU say Jacana?
This question isn't as innocent as it sounds, as there are at least four ways to say it. The word jacana descends from the Tupi jasanã? by way of the Portuguese jaçanã. That funky ç, called a cedilla, is used in Portuguese to denote a soft c and while the cedilla isn't often used in most spellings of Northern Jaçana, it technically belongs there. Thus, a straight reading of the word would be Zha-sah-NAH. However, the discussion doesn't end there.
Ways to pronounce or mispronounce this word are legion. Many, like myself, tend to eschew the traditional pronunciation of jacana for an Anglicized Jah-KA-nah. For the record, this is the way one refers to the other seven species in the family Jacanidae. Others meet tradition halfway with Jah-sah-NAH. Still other interpretations, influenced by Spanish, the dominant language of the American tropics, refer to spinosa as Ha-KA-nah or Ha-sah-NAH. So how about you? How do you pronounce jacana?
I voted for Jah-KA-nah simply because that's how a German (or any other foreign birder) would pronounce it without any background information.
Frankly, if you're going to incorporate foreign words into your language, spell them in a way that suits their pronounciation. Foreigners have enough trouble figuring out why "ghoti" isn't an appropriate way of spelling "Fish" (gh = "f" from enough, o = "i" as in women, ti = sh as in nation). We don't need bird names to cause us even more headaches.
If you want people to pronounce the bird Jacana differently, e.g. Jah-sa-NAH, then please spell it Jahsanah and not Jacana!
Okay, this thought however must be taken with a good grain of salt as the one commenting is from a nation (Germany) that uses words like Salzwasserdestillationsanalge and one of our nicest bird names is Schwarzschnabelsturmtaucher (although taxonomical changes made a name change to Atlantiksturmtaucher necessary, much better, right?).
The Jacanas by the way are called "Little Leaf Chickens" in German. Just a suggestion in case the poll doesn't lead to a clear result.
Jah-KA-nah is how I pronounce it too. I suppose there's always 'lilytrotter'.
I say zha-SAH-nah. The ABA blog had a post about this very topic recently: http://birding.typepad.com/peeps/2008/03/northern-jacana.html
I saw my life jacana in Amazonian Brazil, and will always use the Tupi pronunciation–zha-sa-NAH–because it's a Tupi word. It's also pretty, and fun to make people whip their heads around at you in puzzlement. What fun it was to bird with you in Guate!
Hey Mike,
I know that bird… just blogged him myself! Most of the guides I've spent time with in Central America also say "Jah-KA-nah" so I've always deferred to this pronunciation as well without considering the deeper ramifications of word origin, etc. It was great birding with you, sorry you had to leave us before it was all said and done!
When I was in South America last year, I noticed the Jacana was pronounced Ha-KA-na, so I did likewise. However, Jacanas occur elsewhere so I'd usually go for an Anglicised Ja-KA-na.
I also saw some jah-KA-nahs last week in Costa Rica, Mike. Cool birds.
Ja-KAN-ah. That's the way an East Texas boy says it. I've seen them tip-toeing across the pads in Belize. Striking
I always thought it was ya-KA-nah. Foreign languages were never my strong point.
How good looking bird! I love this color so much. I've seen it for first time. Really mind blowing.
I knew the sound of the cedilla (but from French, not Portuguese), so I've always said Juh-SAH-nuh, based only on that. Even though I'm more fluent in Spanish than French, and saw my first jacanas in Mexico, I never figured it to be a Spanish or Portuguese word due to the cedilla. (I think your Jah and nah sounds should really be written juh and nuh.)
In spanish the j is sounded like h so I think ha kan naA mite b correct. A beauty however u care to pronounce it.
Phil wrote: "In spanish the j is sounded like h so I think ha kan naA mite b correct." One problem with this: as Mike wrote up at the top, the origin of this word is not Spanish. Of course words incorporated from one language to another often are pronounced differently than in the language of origin, and those pronunciations ultimately may become considered correct by common usage (or misusage, if you prefer). That being said, I have no idea what would be considered THE correct US English pronunciation, if there is a single correct pronunciation.
Our Costa Rican guides said "zha-KA-na" but the guidebook they were pointing at spelled it "jaçana" so I privately wondered about that c-cedilla. Now (in this thread) I learn that the word ends in "ã" which differs from the merely-stressed "á." The difference in Portuguese is that this syllable is stressed AND nasalized! That last syllable would thus be pronounced a bit like the French word "un."
My opinion is that one should know the correct pronunciation but go with what's recognizable. Most people say "lahn-je-ray" (lingerie) and are understood, and "chaise lounge" (chaise longue) and are understood.
© 2013 10,000 Birds. All words, images, and opinions are the property of their respective authors unless stated otherwise.


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"If I'd known learning to defend myself would be this easy to start I would've done it years ago."
I always painted martial arts classes to be these crazy, tough things (and kind of intimidating too). I mean you wear these uniforms and have to bow to people and it just really didn't seem like my kind of thing.
After starting Krav Maga, I realize it's kind of the "rebel" of martial arts. You DON'T have to wear a uniform - just bring comfy gym clothes. There's also no bowing or anything else that makes martial arts seem unapproachable.
It's totally raw and REAL. You don't learn anything that you don't need. You only learn what you will help you in a real world situation, and nothing less. Honestly, you just show up, have a ton of fun, and immediately start learning how to defend yourself. I mean after day one you already feel more confident.
Joanne McCarthy
"I will never be scared again."
The other night I was out with a couple friends. Some guy who had too much to drink came up to us and start talking some serious trash. He seemed really hostile, like he might start a fight with us too.
The thing is, even though I was with 4 other guys... I locked up. It was like I froze. The way the guy was yelling and waving his arms around just caught me off guard, and I was worried for myself and my friends. I felt really embarrassed afterward. Ashamed. As a man, you feel like you should be this "Rambo" guy who can handle himself. I don't wanna be Rambo or anything, but I at least want to know that I can defend myself.
I haven't been taking Krav Maga for very long. But even with the short amount of time I've been learning - I know for a FACT that if anything like that ever happened again, I'd be able to defend myself and my friends.
I don't mean to say I wanna go around picking fights or anything. But sometimes fights find you. And if another one ever does - I'll feel safe, for myself and whoever I'm with.
Cory Henson
"An AWESOME calorie-burning workout!"
I know a lot of people take Krav Maga for self-defense... But to be honest my main goal was to lose some weight. Believe me, you WILL lose weight with this! I can already see the kilos melting right off!
Every class is full of great fat-melting workouts. And as an added bonus, I now know how to defend myself. It's the best of both worlds. Whether you're looking to lose weight, or for self-defense, this is the real deal.
Just get started already! You won't regret it!
Gina Ricci
"This is real-world stuff that anyone can use successfully."
I've tried other forms of martial arts, like Tae Kwon Do and Kung Fu. While I think those have their strengths - none of them ever clicked with me. It's kind of like college... where you take a couple years of "pre-requisite" classes before you really start to learn anything.
With those martial arts - I felt like you have to jump through hoops for a few years before you really get to a level where you can take care of yoruself.
What I love about Krav Maga is that from day 1 you learn real-world tactics that you can start using that day. This is the no B.S. path to self-defense.
Sean Mazzola
*DISCLAIMER: Weight loss results vary depending on the individual. No guarantee is provided or implied. The weight loss results described in the testimonials or anywhere on our website are not typical for every individual. This highly depends on each person's physical health, diet and exercise, as well as frequency and adherence to our martial arts program.


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Cook the Book: 'Poulet'
Tasty, simple to prepare, and not too pricey (even for your fancy, free range birds), chicken is pretty easy to love. Poulet, Cree LaFavour's newly released tome all about chicken, takes you on a trip around the world on the wings of the flightless bird.
Get the Recipes
Beginning with American chicken recipes then traveling to South America and then over to Asia, this book offers over 50 international menus all centering around the poulet, pollo or huhn.
And the menus are pretty glorious, full of inventive chicken recipes that go way beyond classic roast chicken, illustrated with lovely photographs, and written with a breezy, approachable tone that allows the cook to tweak each recipe to suit their tastes.
This week we've got the fridge stocked with plenty of thighs and whole birds in preparation for Chanterelle Chicken over Egg Noodles, One-Pot Chicken over Jasmine Rice, and Gai Yang, a Thai chicken recipe paired with bird's eye chile dipping sauce.
Win 'Poulet'
Thanks to the generous folks over at Chronicle Books, we are giving away five (5) copies of Poulet this week.
All you have to do is tell us about favorite chicken recipe in the comments section below.


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Our approach seeks to understand the Multicultural perspective with product branding. As a matter of discipline, we identify both the similarities and differences between the alternative narrative and its general market counterpart. Our work leverages the uniqueness of the Multicultural point of view in order to create the strongest affinity between the consumer and the brand, while remaining true to its essence.
Out TV is Great
Out TV is Great
CHWA is a full-service agency with offices in Oakland, Chicago, New York and Detroit, as well as strategic global partnerships. To communicate to African American and urban consumers successfully in today's dynamic environment, we must provide our clients with an array of services that can be integrated to create a 360º "surround-sound" marketing program. The following lists our current in-house capabilities:
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